Landmine Row: How To Do, Muscle Worked, Form, Benefits

If you are looking to add freshness and variety to your back workouts and give yourself a new challenge, give this landmine row exercise a try.

Landmine row training and the exercises you can perform are empowering, and extremely beneficial. It’s an important part of your back workout.

Landmine rows are a challenging exercise, but it is essential to build a strong back in order to develop a quality physique and stay injury-free for life.

In this post, we cover everything you need to know about landmine row exercises:

• What Is A Landmine Row Exercise?
• Landmine T Bar Row Exercises Benefits
• Muscle Worked During Landmine Row
• How To Do Landmine Row 
• Landmine Row Exercises Tips
• Best Variations of Landmine Rows
• Landmine Row Alternative
• FAQs

What Is A Landmine Row Exercise?

Landmine Row also known as T bar Row or V Bar Row, is extremely versatile and effective for building functional strength through all planes of motion, as well as packing on some serious muscle mass.

If you’ve ever seen someone at the gym holding one end of a barbell at a diagonal angle with the other end stuck in a corner or in some kind of device, then you know what I’m talking about. You now know that, even if you weren’t aware of it.

For performing landmine rows, the landmine attachment is great, but it is not mandatory. You can rest the barbell against a secure surface like a wall, box or other objects, or on a no-slip surface.

All you need to do landmine row exercises is a barbell and maybe some weight plates. You must confirm that the bar is in a stable position and will not slip. This is necessary.

We are going to show you the best landmine exercises that target specific muscle groups, as well as a few full-bodied, multi-planar exercises.

That way you can focus on muscles for hypertrophy and do big compound movements to boost androgen hormones, gain strength, and lose fat.

Know More: Landmine Exercises For Building Muscle And Strength

Muscle Worked During Landmine Row

The fact that the landmine row is a compound exercise equates to it activating a variety of muscle groups and muscles while it is being performed.

Landmine Row exercises are especially effective at targeting your major muscle groups of the Back:

• Latissimus dorsi
• Rhomboids
• Teres major and teres minor
• Erector spinae
• Posterior deltoid
• Trapezius
• Infraspinatus

The exercise also works the arms and grip, including the:

• Brachialis
• Brachioradialis
• Biceps Brachii

The body also has to keep the movement stable, which makes the core work hard. This results in greater core strength and stronger abs.

How To Do Landmine Row 

The T bar row is the classic landmine exercise. It is going to do an absolutely stellar job of targeting your lats, traps, posterior delts and rhomboids. This is one of the best exercises you can do for pure back thickness.

Check the correct execution technique and blast your back muscles.

1. If you are using a classic bar, you will have to ensure that one of its ends is blocked by placing it in the corner of a wall. The ideal is to use a landmine machine or attachment. 
2. Load the other end with the desired amount of weight. With the barbell loaded, stand over the bar with a wide stance.
3. Get into a bent over position with your spine straight and chest up.
4. Bend at the hips and keep your back arched throughout the movement.
5. Depending on your interest, you can tilt your torso between 15-45 degrees above parallel, but no more.
6. Lift the bar until the bar touches your chest, keeping the back straight.
7. Focus on contracting your mid-back muscles by sliding your shoulder blades back until they are together at the end of the range of motion.
8. Now slowly lower the bar until it nearly touches the ground.
9. Complete the desired number of repetitions.

Landmine Row Exercises Form and Technique

Although landmine T bar row are relatively safe in terms of free weight equipment, you still need to take certain precautions.

Follow these tips when using a landmine:

• Focus on good, proper form before using heavy loads. Once you are comfortable with the movement, add weight and since it’s plate loadable, you can do so in smaller increments!
• You should pay attention to the position of your shoulder blades. Shoulders should be actively retracted and lowered during the eccentric phase to prevent too much forward movement.
• Make sure your set-up is secure before each exercise, especially if you are using a corner wall set up. Sometimes the bar can move out of position when loading it.
• Like any other exercise performed in this position, constant effort must be made to prevent the back from rounding.
• To increase range of motion, use small discs, rather than Olympic discs with a large diameter.
• Warm up before doing landmine row.
• The barbell will move in an arc rather than a straight path, so get used to that feeling.

Set, Reps And Frequency For Landmine Row

The number of reps you should perform depends on your goals. They may be to increase strength, build muscle mass and endurance.

• For Muscle Growth, it is best to do for around 6–12 reps per set.
• For Strength, around 3–8 reps per set are recommended.
• Muscle endurance, do 15-20+ reps per set.

Level	Sets	Reps	Frequency
Beginner	2-3	8-12	1-2 times per week
Intermediate	3-4	8-12	2-3 times per week
Advanced	4-5	8-15	2-3 times per week

Best Variations of Landmine Rows

We highly recommend you try other variations of T bar landmine rows for an intense workout that will work your upper body harder and recruit your core and lower body muscles more.

As previously mentioned, a major benefit to the T bar machine row is its many variations. Below are some variations of the landmine row!

1. Single Arm Landmine Bent Over Row

If you are looking to strengthen the upper back and add massive muscle to the upper back region, then landmine single arm bent over row is the best upper back exercise.

The one arm bent over T-bar row works your rear delt, rhomboids, teres major, middle traps, lats, and biceps. It’s also a great anti-rotation exercise, as you need to resist rotation by keeping your torso squared forward toward the ground.

It should be noted that there are other ways to do a single-arm row with a landmine. This one positions the landmine to your parallel rather than side with your body.

How To Do Single Arm Bent Over Landmine Row

1. Stand parallel to the bar with the end of the barbell at your left side.
2. Your feet should be hip width apart. Get into a bent over position by shooting your hip back (hinge), bending at your knees slightly, and leaning your torso forward. Your spine should be straight.
3. Grab the collar of the barbell with an overhand grip. Perform a row, bringing your elbow up as high as you can. Your elbow should come to full flexion.
4. Squeeze at the top, really feeling the tension in your rear delts and upper back. Slowly lower the bar back down to full elbow extension, then repeat.

Tips

• Do not use more weight than you can handle. This fatigues your spinal erectors and says goodbye to form.
• Exhale on pushing movement, and inhale when returning to the starting position.
• Hold a neutral spine throughout the movement to prevent injury.

2. Meadows Row

The meadow’s row is a unilateral landmine exercise used to target the muscles of the back. The landmine meadow rows also challenge one’s grip and indirectly target the muscles of the bicep.

This exercise is designed to target your lats, traps, and rear delts. If done correctly, it will make small tears in your muscles that will heal and make your muscles stronger and bigger.

It is an excellent exercise for isolating each side of the back to build a balanced physique and quality strength.

This exercise is named after bodybuilder John Meadows, who popularized this movement.

How To Do Meadows Row

1. Position a barbell in a landmine attachment or wedged into the corner of a wall.
2. Hinge forward with a staggered stance and grasp the barbell with a pronated (overhand) grip.
3. Begin the movement by driving the elbow behind the body while retracting the shoulder blade.
4. Pull the barbell towards your side until the elbow is at (or just past) the midline.
5. Then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position under control.
6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions on both sides.

Tips

• Don’t allow momentum to dictate the movement, control the barbell throughout the entirety of each rep.
• For a greater stretch and better range of motion, be sure to allow your arm to hang down.
• Keep your core tight and don’t forget to exhale as you lift up and inhale as you lower back down.

3. Bench Supported Landmine Meadows Row

The bench supported landmine Meadows row is a variation of the landmine row that is performed with a bench for support.

Named after legendary bodybuilder John Meadows. The combination of the bench and landmine attachment allows for a controlled and stable range of motion, which makes it an excellent option for targeting the upper back muscles.

How To Do Bench Supported Landmine Row

1. Set up a landmine attachment and Load the barbell with a weight.
2. Place a bench in front of the landmine attachment.
3. Lie on the bench with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent.
4. Grip the barbell with an overhand grip.
5. Lift the barbell off the landmine attachment and hold it at your side.
6. Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.

For More Variation, Try: Chest Supported T-Bar Row

Landmine Row Alternative

If all of these Landmine Row benefits didn’t convince you about how great this exercise is, there are some landmine row alternatives.

The Landmine Row Alternatives include other types of rows, such as:

• The Inverted Row,
• Dumbbell Row,
• Barbell Bent Over Row
• Cable Row
• Lats Pulldown
• Renegade Row
• Cable Face Pull
• Machine Row
• Dumbbell Pullover
• Chest-Supported T-Bar Row
• As well, other exercises such as the Pull-up and Deadlift are useful landmine row alternatives.

Landmine T Bar Row Exercises Benefits

Landmine Row Benefits can be very impressive! When performed correctly and consistently over time, the T Bar row can allow you to achieve large strength gains. Some T Bar Row Benefits include:

1. It’s a total back exercise

Landmine rows are much more than just a lats exercise. It works your entire back. This makes it a very effective exercise. If you only have time to do one back exercise, the t-bar row would be a good choice.

2. Strengthen the Core

The landmine row is executed whilst standing. During the movement, the core has to work hard to keep the body stable and balanced. For that reason, the T bar landmine row benefits the core, mainly the strength of the obliques.

3. Minimal Equipment Required

All you require is a barbell and possibly several weight plates. You may also use a band to provide additional resistance. While having a landmine attachment is great, but it is not mandatory.

4. Reduce the Chance of Injury

Because the end of the barbell is fixed in a landmine exercise and the bar path is more stable and predictable, T row exercises can sometimes be an extremely valuable tool for reducing the chance of injury.

5. Low Intimidation Factor

It is understandable that not everyone has the desire to perform barbell lifts, and there is nothing wrong with this whatsoever.

As I explained above, the landmine row provides similar benefits to many of the barbell rows and is much less daunting to perform. Training should be enjoyable and empowering, and should not cause unnecessary stress.

6. Strengthen the Posterior Chain

The barbell T-Row is a very effective upper posterior chain exercise, as it increases muscular strength of all the back muscles.

7. Versatile

We like exercises with a lot of variations, so any exercise is right up our alley.

FAQs

What do Landmine Rows Do?

The exercise focuses primarily on strengthening the upper back and arms. It also helps build the core and shoulders and makes pulling power stronger.

Is the T-Bar Row Right for You?

The t-bar row is for everyone who wants to train. The fixed end of the barbell provides the lifter with a unique leverage point to work the lats.

The biggest limitation here would be whether or not you have access to a fixed barbell platform or enough space in the corner of the weight room to perform the lift safely.

Takeaways

We hope that this post has inspired you to use the landmine at your gym.

You don’t have to try all of these landmine exercises right away, but pick one or two that make sense for each of your workouts over the next few weeks and add them to your routine.

References

1. Encyclopedia Britannica: Back Anatomy https://www.britannica.com
2. Fenwick, C. M. J., Brown, S. H. M., & McGill, S. M. (2009). Comparison of Different Rowing Exercises: Trunk Muscle Activation and Lumbar Spine Motion, Load, and Stiffness. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23(2), 350–358. 
3. Paulo Gentil, Saulo Soares, and Martim Bottaro Single vs. Multi-Joint Resistance Exercises: Effects on Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy. Asian J Sports Med. 2015 Jun
4. J Strength Cond Res. 2020 May;34(5):1254-1263. Varying the Order of Combinations of Single- And Multi-Joint Exercises Differentially Affects Resistance Training Adaptations.
5. Schoenfeld BJ. The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2010;24(10):2857–72. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e840f3.

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