Landmine Hack Squat

The landmine hack squat is a barbell squat variation performed with one end of the bar anchored in a landmine attachment, held against the torso as you squat. Because the bar travels in a fixed arc, it keeps your torso more upright than a traditional hack squat and reduces the technical demands of balancing a free barbell. This makes it a quad-dominant compound movement that is easier to load safely, while also placing less direct compressive stress on the spine than a back squat.

Muscles Targeted

• Primary: Quadriceps
• Secondary: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings
• Tertiary: Core, erector spinae, calves

Starting Position

Load a barbell into a landmine attachment (or wedge one end into a corner with a towel for padding). Stand facing the anchor point, straddling the bar or holding it at chest height with both hands cupped under the sleeve. Set your feet shoulder-width apart with toes turned slightly outward, chest up, and core braced before you begin the descent.

Execution Steps

1. Grip the bar at chest height with both hands, elbows tucked close to your ribs
2. Brace your core and initiate the squat by pushing your hips back and bending your knees
3. Lower under control until your thighs reach at least parallel, keeping your torso upright and knees tracking over your toes
4. Pause briefly at the bottom without losing tension in your legs
5. Drive through your heels to stand back up, extending your hips and knees together
6. Finish tall at the top with hips fully extended before beginning the next rep

Form Cues

• Keep the bar close: Hold the sleeve tight against your chest to keep the load centered over your midfoot
• Sit back, not just down: Push your hips backward as you descend to keep your weight on your heels
• Track your knees: Let your knees follow the direction of your toes throughout the movement
• Keep your chest up: A collapsing chest shifts load forward and rounds the lower back
• Drive evenly through both feet: Avoid shifting weight to one side as you stand

Common Mistakes

• Letting the knees cave inward: This reduces quad engagement and stresses the knee joints. Actively push the knees out as you descend.
• Rising onto the toes: This shifts stress off the glutes and hamstrings onto the knees. Keep weight distributed through the whole foot.
• Cutting the depth short: Stopping well above parallel limits quad development. Lower until thighs are at least parallel, mobility permitting.
• Rounding the upper back: Letting the chest collapse under load increases spinal stress. Keep the chest up and shoulder blades set.
• Using momentum out of the bottom: Bouncing out of the hole reduces control and increases injury risk. Drive up deliberately from a controlled bottom position.

Variations

• Landmine goblet squat: Similar bar path with a lighter, more beginner-friendly hold
• Barbell back squat: Free-standing variation demanding more balance and spinal loading
• Landmine split squat: Unilateral version that addresses side-to-side imbalances
• Landmine front squat: Bar positioned across the front rack instead of held at the chest, increasing upper-back demand

Tips for Progression

• Add weight in small plate increments once you can complete all sets with full depth and control
• Increase reps to 12-15 before adding load, particularly when first learning the movement
• Slow the eccentric (lowering) phase to increase time under tension
• Progress to single-leg landmine variations once bilateral strength and control are solid

Training Notes

Use the landmine hack squat 1-2 times per week as a primary or secondary quad-focused movement, typically for 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest between sets. It works well early in a leg session for lifters building squat technique, or as a lower-back-friendly alternative to back squats later in a session.