Landmine 180
Landmine 180 Exercise Description
The Landmine 180 is a standing rotational core exercise performed with a barbell anchored in a landmine or securely wedged corner. You guide the bar in a smooth arc from hip to hip while maintaining a neutral spine and stacked posture. Primary emphasis is on the obliques and overall trunk musculature for bracing and rotation; the shoulders, lats, and forearms act isometrically to control the lever; the hips and legs pivot to transmit force. The fixed bar path provides a stable shoulder position while the long lever increases rotational demand on the core. This drill builds transverse‑plane control and coordination when executed with deliberate, controlled changes of direction and consistent trunk bracing.
- Muscle Groups: Abs, Obliques, Waist
- Target Muscles: External Obliques
- Assisting Muscles: Internal Obliques
- Stabilizing Muscles: Flexor Digitorum Superficialis, Latissimus Dorsi, Multifidus, Transversus Abdominis, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Core
- Body Surface: Side
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Barbell
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Trunk Lateral Flexors, Trunk Rotators
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Side Abs
- Movement Direction: Rotational
- Muscle Position: Lateral
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Landmine 180 Exercise
‘- Secure one end of a barbell in a landmine attachment or firmly in a corner; stand facing the free end with feet about shoulder‑width, knees softly bent.
– Cup the end of the bar with both hands, arms mostly straight with slight elbow softness; wrists neutral; shoulders down and back.
– Stack ribs over pelvis and set a neutral spine; lightly brace your abdominal wall.
– Hold the bar slightly in front of your chest.
– Pivot on the balls of both feet and rotate hips and thoracic spine to guide the bar down toward one hip, keeping the bar path in front of your body.
– Decelerate under control near hip height, then reverse the motion by rotating through the hips and torso to the opposite side.
– Keep pelvis and rib cage moving together—avoid twisting only through the lower back.
– Maintain a tall chest, packed scapulae, and level hips; do not shrug or hyperextend.
– Use a comfortable range of motion and keep the bar from drifting behind you; finish tall and braced.
Landmine 180 Tips
‘- Stand with feet about shoulder-width and knees softly bent before you start moving the bar.
– Cup the end of the bar with both hands, keeping arms mostly straight with slight elbow softness and neutral wrists.
– Keep shoulders down and back with packed scapulae instead of shrugging as you guide the bar.
– Stack your ribs over your pelvis and maintain a neutral spine with a light abdominal brace throughout the set.
– Hold the bar slightly in front of your chest and keep its path in front of your body; avoid letting it drift behind you.
– Pivot on the balls of both feet and rotate through the hips and thoracic spine to move the bar from hip to hip.
– Keep the pelvis and rib cage moving together to avoid twisting only through the lower back.
– Decelerate the bar under control near hip height, then reverse the motion with deliberate, controlled direction changes.
– Maintain a tall chest and level hips, avoiding hyperextension, and finish each rep tall and braced.
Landmine 180 Beginner Introduction
The Landmine 180 is a standing barbell rotation that centers on the core while using a fixed bar path for guidance. One end of the bar rests in a landmine attachment or secure corner, creating a long lever that moves in front of the body. As the bar travels in an arc from one side to the other, the side abs and mid‑section work hard to control turning forces, while the shoulders, upper back, and forearms hold the bar steady. The hips and legs rotate together with the torso, helping transfer effort through the whole body rather than stressing a single area.
Because the bar moves in a controlled semicircle, this drill highlights smooth changes of direction and steady body alignment. The spine and ribcage stay organized over the pelvis, encouraging solid bracing through the core with each swing of the bar. This makes the movement useful for practicing coordinated rotation, stable posture, and full‑body tension in a simple, repeatable pattern.