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Common Landmine Setups

This is an excerpt from Complete Guide to Landmine Training by David Otey & Joe Drake.

Common Landmine Setups

Since the introduction of the Sorinex home base, many other landmine anchors have come on the market. This section covers a few of the most common setups, including the benefits and drawbacks of each based on the type of training and exercises you’re looking to perform (see table 2.1).

Rack Attached

If properly installed, especially to a strength training rack that is bolted to the ground, rack-attached landmines are the sturdiest of all the options for angled barbell training. Most attachments, such as the one in figure 2.1, will allow for mostly free movement because of the dual-pivot points but prevent shifting of the landmine during exercise regardless of the speed of movement or weight involved.

Similar options are available that may be bolted to the ground or wall, and the benefits are the same as long as they are appropriately anchored.

Best For

• Heavier strength exercises or explosive training movements. The fixed position on the rack ensures that the landmine anchor does not slide on the ground due to heavy loading on one end or rapid movement of the bar.
• Building efficient training stations for easy transition or multiple users. This setup has become increasingly popular in group settings because of the ability to get a lot of training done with a minimal footprint.
• Anyone who wants the possibility of varying the anchor height relative to the ground (i.e., higher anchor positions). The exercises in this book are limited to anchor points closer to ground level, but the ability to alter the anchor height can open up additional exercise options.

Limitations

• Requires additional equipment. A rack-attached anchor requires a strength training rack of some kind as well as a commitment to bolting the attachment to the ground or wall.
• Less mobile. This anchor style means committing to the best placement for your landmine and making sure you have adequate space in front of and to the side of your rack to perform the desired exercises.

Home Base

Home base–style attachments are a sturdy but relatively mobile option for angled barbell training, with the name reflecting its similarity in shape to the home base plate used in baseball (see figure 2.2).

Best For

• Nearly all landmine training for most users. The landmine base itself is heavy enough and has enough surface-area contact with the floor so that it (generally) won’t shift during training.
• Freedom and flexibility in your position. The home base can easily fit in a corner position or be moved around the room to accommodate training needs for the day. It is a great option for locomotive exercises that require a lot of lateral space on all sides of the landmine.

Limitations

• Weight of the home base. For smaller users, the home base can be relatively heavy. It may not be as easy to move around and store out of the way as some of the options that follow.
• Potential for shifting. As you start to work with heavier weights or place the home base on surfaces other than rubber gym flooring, the potential for shifting or sliding during an exercise increases.

Plate Insert and Drop-In

Plate insert and drop-in attachments offer creative ways of making use of already-available equipment by using the weight plates themselves as an anchor point that can be placed anywhere in the gym (see figure 2.3).

Best For

• Minimal investment to create a sturdy landmine training base. Most of these attachments are relatively inexpensive in comparison to rack attachments and home base units. Just stack a few plates (preferably 45-pound [20 kg] bumper plates), drop it in, and go.
• Flexibility and storage. These attachments offer you the freedom to move your anchor point and then store everything out of the way when not in use.
• Unrestricted motion in all directions. Rack-mounted and even home base units may have blind spots that can prevent you from easily transitioning and continuing to use the equipment. Drop-in plate attachments enable you to maintain a relatively sturdy base while working in all directions around the plates.

Limitations

• Can be cumbersome. Setting up the plates themselves is easy but it can become cumbersome when setting up multiple plates if all the equipment is not conveniently located. Also, it is easier to use bumper plates than conventional weight plates due to their width.
• Potential for shifting. These types of attachments have the same potential for shifting as the home base setup when used with much heavier and more explosive training methods. They work best on rubber gym flooring or with plates wedged against a wall.

Slug-Style Cap

As the easiest grab-and-go anchor setup, slug-style barbell caps are simple in regard to getting started with angled barbell training but are more limited in use compared to some of the setups described earlier (see figure 2.4).

Best For

• Minimal investment. The slug-style cap requires minimal investment to perform landmine exercises while protecting your barbells, floors, and walls.
• Placement against fixed surfaces. Think of it as an upgrade over shoving your barbell into a corner.
• Flexibility in placement and storage. The Barbell Bomb pictured weighs next to nothing but is grippy enough to provide a relatively stable anchor point even in open floor spaces.
• Versatility. It can double as a handle on the working side as well.

Limitations

• Risk of movement. It presents a greater risk of moving with heavier loading and power training, which can be overcome by ensuring they are placed on nonslip surfaces or against a fixed object.
• Tipping hazard. The potential for tipping hazards can arise with some movements, such as T-bar rows, if the leverage doesn’t keep the anchor end wedged into a wall or on the ground.

More Excerpts From Complete Guide to Landmine Training

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