What muscles does Landmine Single Leg Romanian Deadlift work most?

It mainly targets the glutes and hamstrings of the standing leg, with the core and hip stabilizers helping keep the pelvis square.

Is Landmine Single Leg Romanian Deadlift good for beginners?

Yes, because the landmine gives the bar a fixed path and makes balance easier to manage. Start light and keep the range short until you can hinge without twisting.

Should I hold the landmine end with one hand or two?

A two-hand hold is usually easiest because it keeps the bar centered and reduces rotation. If you use one hand, the hips have to stay even more square.

How low should I go on Landmine Single Leg Romanian Deadlift?

Go only until the standing hamstring is clearly loaded and your spine can stay long. The bar should stay close to the leg instead of reaching toward the floor.

Why does this exercise feel different from a regular single-leg Romanian deadlift?

The landmine changes the bar path and gives you a little more external stability, so it is easier to control than a free dumbbell or barbell hinge.

What are the most common mistakes with the bar path?

Letting the bar drift away from the stance thigh, opening the hips, or swinging the back leg too high are the biggest ones. Keep the end of the bar close and the pelvis square.

Can I use this as a glute exercise?

Yes, but it is still a hinge, not a squat or a kickback. You will feel the glute most when you finish by driving the stance hip forward under control.

What should I do if I feel it in my lower back?

Shorten the range, reduce the load, and make sure the ribs stay stacked over the pelvis. If your back rounds before the hamstrings are loaded, the hinge is too deep for that set.

Landmine Single Leg Romanian Deadlift

Body Part: Hips Muscle: Other Equipment: Barbell

Landmine Single Leg Romanian Deadlift is a unilateral hip-hinge exercise that trains the glutes, hamstrings, and trunk while the landmine fixes the bar path and makes balance a little more forgiving than a free barbell variation. It is especially useful when you want to build single-leg control, posterior-chain strength, and cleaner hinge mechanics without needing a large amount of setup or loading.

The anchor point matters because the bar should travel in a predictable arc while your body hinges around the standing hip. Set the loaded end in a landmine attachment or a secure corner, stand on one leg, and let the opposite leg reach back as a counterbalance. Keeping the hips square and the ribcage stacked gives the working leg and glute a clear line of force instead of letting the torso twist or collapse.

A well-executed rep begins with a soft knee on the stance leg, a long spine, and the weight spread through the whole foot. From there, send the hips straight back while the torso inclines forward and the free leg reaches behind you. The bar or handle should stay close to the standing thigh and shin, and the descent should stop when hamstring tension is strong but the back position is still neutral.

On the way up, drive the floor away, squeeze the stance-side glute, and return to a tall position without overextending the lower back. Breathing should stay deliberate: brace before the hinge, inhale as you lower, and exhale as you stand. If the bar starts to pull you forward, the hips open, or the back leg swings instead of hovering long behind you, reduce the load and shorten the range.

Landmine Single Leg Romanian Deadlift fits well in lower-body strength blocks, posterior-chain accessories, and warm-ups that prepare the hips for squats, deadlifts, running, or field sports. It is also a practical option for lifters who want single-leg work with more external stability than a dumbbell balance drill. Use it to build controlled strength, not speed, and the cleanest reps will usually be the ones that create the best training effect.

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Instructions

Anchor the loaded end of the barbell in a landmine attachment or secure corner, then stand facing the bar with one foot planted and the other foot ready to reach back.
Plant the stance foot flat, keep a soft bend in that knee, and square your hips and shoulders to the floor.
Grip the sleeve or handle at the end of the bar with both hands and keep the bar close to the front of your stance thigh.
Brace your midsection before you move so your ribs stay stacked over your pelvis.
Push your hips straight back and hinge forward as the free leg reaches long behind you for balance.
Lower until you feel a strong hamstring stretch and your torso stays long without rounding or twisting open.
Pause briefly at the bottom, then drive through the stance foot and squeeze the glute to stand back up.
Finish each rep tall without leaning back, then reset the free leg and brace again before the next hinge.
Set the bar down safely and step away once the set is complete.

Tips & Tricks

Keep the loaded end of the bar close to your stance leg; if it drifts forward, the hinge usually turns into a reach.
Think of the back leg as a counterbalance, not a second working leg. It should travel straight behind you instead of lifting high.
Use a small knee bend on the stance leg. Too much knee flexion turns this into a squat pattern and reduces the hamstring load.
Square your belt buckle to the floor. If the hips open to the side, shorten the range and slow the descent.
Lower for two to three seconds so the hamstrings stay loaded instead of letting momentum pull you down.
Keep pressure through the whole foot of the standing leg, especially the heel and big toe, so the ankle does not wobble.
Stop the rep when your low back starts to round or your shoulders rotate with the bar.
If the landmine pulls you off balance, reduce the load before you try to force more range.
Exhale as you stand and reset your brace before the next rep so each rep starts from a stable position.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Landmine Single Leg Romanian Deadlift work most?
It mainly targets the glutes and hamstrings of the standing leg, with the core and hip stabilizers helping keep the pelvis square.
Is Landmine Single Leg Romanian Deadlift good for beginners?
Yes, because the landmine gives the bar a fixed path and makes balance easier to manage. Start light and keep the range short until you can hinge without twisting.
Should I hold the landmine end with one hand or two?
A two-hand hold is usually easiest because it keeps the bar centered and reduces rotation. If you use one hand, the hips have to stay even more square.
How low should I go on Landmine Single Leg Romanian Deadlift?
Go only until the standing hamstring is clearly loaded and your spine can stay long. The bar should stay close to the leg instead of reaching toward the floor.
Why does this exercise feel different from a regular single-leg Romanian deadlift?
The landmine changes the bar path and gives you a little more external stability, so it is easier to control than a free dumbbell or barbell hinge.
What are the most common mistakes with the bar path?
Letting the bar drift away from the stance thigh, opening the hips, or swinging the back leg too high are the biggest ones. Keep the end of the bar close and the pelvis square.
Can I use this as a glute exercise?
Yes, but it is still a hinge, not a squat or a kickback. You will feel the glute most when you finish by driving the stance hip forward under control.
What should I do if I feel it in my lower back?
Shorten the range, reduce the load, and make sure the ribs stay stacked over the pelvis. If your back rounds before the hamstrings are loaded, the hinge is too deep for that set.