Landmine Goblet Squat 101 Video Tutorial
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Exercise Synopsis
Target Muscle Group
Quads
Secondary Targets
Execution
Compound
Force Type
Push (Bilateral)
Required Equipment
Landmine
Fitness Level
Beginner
Variations
None
Alternatives
None
Timer
Hour
Minute
Second
Stopwatch
00:00:00:00
Overview
The Landmine Goblet Squat is an effective lower body exercise that primarily targets the quads while also engaging several secondary muscle groups, including the abs, adductors, calves, glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. To perform this exercise, you'll need a landmine setup, where a weighted barbell is placed into a landmine attachment. By holding the end of the barbell with both hands in a goblet-style grip, you squat down while keeping your torso upright. This variation enhances stability and helps improve squat depth while activating the core for balance and control. The Landmine Goblet Squat is a great option for strengthening the legs and improving overall lower body functional strength.
How to Perform
Begin by positioning yourself with the end of the landmine at chest level, holding it with both hands in a secure, goblet-style grip.
Take a deep breath and engage your core as you initiate the squat by pushing your hips back and bending your knees.
Continue lowering your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor, ensuring your chest stays upright and your back remains neutral.
As you approach the bottom of the squat, maintain tension in your core and focus on keeping your weight evenly distributed through your feet.
Push through your heels and the balls of your feet to drive yourself back up to the starting position, ensuring your knees track over your toes.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, keeping your abs braced and your movements controlled throughout the set to maintain proper form and avoid injury.
Tips
If you find squatting with a barbell challenging, the Landmine Goblet Squat is a great alternative for learning to squat with a more vertical torso.
If you're struggling to get the landmine into position at chest height, try using a sumo squat stance, placing your arms between your legs for easier grip.
The angle of your toes is personal—experiment with different angles to find what feels most comfortable and natural for your body.
Consider using a "false" grip (without the thumb wrapped around the bar) to avoid potential wrist or elbow discomfort that can arise for some individuals.
Focus on maintaining full contact with the ground through all three points of your foot: the big toe, little toe, and heel, ensuring stable support.
Visualize the motion as though you are trying to lower your back pockets straight toward your heels—focus on dropping down rather than pushing your hips back.
A small amount of knee travel over the toes is acceptable, but make sure the knees don’t collapse inward or outward. If you have longer femurs, you may need to allow your knees to extend further forward while keeping your torso upright.
Neck positioning is also a matter of personal preference. Some people prefer keeping the chin slightly tucked for a neutral neck, while others do better with their gaze straight ahead. Experiment with both to see which suits your body structure best.
Ensure that your knees track in alignment with your toes. Avoid forcing them out excessively, but make sure they stay aligned with or slightly outside the second toe for proper knee mechanics.
How Not to Perform
Avoid Rounding Your Lower Back: Do not allow your lower back to round during the squat. Keep a neutral spine throughout the movement to prevent strain on your back and reduce the risk of injury. Focus on maintaining good posture.
Don’t Let Your Knees Cave Inward: Ensure your knees do not collapse toward the center of your body as you squat. This misalignment puts unnecessary stress on the knees and can lead to injury. Keep your knees tracking over your toes or slightly outside the second toe.
Avoid Leaning Forward Too Much: Keep your chest upright and do not lean too far forward. Leaning too much shifts the focus away from your quads and can strain your lower back. Maintain a vertical torso to target the quads effectively.
Do Not Push Your Hips Back Too Far: While it’s important to initiate the squat by pushing your hips back, avoid overextending the hips and sitting too far back. This will reduce activation of the target muscles (quads) and put more strain on the glutes and hamstrings.
Don’t Let Your Feet Lift Off the Ground: Make sure your feet stay planted firmly on the ground throughout the movement. Lifting your heels or toes will cause instability, reduce your squat depth, and prevent proper muscle engagement.
Avoid Jerky or Rapid Movements: Do not rush the movement. Avoid using momentum to lift or lower yourself. Perform the squat in a slow and controlled manner to focus on muscle activation and prevent injury.
Don’t Overextend Your Knees: While a small amount of knee translation forward is acceptable, avoid letting your knees extend too far beyond your toes. This can put excess stress on the knee joints.
Don’t Grip Too Tight: Avoid gripping the landmine attachment too tightly. An overly tight grip can lead to tension in your arms, shoulders, and wrists, which takes away energy from the target muscles (quads) and affects your overall form.
Don’t Rush the Repetition: Avoid rushing through the reps. Take the time to control both the lowering and lifting phases of the squat. This ensures proper engagement of the quads and prevents wasted energy.
Avoid Shifting Weight Too Much to the Toes: Make sure your weight is evenly distributed through your feet—avoid shifting too much of your weight onto your toes. This can compromise balance and reduce the focus on the quads.
Variations
Variations of fitness exercises refer to different ways of performing a specific exercise or movement to target various muscle groups, intensities, or goals. These variations aim to challenge the body differently, prevent plateaus, and cater to individuals with varying fitness levels.
Alternatives
Alternative exercises in fitness refer to different movements or activities that target similar muscle groups or serve the same training purpose as the primary exercise. These alternative exercises can be used as substitutes when the original exercise is unavailable or challenging to perform due to various reasons such as equipment limitations, injuries, or personal preferences.
