Tip: Hammer Your Hamstrings With Landmine RDLs

The Landmine RDL is one of the most brutally effective, yet underused barbell movements that I program for athletes.

By placing the end of a barbell in the corner, or using the Landmine setup shown in the video, we can groove the hip hinge pattern under heavy loading while utilizing a powerful external mechanical cue due to the continuously altering angle of the bar relative to the ground.

Many struggle with hip hinges because they're not able to get their hips to "push back" during the eccentric descent of the pattern itself. The inability to push back at the hips places less muscular emphasis on the glutes and hamstrings, and more unwanted stress on the lower back.

Cup your hands under the barbell and the end of the bar will push closer to the body the lower it gets to the ground, forcing your hips back. Simple, yet so effective.

The second thing the Landmine setup does for a poor hip hinge pattern is taking a good portion of motor control and balance out of the equation. The hands are placed on the barbell that comes into direct ground contact with the floor, stabilizing and widening the base of support. This bodes well for tentative hingers who present with poor mechanics and control, giving them literally a helping hand during the movement.

Lastly, as coaches and athletes, we aren't in the business of placing increased load on shoddy movement patterns. So an athlete who can't hinge worth a shit with a traditional barbell or even dumbbell setup loses the ability to load the posterior chain meaningfully until they "fix" their pattern enough to place loading on it without negative repercussions.

This Landmine RDL allows a more novice or dysfunctional mover to add weight in a safe environment, improving the pattern while getting a jacked ass and hamstrings in the process. That's a win-win.