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Master the landmine row for impressive upper body muscle gains

Build up your back muscles with the landmine row

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landmine row woman close up doing landmine row in gym
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The landmine row allows you to build serious upper-body muscle and strength while reducing stress on your joints. Using a landmine attachment or just wedging one end of your barbell into a corner makes things a little more interesting than just picking up a set of dumbbells again. Plus, you might not always have access to machines and certain equipment.

Today, many people spend hours sitting slouched over a desk or looking down at a phone with a rounded spine and poor posture. Learning to master the landmine row can help you improve your posture, enhance shoulder stability, and more. Read on to learn about the benefits, variations, and alternatives and how to perfect your technique.

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What is the landmine row?

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The landmine row is a strength training rowing exercise that targets your upper back. It’s a compound movement where you lift a weighted barbell attached to a landmine apparatus. The landmine attachment has a pivot point, so you can stand in a bent-forward position, straddling the bar and row the bar towards you with resistance.

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What’s the difference between the T-bar row and the landmine row?

Guy in gym using machine to do the T-bar row exercise

The landmine row and the T-bar row are variations of the same exercise. The main difference is that you specifically use a T-bar handle with the T-bar row. The T-bar handle on the non-fixed end of the bar is shaped like the letter T and enables you to raise your arms wider with your palms turned down. The T-bar shifts the emphasis to your upper and middle back and rear deltoids more than to the V-grip handles or simply holding on to the bar, which involves rowing with your elbows closer and shifting the emphasis to your lats.

There are different variations of the landmine row, including the single-arm variation.

What muscles are worked during the landmine row?

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The landmine row targets major muscle groups in your upper body, including your:

  • Latissimus dorsi — The largest muscles in your upper back that contribute to the V-shape appearance.
  • Trapezius — The broad set of muscles running down the back of your neck and spine.
  • Rhomboids — Muscles between your shoulder blades that help you complete the rowing motion.
  • Posterior deltoids — These muscles stabilize and power up your shoulders.
  • Biceps brachii — Located in your upper arm, your biceps assist the primary muscles in the rowing movement.

You’ll also work your glutes, erector spinae, and core muscles.

Does the landmine row work your lats?

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The landmine row is a worthwhile exercise when you’re trying to target your lats and develop a more sculpted upper back and V-shaped physique. Your lats help you with the pulling motion of the landmine row.

What are the benefits?

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The landmine row provides a multitude of benefits, such as:

  • Minimal equipment is required.
  • It is suitable for all fitness levels.
  • It reduces stress on your joints and lower back compared to other exercises like the barbell row.
  • It engages your core.
  • Working on strength, endurance, and hypertrophy at the same time.
  • Leveling up your upper body strength.
  • You can work one arm or both arms simultaneously.
  • Improving posture and shoulder stability.
  • Preventing or diminishing muscular imbalances.
  • You can change your grip and try different attachments to see what feels best.

How to do the landmine row

landmine row diagram drawing of man wearing blue doing landmine row white background with both arms
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The first step is to set up your equipment.

The setup:

  1. First, you’ll need to wedge the unloaded end of your bar into a corner or rest it on a plate to anchor it and create your pivot point.
  2. Next, you can load your plates onto the other end of the bar. You can either hold on to the bar to perform the exercise or use gymnastic rings, a rope, straps, or even a towel to place it under the barbell and behind the plates as a makeshift handle. In some cases, a landmine attachment might already be set up for you, and there are different types of handles.
  3. You must ensure the bar is set up with your desired weight.

How to perform the landmine row:

  1. Stand straddling the bar with your feet about shoulders-distance apart. The bar should be in between your legs.
  2. Bend down low to the same starting position you would use for the bent-over row. Hinge at your hips until your torso is almost parallel to the floor. Hold on to the bar with both hands using an overhand grip.
  3. Engage your core.
  4. Bend your elbows and lift the bar toward your chest with control.
  5. Lower the bar back down to the starting position so your arms are fully extended. 
  6. Repeat until you complete the set.

Tips for proper form

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Proper form reduces your risk of injury and helps you to get the most out of this exercise. Here are some tips to perfect your technique and maximize results:

  • Keep your elbows close to your body.
  • Try to keep your spine in a neutral position.
  • Always start with a lighter weight and work your way up over time.
  • Try to avoid bending your neck and try to keep a neutral gaze.
  • Avoid using momentum to row the weight up.
  • Try to avoid rounding your back.
  • Make sure you’re using an overhand grip.
  • Engage your arms and shoulders and keep your shoulders pulled back rather than rounding forward.
  • Pause momentarily and squeeze your shoulder blades when you reach the top of the movement.

Landmine row variations and alternatives

Man and people in gym doing standing one-arm landmine press exercise with barbell landmine attachment
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Here are some of the best landmine row variations to try:

  • Single-arm landmine row — With this variation, you’ll work one arm at a time.
  • Chest-supported landmine row — As the name suggests, with this variation, you rest your chest on the bench’s backrest in a suitable position to perform the landmine row.
  • Landmine Meadows row — The landmine Meadows row is named after the bodybuilder John Meadows, and it’s similar to the single-arm landmine row; however, you stand perpendicular to the bar rather than parallel to it. The landmine Meadows row further emphasizes your lats.

Here are some of the best landmine row alternatives to jazz up your workout schedule:

How to incorporate the landmine row into your routine

weights on white wooden floor witih barbell weight plates
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The landmine row is a worthy addition to your upper body or back training sessions. You can shoot for three or four sets of 8-12 reps. If you’re a beginner, you might need to start with fewer sets and reps, and if you’re more advanced, you can adjust the weight and repetitions accordingly. Maintaining proper form and focusing on control rather than momentum is always key for optimal results.

When you’re looking for another rowing exercise to beef up your back muscles and mix up your routine, put the dumbbells to the side and look no further than the landmine row.

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Steph Green
Steph Green
Steph Green is a content writer specializing in healthcare, wellness, and nutrition. With over ten years of experience, she…
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