Landmine Single Leg Landmine RDL

Body Part: Hips

Muscle: Back

Equipment: Barbell

Landmine Single Leg Landmine RDL is a unilateral hip-hinge exercise performed with the free end of a barbell anchored in a landmine. It trains the back side of the body while also challenging balance, hip control, and trunk stability, which makes it a useful accessory when you want one leg to do the work without losing a clean bar path. The fixed arc of the landmine gives the movement a little more guidance than a dumbbell single-leg RDL, but the exercise still demands precise control from the standing foot all the way up through the pelvis and torso.

The lift is most useful when you want to strengthen the glutes and hamstrings on one side at a time while keeping the hips square. Because the bar travels on an angled path, the setup matters: stand close enough that the sleeve can move near the standing leg, keep the shoulders level, and let the free leg reach back as a counterbalance rather than turning the rep into a twist. If the stance is too far from the anchor, the bar drifts away and the lower back starts doing work that should stay in the hips.

A good rep begins with a soft knee and a deliberate hinge. Keep the standing leg rooted, push the hips back, and lower until the torso and rear leg can stay long without the pelvis opening or the spine rounding. At the bottom, the standing hamstring should feel loaded, but the position should still look organized. On the way up, drive the floor away through the heel and midfoot, stand tall, and finish with the hips stacked rather than leaning back to fake the lockout.

This exercise fits well in lower-body strength sessions, posterior-chain accessories, athletic prep, or unilateral work when left-right balance matters. It can also be a good option for lifters who want a single-leg hinge with slightly more structure than a free dumbbell version. Keep the load honest, the tempo controlled, and the range pain-free. When the set gets sloppy, stop before the hips start rotating or the bar starts swinging.

Instructions

• Set the barbell in a landmine anchor and load the free end if needed, then stand facing the bar with one working foot planted and the other leg free to reach back.
• Hold the sleeve or bar end with the arm on the working-leg side, keeping the hand just outside the front thigh and the shoulder packed down.
• Shift your weight into the standing foot, soften that knee, and square the hips before you start the hinge.
• Push the hips back and tip the torso forward while sending the free leg straight behind you as a counterbalance.
• Keep the bar close to the standing leg and maintain a long spine as you lower on the angled landmine path.
• Descend until your hamstring is loaded and your pelvis stays level, stopping before the low back rounds or the hips open.
• Drive through the heel and midfoot of the standing leg to stand back up, letting the bar travel back along the same arc.
• Finish tall without leaning back, reset your balance, and then repeat for the planned reps before switching sides.

Tips & Tricks

• Stand close enough to the anchor that the sleeve stays near the standing shin instead of drifting forward.
• Keep the loaded-side shoulder slightly down and back so the arm stabilizes the bar instead of trying to row it.
• Let the rear leg act as a counterbalance; it should travel long behind you, not swing high.
• Keep pressure in the standing heel and big toe so the foot stays tripod-stable through the hinge.
• Stop the descent when the pelvis starts to open or the low back wants to round, even if the bar is still above the floor.
• Use a slower lowering phase so the hamstring and glute stay loaded instead of bouncing out of the bottom.
• If the bar drifts away from your leg, reset your distance from the landmine before the next rep.
• Exhale as you stand up, then re-brace before the next repetition to keep the torso quiet.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Landmine Single Leg Landmine RDL work most?

It mainly targets the glutes and hamstrings, with the lats, upper back, and core helping you control the bar and keep the torso steady.

Is this different from a dumbbell single-leg Romanian deadlift?

Yes. The landmine gives the bar a fixed angled path, which usually makes the movement feel more guided and easier to balance than a free dumbbell version.

Which hand should hold the bar?

Usually the arm on the same side as the working leg holds the sleeve or bar end, so the load matches the standing side.

How low should I lower in the rep?

Go only as far as you can keep the hips square, the spine long, and the standing hamstring loaded. Range is secondary to control here.

Should the free leg stay bent or straight?

A slight knee bend is fine, but the leg should reach long behind you as a counterbalance instead of tucking under the body.

Can beginners do this exercise?

Yes, if they start light and use a short, controlled range while learning the hip hinge and single-leg balance.

Why do I feel it in my grip or upper back?

Those muscles help stabilize the bar, but they should support the hinge rather than turn the movement into an arm pull.

What is the most common mistake?

Letting the hips rotate open or turning the rep into a squat instead of a true single-leg hip hinge.