Landmine Rear Lunge
Landmine Rear Lunge Exercise Description
The landmine rear (reverse) lunge is a unilateral lower‑body movement using a barbell anchored at one end. With the bar held in front of the chest, it emphasizes hip and knee extension while training balance and trunk control. Primary movers are the gluteus maximus, quadriceps, and hamstrings; the calves, adductors, and core musculature stabilize the ankle, knee, pelvis, and torso. The angled landmine setup provides a secure, front‑loaded grip and a slightly guided arc, helping many lifters keep a tall chest and consistent depth. Use smooth, controlled ranges and a neutral spine to reinforce sound lunge mechanics.
- Muscle Groups: Glutes, Hamstrings, Hips, Quads
- Target Muscles: Biceps Femoris - Long Head, Gluteus Maximus, Vastus Lateralis
- Assisting Muscles: Rectus Femoris
- Stabilizing Muscles: Adductor Magnus, Gluteus Medius, Longissimus, Soleus, Transversus Abdominis
- Body Area: Lower Body
- Body Parts: Hips, Legs, Upper Legs
- Body Surface: Back, Side
- Body Symmetry: Unilateral
- Equipment: Leverage Machine
- Exercise Patterns: Squat
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Hip Extensors, Knee Extensors, Knee Flexors
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Glutes, Outer Hamstring, Outer Quad
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Lateral, Posterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Landmine Rear Lunge Exercise
‘- Set a barbell in a landmine/base. Stand facing the loaded sleeve, feet hip‑width, bar end near mid‑chest.
– Hold the sleeve with both hands at the sternum (landmine “goblet” position). Elbows angled down, wrists neutral, shoulders gently retracted.
– Brace your torso (ribs stacked over pelvis), eyes forward, weight balanced over the full front foot.
– Step back with one leg into a long enough stride that the front knee can bend without the heel lifting.
– Descend by lowering the back knee toward the floor under the hip while the front hip and knee flex together.
– Keep a slight hip hinge with a neutral spine; allow a small forward torso lean without rounding or arching.
– Track the front knee over the mid‑foot (toward the second/third toe); avoid letting it cave inward.
– Aim for the front thigh to reach roughly parallel and the back knee to hover just above the floor.
– Drive through the whole front foot (especially heel and mid‑foot) to return to standing, bringing the back foot forward to meet the front.
– Keep the bar close to the chest throughout; do not let it drift away or rest on the collarbone.
– Repeat all reps on one side, then switch the lead leg and perform the same steps.
Landmine Rear Lunge Tips
‘- Stand facing the landmine with feet hip‑width and the bar end lined up near mid‑chest before you start.
– Hold the sleeve at your sternum in a landmine “goblet” position with elbows angled down, wrists neutral, and shoulders gently retracted.
– Brace your torso with ribs stacked over your pelvis, keep your eyes forward, and balance your weight over the full front foot.
– Step back into a long enough stride that your front knee can bend without the front heel lifting.
– Descend by lowering the back knee toward the floor under the hip while the front hip and knee flex together.
– Maintain a slight hip hinge with a neutral spine, allowing only a small forward torso lean without rounding or arching.
– Track the front knee over the mid‑foot toward the second/third toe and avoid letting it cave inward.
– Aim for the front thigh to reach roughly parallel to the floor with the back knee hovering just above the ground.
– Drive through the whole front foot, especially the heel and mid‑foot, to return to standing.
– Keep the bar close to your chest throughout the movement, not letting it drift away or rest on the collarbone.
Landmine Rear Lunge Beginner Introduction
The landmine rear (reverse) lunge is a single‑leg lower‑body strength exercise that uses a barbell fixed into a landmine base, with the weighted end held close to the front of the torso. During the movement, one leg travels backward into a lunge while the other leg supports the load and brings the body back up. The landmine attachment positions the weight in front and guides it along a slight arc, creating a secure, front‑held feel that many lifters find easier to manage than a free barbell.
This pattern highlights powerful straightening of the hip and knee on the front leg, so the main workers are the glutes, quads, and hamstrings. The calves, inner thighs, and core assist by helping the ankle, knee, hips, and midsection stay steady as the body moves up and down. Because the bar stays in front of the chest and the path is partially directed by the landmine, this variation often encourages an upright, organized torso, smooth tempo, and consistent lunge depth, reinforcing solid single‑leg mechanics and balance.