Landmine rotations are a great functional fitness abdominal exercise.
Training your core and abs improves your flexibility, balance, and stability, which are crucial for overall fitness and performance. Landmine rotations offer a unique and effective method for strengthening your abdominal muscles.
A horizontal position on the floor is necessary for most abdominal and core exercises. Although this approach effectively trains your midsection, it isn’t as practical in real-world scenarios. Landmine rotations, on the other hand, strengthen your core in a standing position, closely mimicking how your core operates daily.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll discover how to perform landmine rotations to fortify your core. Additionally, you’ll uncover the exercise’s numerous benefits. Continue reading to explore these advantages and alternative exercises that effectively target your core.
Techniques & Muscles Worked
Landmine rotations focus on your midsection and build your abs, obliques, erector spinae, scapular stabilizers, and delts. Remember that it’s advisable to err on the side of caution by choosing lighter weights when preparing for this routine, considering the intensity of the workout involved.
You’ll need weights, a barbell, and a landmine setup to do landmine rotations. The actual movement isn’t too challenging if you use the correct form. Here are step-by-step instructions you can follow to achieve this.
- Insert one end of the bar into the landmine setup and then load it up with the appropriate weight. If you’re a beginner, you can start with just the bar.
- Assume a stance with your legs shoulder-width distance apart and your toes turn outward slightly.
- Bend down and grab the barbell with both hands. Then, stand up while extending your arms straight and press the weight overhead. This is your starting position.
- Slowly rotate your body to one side while keeping your arms straight, and then bring the bar down while still holding it on one side.
- Explode the bar up to return to the starting position, and then rotate and bring it down on the other side before exploding up again to return to the starting position and complete the rep.
- Repeat for multiple reps.
Benefits
Landmine rotations are also called landmine rainbows and landmine 180s. You can use this exercise to build your core and work on your explosive power. Below are the benefits of this exercise.
Build a Stronger Core
Most core building routines are bodyweight, but that doesn’t detract from their effectiveness. However, weighted exercises like landmine rotations build your core more by challenging them with resistance. They’re a great way to progress your training and build a stronger core.
Functional Training
Landmine rotations are functional because they train your core while on your feet. This also works on your joint stability, balance, and coordination. As a result, the skills gained during this exercise are applied in real-life activities and many other exercises. Research shows that functional training is beneficial for overall fitness (1).
Build Explosive Power
During landmine rotations, you use explosive power to raise the barbell and press it overhead. Over time, this builds your explosive power, which has carryover to other routines like the power clean, push press, boxing, and kettlebell swing.
Full Body Training
While there is a focus on your core and scapula, landmine rotations work on your full body. When rotating left and right, you deadlift the weight, press overhead, and activate your torso.
Improve Rotational Power
Landmine rotations work on your internal and external obliques, erector spinae, and rectus abdominis. These are the muscles responsible for rotation. Strengthening them with landmine rotations will improve your rotational power.
Lesser Injury Risk
Landmine rotations help you train your balance and stability, one side after the other. This allows you to prepare for explosive movements without putting much strain on your shoulders and back. As a result, your risk of injury due to this training is less as long as you’re using the proper form.
Landmine Rotations Alternatives
Landmine rotations are a different way to train your core and should be a part of your workout. However, studies show you should add more variety to your routine to avoid a plateau and training monotony (2). Here are some other good core routines you can also try.
Landmine Russian Twist
Landmine Russian twists are similar movements, but you do them seated. Landmine Russian twists are challenging because you don’t have your legs to stabilize you as you move the barbell. As a result, landmine Russian twists strengthen and shred your core faster, but it isn’t advisable as a beginner routine.
Resistance Band Pallof Press
You can use resistance bands to do a Pallof press and train your core muscles. This exercise, however, works on your rotation in a more static and isometric way. Landmine rotations are more dynamic and, as such, slightly better.
Renegade Row
While people typically do renegade rows to strengthen their upper back muscles, you can also use them to work on your core. You use your core to stay in a straight line during the row with dumbbells. Remember to use your mind-muscle connection and focus on your core, not your upper back.
FAQs
What do landmine rotations work?
Landmine rotations work on your core and shoulder muscles. They’re a great way to improve the strength of your mid-section.
What are the benefits of landmine rotation?
Landmine rotations can help build your abs and explosive power, specifically rotational power. For more benefits, check the exercise guide above.
Are landmine rotations good?
Landmine rotations are an excellent way to switch up your core training. If you hit a plateau doing bodyweight exercises on the floor, this alternative will break you out of it.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more exercise guides!
References
- Xiao, W., Soh, K. G., Wazir, M. R. W. N., Talib, O., Bai, X., Bu, T., Sun, H., Popovic, S., Masanovic, B., & Gardasevic, J. (2021). Effect of Functional Training on Physical Fitness Among Athletes: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in physiology, 12, 738878. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.738878
- Krzysztofik, M., Wilk, M., Wojdała, G., & Gołaś, A. (2019). Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(24), 4897. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16244897
