Not that fussed about sit-ups? Me neither, so I say sweep them to one side and hit more muscles in one go using the good old do-it-all compound exercise — a multi-joint, multi-muscle move that hits your abs where it hurts but doesn’t stop there.
This exercise utilizes rotation to engage your obliques and the surrounding muscles that stabilize your spine, while also working your arms and shoulders and teaching your body to control weight and build power.
So yes, you’ll torch those six-pack muscles, but you’ll do more than that. Here’s how to do landmine rotations, the benefits and how to fit the move into your strength program.
Are sit-ups good for you?
While there are exercises I’d steer clients away from, it’s not as black and white as “good” or “bad.” Sometimes, it depends on ability and form, but other times it depends on the client’s body, any previous or current injuries, and how the exercise feels.
Sit-ups have been around forever, but they’re not the most effective ab-strengthening exercise; I find that anyone who suffers from tight or weak hips also struggles to engage the core properly, resulting in the hips taking over and causing strain.
This can also pull focus from the primary mover during sit-ups — the rectus abdominis, or “six-pack” muscles — and puts too much emphasis on the hips or lower back.
Learning proper core engagement can help, but if the brunt of repeated lumbar spinal flexion takes its toll, you can happily scrap sit-ups and try many other abs exercises instead, including landmine rotations, which are super effective and efficient at targeting more core muscles.
How to do landmine rotations
Landmine rotations can be performed using free weights, such as the best adjustable dumbbells. However, I recommend using the landmine in your gym. If you plan to use free weights, check out the woodchopper exercise as an alternative. You can also perform this exercise kneeling.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and the landmine in front of you — add plates if you want
- Keep your posture tall and core muscles engaged
- Hold the landmine at the end with a firm grip, then punch it overhead with arms extended and lean slightly forward
- With power, drive the landmine toward your right hip and twist to the right, lifting your left heel as you turn on the balls of your feet
- Pull the landmine back to the top, then repeat on your left side, moving from side to side with arms straight.
Landmines are rotational, meaning they’ll work the core in a more 360 manner, rather than just flexing and extending the abdominal muscles like sit-ups do. This means your obliques work harder, and you’ll also develop strength and power.
Control is everything
I like to use the analogy of squeezing the juice from a lemon when discussing core exercises — or any exercise, for that matter. You wouldn’t squeeze a small drop of lemon and toss the rest away, and the same goes for your working muscles during workouts.
Try to focus your attention on the working muscles and move them through a full range of motion, creating tension and fully engaging them.
This improves something called the mind-muscle connection, helping you recruit the correct muscles for the exercise you’re performing, also reducing your injury risk.
Move with control and take your time to learn the exercise step-by-step. Landmine rotations aren’t just compound; they’re also functional, which means your body moves in a natural way. The more functional exercises you can fit into your ab routines, the better stability and balance you’ll build in your core.
