Landmine Squat

The landmine squat is performed by wedging one end of a barbell into a landmine attachment and holding the opposite end at chest height with both hands. The lifter squats down and stands back up while the anchored end of the bar arcs through a fixed path. Because the load is anterior and the bar moves in an arc, the lift biases quadriceps and demands anti-flexion work from the core.

Compared to a front squat, the landmine variation is significantly more forgiving of limited wrist, shoulder, and ankle mobility. The chest-height hold does not require the elbows-up rack position that front squats demand, and the arcing bar path allows a more upright torso with a narrower foot stance. Most new lifters can achieve a deep, clean landmine squat within a single session.

Loading options vary. A Viking-press handle or a pair of parallel handles allows a neutral grip and the most chest-stacked position. Holding the bare bar end in both hands with the hands stacked is the standard method. Either way, the weight actually placed on the working end of the bar is what counts toward training volume. The landmine attachment supports the rest.

Use the landmine squat as a quad-biased accessory squat for intermediate lifters, as a primary squat pattern for beginners who are still learning barbell back squat mechanics, or as a deload-friendly squat variation during fatigue-management phases. The axial spine load is substantially lower than any barbell squat.

• Stand close enough to the landmine that the bar end rests cleanly against the sternum
• Keep elbows tucked close to the ribs during the descent
• Drive the hips down and back while keeping the torso vertical
• Push the floor away through the mid-foot to stand
• Resist the arcing bar pull. Do not let it drag the torso forward

• Standing too far from the landmine. The bar pulls forward and the chest collapses
• Treating it like a goblet squat with no attention to the arc. The path is not vertical
• Overloading early. The anterior load feels lighter than it is, so build up gradually
• Collapsing the upper back under fatigue. Rerack before the torso rounds forward

• goblet squat→
• front squat→
• squat→
• zercher squat→