Perform a hinged hip movement using a landmine-style bar to load the hips and upper legs. Emphasize a controlled descent with the bar tracking close to the body and return by driving the hips forward.
How to do the Landmine Romanian Deadlift#
- Stand with feet hip-width and the bar end anchored in front of you; hold the bar with both hands or a close neutral grip.
- Softly bend the knees and push your hips back to initiate a hip hinge, keeping the spine long and chest open.
- Lower the bar along the front of your legs until you feel a stretch in the back of the thighs or a flat-back position is reached.
- Keep the bar close to your body and maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.
- Drive your hips forward to return to standing, squeezing the hips at the top without hyperextending the lower back.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Hamstrings (Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus & Semimembranosus), Glutes (Gluteus Maximus)
- Secondary: Lower back (Erector Spinae), Quads (Quadriceps Femoris), Forearms (Forearm Flexors & Extensors (incl. Brachioradialis))
Common mistakes#
- Rounding the lower back during the descent.
- Bending the knees too much and turning the hinge into a squat.
- Letting the bar drift away from the legs.
- Pushing with the lower back instead of driving with the hips.
- Using momentum or jerking to lift the weight.
