- EquipmentBarbell
- PatternPull
- Reps6 to 15 reps
- Joint loadLower back
- One side at a time
Anchor one end of a barbell in a landmine or corner. Stand beside the free end, hinge with a flat back and hold the end of the bar in one hand.
First cueKeep your hips and shoulders square.
How to do the Landmine Row
Set up. Anchor one end of a barbell in a landmine or corner. Stand beside the free end, hinge with a flat back and hold the end of the bar in one hand.
- Pull the bar end toward your hip, elbow close to your side.
- Squeeze the shoulder blade back.
- Lower under control to a straight arm.
- Switch sides after the set.
Form cues
- Keep your hips and shoulders square.
- Brace your stomach.
- Keep the torso angle fixed.
Common mistakes
- Rotating the torso to lift.
- Rounding the back.
Muscles worked
Main target: Upper back. The upper back is the muscle between and around the shoulder blades. It pulls the shoulder blades together and back, which is what every row trains and what holds a posture against a long day at a desk.
On the way: Lats, Biceps and Rear delts.
Its other side: Chest, Front delts and Triceps, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Landmine Row, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Barbell Bench Press Superset partner: it trains the other side of the horizontal push and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Power Clean Same pull session: it trains the traps.
- Reverse Curl Same pull session: it trains the forearms.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Landmine Row first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Landmine Row 3 × 6 to 15 reps
- Barbell Bench Press 3 × 3 to 10 reps
- Power Clean 3 × 1 to 5 reps
- Reverse Curl 3 × 10 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Seated Cable Row
Cable
Less load on the lower back
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
The Landmine Row loads the lower back by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Barbell Row.
Other variations of the Barbell Row: T-Bar Row, Pendlay Row, Chest-Supported Row, Inverted Row, Single-Arm Dumbbell Row, Seated Cable Row and Smith Machine Row.
Do before it: Cat-Cow (bracing), Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades) and Chest-Supported Row (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Landmine Row is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Landmine Row?
Set up: Anchor one end of a barbell in a landmine or corner. Stand beside the free end, hinge with a flat back and hold the end of the bar in one hand. Steps: 1. Pull the bar end toward your hip, elbow close to your side. 2. Squeeze the shoulder blade back. 3. Lower under control to a straight arm. 4. Switch sides after the set. Form cues: Keep your hips and shoulders square. Brace your stomach. Keep the torso angle fixed. Common mistakes: Rotating the torso to lift. Rounding the back.
What muscles does the Landmine Row work?
It trains the upper back as its main target and works the lats, biceps and rear delts on the way.
What can I do instead of the Landmine Row?
At home: Single-Arm Dumbbell Row. In a gym: Seated Cable Row. With less load on the lower back: Single-Arm Dumbbell Row. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Landmine Row with?
Good partners in the same workout are Barbell Bench Press, Power Clean and Reverse Curl.
How heavy should the Landmine Row be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.