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The landmine is a workout equipment setup you can use to do many exercises. Find out what equipment you need and what options you have.
From far away the landmine setup looks like a bar planted in the ground with weights but is a combination of several smaller pieces of fitness equipment.
You can use the landmine to train chest, core, shoulders, legs, biceps, etc. with exercises like a landmine chest press, shoulder press, row, curl, squat, and many more.
There are a few reasons why certain exercises are done with this setup instead of a traditional barbell or dumbbells. Some people find that they get injured less easily with the range of motion of the landmine. Others simply like the trajectory, versatility, and/or find it more comfortable.
That being said, before you can get started with these landmine exercises you will need the right types of workout equipment.
Some of the options below will be necessary, others can just make your workouts more effective, more comfortable, or allow you to do more different exercises.
1. Barbell
In theory, all you need to do “landmine” exercises is a barbell and a wall, preferably a corner of two walls. After that, you put one end of the barbell in the corner, potentially with something like a towel to protect the bar, and you hold the other end.
For this most basic landmine setup, the exact type of barbell is not that relevant. In a more extensive landmine setup, not all barbell sizes will fit all types of landmine bases.
Most of these bases will fit two-inch cap barbells, some even one-inch cap barbells.
What length of barbell you want to get for landmine exercises depends on a few factors like your personal height, what exercises you intend to do, weight you intend to use, and personal preference.
2. Landmine base
The second most important piece of workout equipment in a landmine setup is a good base, also known as a landmine post. This is a holder with a holster to put the barbell in and a knob that can be tightened to keep the bar in place. This landmine base can then be turned in a variety of angles.
The main difference between the different types of landmine bases lies in where the other end is mounted.
Some of these landmine bases are mounted in a few weight plates. There are equipment options that have to be attached to a power rack. Ones that are screwed into a wall. And lastly, there are free-standing landmine base platforms.
Which type of landmine base is the right equipment choice for you depends on a few factors. Some of the most important things to consider are:
- Where will you work out: Will you use the landmine attachment at your home gym or a local gym? Does have it to be portable and easy to install or not? Can you drill holes in a sturdy wall? Do you have a lot of extra room?
- How much weight will you use: The amount of weight you use in a landmine setup influences how sturdy the base needs to be. The heavier you lift, the more you want to lean towards the power rack and wall mounted landmine bases.
- What exercises will you do: Some landmine exercises involve more swinging and pushing and require a sturdier base. For others you can get away with a less stable base.
In the end, the best landmine base for you will depend on what your personal situation looks like in terms of the above and other factors like budget and preference.
3. Weight plates
Weight plates are plates made of heavy material, usually used for making a barbell heavier. In a landmine setup, these can serve a few purposes.
First of all, weight plates can simply make certain landmine exercises more challenging. In turn, this can lead to more and faster muscle growth.
Secondly, if you have a weight plate base, weight plates can help you anchor this piece of landmine workout equipment. Lastly, you can put weight plates on a platform base to make sure it stays in place.
On top of that, weight plates are a good addition to almost any home gym. Additionally, weight plates last a long time and generally don’t lose a lot of their value over time.
One downside of weight plates is that they require a relatively high initial investment. Even so, there is not really a way to get around this if you plan to build muscle with a landmine equipment setup.
4. Landmine handles
With the three previous landmine workout equipment options you can already build a lot of muscle in many places. You can do this by doing landmine exercises that can be done while holding the end of the barbell where you put the weight plates.
Additionally, there is a big collection of landmine handles. These are landmine attachments that are put on the end of the barbell next to the weight plates.
In some cases these allow you to do completely new landmine exercises like for example hack squats or the clean and jerk.
In others, they make landmine exercises that are already available more comfortable, easier to do with more weight, two-handed, and/or less focused on your grip muscles.
This is not the case for all landmine handles, but some can get a little pricey compared to the benefits they offer your landmine workouts.
What landmine handles are a worthwhile investment to you ultimately depends on things like your training goals, personal situation, budget, and personal preference.
5. Landmine support stand
For certain exercises, especially leg exercises, you preferably want heavy weights starting at about shoulder height.
When doing these types of exercises with a regular barbell setup you can use a power rack to start the weights at that height. In the case of a landmine setup, you need a more unique solution to overcome this challenge.
There is a type of landmine support stand with adjustable height that allows you to put the barbell in a landmine workout equipment setup on it.
You can then load to the barbell, potentially put a landmine accessory on the end of the barbell, and start with the exercise.
One potential downside is that there are almost no brands that offer this piece of landmine workout equipment.
You may be able to use regular squat racks in a similar way for low landmine weights but these are definitely not as stable so be careful when using them that way.
Check landmine support stand prices
6. Power rack
A power rack is a steel construction. This piece of fitness workout equipment offers many uses. For most people being able to hold a weighted barbell will be the most important point of a power rack.
Among the other uses of a power rack is the potential for a landmine setup. Some power racks even already come with a built-in landmine base. In the case of others, you will have to make a (relatively inexpensive) additional investment.
If you buy the landmine base separately, keep in mind that not all bases fit all racks. Make sure you check the dimensions of both of these landmine workout equipment options to see if they are a good match.
A power rack is likely not the optimal choice if you only plan to do landmine exercises at your home gym. However, this piece of equipment can be a worthwhile investment if you plan to do other barbell exercises like squats and bench presses with it on top of that.
Even though steel power racks do not lose their value fast, keep in mind that this barbell attachment does require a relatively high initial investment.
