The landmine lateral raise is a shoulder exercise performed using a barbell anchored at one end (landmine setup). It targets the deltoids and also engages the traps and upper back. The movement involves lifting the barbell laterally to shoulder height, emphasizing shoulder strength and stability.
Quick Facts
How to Do Landmine Lateral Raise
Follow these step-by-step instructions to perform Landmine Lateral Raise with proper form and technique.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, resting it on the front of your shoulders.
- Keeping your core engaged and back straight, lift the barbell up and away from your body, raising it to shoulder height.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Muscles Worked
Understanding which muscles Landmine Lateral Raise targets helps you integrate it effectively into your training program.
Target Muscles
These are the main muscles responsible for performing the movement and receive the greatest training stimulus.
Secondary Muscles
These muscles assist in the movement and receive secondary training benefits.
Benefits of Landmine Lateral Raise
Incorporating Landmine Lateral Raise into your workout routine offers numerous advantages for strength, muscle development, and overall fitness.
- Delts Development: Landmine Lateral Raise directly targets and strengthens the Delts, promoting muscle growth and improved functional strength.
- Secondary Muscle Engagement: This exercise also works the Traps and Upper Back, providing additional training stimulus without extra exercises.
- Progressive Overload Potential: Barbells allow for precise weight increments, making it easier to progressively overload the muscles over time for consistent strength gains.
- Functional Strength: Strength exercises like Landmine Lateral Raise build real-world strength that transfers to daily activities and athletic performance.
Safety Tips and Precautions
Performing Landmine Lateral Raise safely is essential for preventing injuries and ensuring long-term progress.
- Warm Up Properly: Before performing Landmine Lateral Raise, complete 5-10 minutes of light cardio followed by dynamic stretches targeting the Delts and surrounding muscles.
- Prioritize Form Over Weight: Never sacrifice proper technique for heavier weights. Poor form significantly increases injury risk and reduces the exercise's effectiveness.
- Use Safety Equipment: When lifting heavy, always use a power rack with safety pins set at the appropriate height, and consider using a spotter for maximal attempts.
- Shoulder Protection: Avoid flaring your elbows excessively, which can strain the shoulder joint. Keep your shoulders packed and stable.
- Respect Your Range of Motion: Work within your current mobility limits. Gradually improve flexibility over time rather than forcing deeper positions.
- Don't Hold Your Breath: Maintain consistent breathing throughout the exercise. Exhale during the exertion phase and inhale during the easier phase.
- Know When to Stop: End your set when you can no longer maintain proper form. Training to absolute failure on every set increases injury risk.
- Allow Adequate Recovery: The Delts typically need 48-72 hours to recover after intense training. Avoid training the same muscle group on consecutive days.
Tracking Your Progress
To make consistent gains with Landmine Lateral Raise, track these metrics during your workouts:
Track the number of sets you complete. Most training programs recommend 3-5 sets per exercise.
Record your repetitions per set. Adjust rep ranges based on your goals: 1-5 for strength, 6-12 for hypertrophy, 12+ for endurance.
Log the weight used for progressive overload. Aim to gradually increase weight while maintaining proper form.