Landmine squat guide: set the bar path and stance

A landmine squat anchors one end of a barbell so the sleeve travels on an arc. That makes the setup different from a free barbell squat. Your distance from the pivot, hand position, and starting angle decide where the sleeve moves as you descend. The first job is to make that path predictable with an empty bar.

Inspect the attachment

Read the Rogue landmine attachment instructions and check that the base is secured as intended. They are a model-specific reference for installation and use, not a replacement for instructions on a different attachment. Keep the area around the pivot and the bar's return path clear.

Slide the bar fully into the sleeve. Hold the free end with both hands at chest height, elbows down and close enough that the bar does not drift away. Step back until the end of the bar is in front of your sternum. Mark the feet and check that the bar can move through the intended depth without contacting the floor or a rack.

Rehearse the arc

Use a shallow squat with a three-second descent. Keep the bar end moving toward the space in front of you rather than trying to drive it straight up. The anchored end will pivot, so the free end naturally rises and travels back as you stand. Stay close enough that the hands remain stacked over the chest without shrugging.

The squat review by Straub and Powers describes how trunk angle, tibia position, stance, and depth change the external demands of a squat. The landmine's arc changes the equipment constraint, so use your first empty-bar set to find a stance that allows a consistent depth and a balanced foot pressure. Do not infer a universal foot width from someone else's landmine video.

Illustrative example: At a close stance, the sleeve brushes the floor at the bottom. Moving both feet back two inches gives the bar more clearance and preserves the same target depth. If the bar then pulls the torso forward, move closer to the pivot instead and retest. Change one distance variable at a time.

Choose the loading method

Add a small plate only after the empty-bar walkout, squat, and return are clear. Use the plate-loading instructions for your bar and attachment. Secure plates with collars where the equipment instructions call for them, and do not exceed the attachment or bar's stated limits. A landmine squat may be held at the sleeve, with a handle, or with a specialized attachment. Each option changes the hand and shoulder reference.

Record the pivot, handle, foot marks, depth, and load. If the bar contacts the floor, the attachment shifts, or the return path is crowded, stop and solve that setup before adding weight. The useful result is a repeatable landmine station, not a maximal test.