Landmine Standing Side Bend

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Place one end of a barbell in a landmine attachment and stand perpendicular to the bar.
2. Position your feet shoulder-width apart with a slight bend in your knees for stability.
3. Grip the end of the barbell sleeve with the hand closest to the bar using a firm overhand grip.
4. Stand tall with your chest up, shoulders back, and your free hand placed on your hip or behind your head.

How to do it

1. Inhale and slowly lower the barbell toward the floor by bending only at the waist toward the side of the bar.
2. Allow the weight to pull you into a deep lateral stretch while keeping your hips stationary and facing forward.
3. Exhale and contract your obliques to pull your torso back to a vertical, upright position.
4. Perform all reps on one side before switching to the other, maintaining a controlled 2-second eccentric and 2-second concentric tempo.

Form checklist

• Keep your hips square and avoid rotating your torso or shoulders forward.
• Ensure the movement occurs strictly in the frontal plane (side-to-side) without leaning forward.
• Keep the arm holding the barbell fully extended and relaxed; do not pull with your bicep.
• Maintain a neutral spine and avoid over-arching your lower back at the top of the movement.

Pro tips

• Focus on the mind-muscle connection by imagining your ribcage pulling toward your hip bone on the working side during the contraction.
• Maintain a tight core brace throughout the entire range of motion to stabilize the lumbar spine during the lateral stretch.

Make it harder

• Add a 2-second pause at the bottom of the movement to increase time under tension in the stretched position.
• Slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase to 4 seconds to challenge the anti-lateral flexion capacity of the core.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the landmine standing side bend work?

The landmine standing side bend primarily targets the abs and obliques, and also works the erector spinae as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the landmine standing side bend?

The landmine standing side bend uses barbell.

Is the landmine standing side bend good for beginners?

The landmine standing side bend is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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