Landmine Lower Body Exercises
As we’ve discussed in earlier posts, the landmine is an extremely versatile tool in a garage/home gym. We’ve covered upper back exercises with the landmine. It can also be used for lower body exercises. This post is going to cover two of those exercises along with some variations.
Landmine Squat
The landmine squat is the fundamental exercise in this family. Bring the barbell up to the chest and hold it with both hands (like a goblet squat but with the bar). Pull the shoulders back and stick the chest out. With the feet between hip-width and shoulder-width apart, squat down. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Like the goblet squat, this is a great exercise for working on mobility at the hips, knees, and ankles. It also develops the muscles of the lower body as well as the trunk. The downside is that the athlete is limited by the act of bringing the bar to the chest and to supporting it there, so athletes will not be able to lift as much as they are able to squat.
This is a great warm-up exercise, it’s a great exercise to train technique, it fits into a conditioning session, and it is also a really good exercise when rehabbing an injury.
Landmine Squat with Press
This exercise is performed exactly like the landmine squat with one important change, there is a press at the end. The athlete holds the bar, squats down, and as they stand up they use both arms to press the bar up and away from them. This allows them to use their legs during the press, making this an explosive exercise.
This is an exercise the develops the lower body and trunk, but it also trains the athlete’s upper body as well. While it may not be strenuous for the lower body due to the limitations of how much weight the athlete can get to their chest and hold there, it is a good upper body exercise and trains the athlete how to use the lower and upper body together.
Landmine Overhead Squat
This exercise is great for lower body mobility and strengthens the athlete’s entire body. Begin with the bar at the chest, supported by both hands. Press the bar up. With the arms straight and the feet between hip-width and shoulder-width apart, squat down.
Landmine Reverse Lunge
This exercise begins just like the landmine squat. From the starting position, take a big step back with your right foot. As you step back lower flex your left knee and hip. Take a big enough step back so that the left thigh (front leg) is parallel to the ground. Use the left leg to lift yourself back up and bring your right foot back to be even with your left. Repeat with the other side.
Lunges are always a good exercise for training mobility, balance, and unilateral strength.
Landmine Reverse Lunge with Press
This exercise is performed exactly like the landmine reverse lunge except there is a press added to it. Set up with the bar being supported at chest height. Perform the reverse lunge by stepping back with the right foot. As you step back, press the bar up with the right arm (i.e. same side you are using to step back with). When you stand up, lower the bar back to the chest and support with both hands. Repeat with the opposite side.
Five exercises you can do with the landmine that train the lower body, trunk, and even the upper body. Now, these have been described in a garage/home gym setting. These are difficult to implement in a team setting because they would require a number of landmines, all secured to something so they don’t move, and each landmine is going to take up a barbell and plates. In a team setting there are other ways to do all of these exercises to get their benefits (this post is coming!).
