Landmine Sumo Squat
Landmine Sumo Squat Exercise Description
The landmine sumo squat is a wide-stance, anteriorly loaded squat performed with a barbell anchored to a landmine. It emphasizes hip and knee extension while encouraging an upright torso and a stable, neutral spine. Primary movers include the gluteus maximus, quadriceps, and adductor magnus, with the abdominals and spinal erectors providing trunk stability. The landmine’s fixed arc keeps the load close to the body, which helps many lifters stay balanced over the mid-foot and maintain consistent depth. Use a stance wider than shoulder width with toes slightly turned out, and keep your knees tracking in line with your toes throughout the movement. Descend only as far as you can while keeping your heels down, spine neutral, and the bar close to your chest.
- Muscle Groups: Glutes, Hips, Quads
- Target Muscles: Adductor Magnus, Gluteus Maximus, Vastus Lateralis
- Assisting Muscles: Biceps Femoris - Long Head, Semimembranosus, Semitendinosus, Vastus Medialis
- Stabilizing Muscles: External Obliques, Gluteus Medius, Longissimus, Multifidus, Transversus Abdominis
- Body Area: Lower Body
- Body Parts: Hips, Legs, Upper Legs
- Body Surface: Back, Inner, Side
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Barbell
- Exercise Patterns: Squat
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Hip Adductors, Hip Extensors, Knee Extensors
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Glutes, Inner Thigh, Outer Quad
- Movement Direction: Other
- Muscle Position: Lateral, Medial, Posterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Landmine Sumo Squat Exercise
‘- Set a barbell in a landmine attachment and stand facing the free end. Take a wide stance; toes slightly turned out.
– Cup the sleeve with both hands at chest height (goblet-style). Keep wrists neutral, forearms vertical, bar close to the sternum.
– Brace the core: ribs down, pelvis neutral, eyes forward.
– Inhale to prepare. Sit the hips between the heels as the knees bend; keep the chest tall.
– Let the bar travel on its natural arc while staying close to your torso.
– Descend under control until thighs are roughly parallel to the floor—or to a depth that maintains heel contact and a neutral spine.
– Keep knees tracking over the second/third toes; avoid knees collapsing inward.
– Press the floor away through the mid-foot and heel to stand, extending hips and knees together.
– Exhale as you pass the sticking point, keeping the brace.
– Finish tall with hips fully extended, ribs stacked over pelvis. Avoid leaning back or shrugging.
– Re-center, maintain the brace, and repeat with the same controlled tempo.
Landmine Sumo Squat Tips
‘- Take a wide stance with toes slightly turned out before you start.
– Cup the bar sleeve at chest height with neutral wrists, forearms vertical, and the bar close to your sternum.
– Brace your core by bringing the ribs down, keeping the pelvis neutral, and eyes forward.
– Sit the hips between your heels as the knees bend, keeping your chest tall.
– Let the bar follow its natural arc while staying close to your torso.
– Descend under control, stopping around parallel or at a depth that keeps your heels down and spine neutral.
– Keep your knees tracking over the second/third toes and avoid letting them collapse inward.
– Press the floor away through your mid-foot and heel as you stand up.
– Extend the hips and knees together on the way up.
– Exhale as you pass the sticking point while maintaining your brace.
– Finish each rep tall with hips fully extended and ribs stacked over the pelvis, avoiding leaning back or shrugging.
– Re-center and keep the same controlled tempo before starting the next rep.
Landmine Sumo Squat Beginner Introduction
The landmine sumo squat is a squat variation that uses a barbell fixed into a landmine attachment, with the weight held in front of the chest and the feet set wider than shoulder width. Because the bar travels along a guided curve and stays close to the torso, the movement often feels more stable than a traditional free barbell squat. This setup naturally supports an upright posture while the hips and knees bend and straighten together.
This exercise mainly works the glutes, thighs, and inner thighs, while the abs and lower back help steady the upper body. The front-loaded position encourages strong engagement through the midsection to keep the torso steady, especially near the bottom of the motion. The wide stance places extra demand on the hips and inner thighs as the legs drive back up. Overall, this variation highlights controlled depth, smooth coordination of hip and knee extension, and consistent balance through the feet from start to finish.