Revolutionise Your Squatting Game with the Landmine Goblet Squat

If you're an athlete, coach, or rehab professional, you know how essential squatting is for building strength and muscle. But what if you can't tolerate the traditional barbell squat due to pain, a lack of technical skill, or your goals? It's time to stop force-feeding the barbell squat and switch to the Landmine Goblet Squat.

The Landmine Goblet Squat is a pain-free squat variation that challenges the body from different positions using various tools and is customised to the individual. This foundational movement pattern can help you build muscle, develop strength, and improve your technique for heavy squatting without the pain and discomfort that may come with traditional squatting.

Flawlessly Executing the Landmine Goblet Squat

The Landmine Goblet Squat is a game-changing movement that can transform your squat. However, getting the heavy load into the goblet position can be challenging. Traditionally, you would have to squat down, grab the bar with both hands between your legs and dynamically drive the bar up to change the position of your hands quickly. This struggle with the setup makes loading this otherwise game-changing movement very difficult, and any time you add velocity to a heavy load out of an awkward position, the risk-reward ratio needs to add up.

But a fix will keep you safe while moving maximal loads on the Landmine Goblet Squat, using a plyo box, and resting the loaded landmine on the box to position and stabilise from the bottom position of the squat up. This setup ensures that you can hit the proper depth and range of motion, which helps you sit back, engage your glutes and hamstrings, and stabilise the squat.

Proper Placement of the Feet

One of the biggest challenges people face when performing the Landmine Goblet Squat is determining the optimal foot position. While the foot width and toed-out position will be very similar to your normal squat stance, you must account for how close your feet are to the landmine setup.

Since the natural trajectory of the bar will push you back as you drop down and descend into the squat, you need to make sure that your feet are placed far enough back so that you can sit deep into the bottom of the squat with a neutral spine and hip-centrically loaded position with the end of the barbell keeping contact with the top of your chest.

Making a Less-Than-Ideal Setup Work for You

If setting yourself up with an ideal box height isn't an option for you from an equipment restriction standpoint, un-rack the landmine and set up to the side a step to clear the plates upon setup.

Since you are in a front-racked position with a heavy load on your chest, move slowly and under control, taking a few short steps to the side and re-stabilising your hips and core before you descend into your first rep. With any movement, we must emphasise proper setup, even if you use this side-step modification, as injuries tend to happen due to poor setups getting into position, not necessarily mid-rep during a well-executed set.

How to Program the Landmine Goblet Squat

Once you have perfected the technique and setup for the Landmine Goblet Squat, it's time to incorporate it into your training program. This exercise can be used as a primary movement for lower body strength and muscle building or as an accessory exercise to target specific weaknesses in your squat.

When programming the Landmine Goblet Squat, starting with a weight you can handle safely and properly is essential. It is better to start lighter and focus on technique and range of motion, gradually increasing the weight as you become more comfortable with the movement.

One effective way to program this exercise is to incorporate it into a lower-body strength workout. Start with a warm-up set using a lighter weight and then perform 3-5 working sets of 6-10 reps, resting for 2-3 minutes between sets.

Alternatively, you can use the Landmine Goblet Squat as an accessory exercise to target specific weaknesses in your squat. For example, suppose you struggle with sitting back and engaging your glutes and hamstrings during the squat. In that case, you can use this exercise to target those areas specifically.

In this case, you can use a lighter weight and perform 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps, focusing on proper form and control throughout the movement.

The Landmine Goblet Squat can also be incorporated into circuit training or as a finisher for your lower body workout. The possibilities are endless, but the key is to use proper form and focus on the targeted muscle groups.

The Landmine Goblet Squat is a highly effective variation of the squat that can help you build muscle and strength while improving your technique and addressing weaknesses in your squat. Using the unique landmine setup, you can safely and effectively load the movement, targeting the glutes and hamstrings and improving your range of motion.

Remember, only some people can tolerate the traditional barbell squat due to pain, lack of technical skill, or different goals. The Landmine Goblet Squat provides an alternative that can be customised to the individual, making it a valuable tool in any training program.

Following the proper technique, setup, and programming for the Landmine Goblet Squat, you can revolutionise how your squat looks, feels, and functions, ultimately leading to greater strength, muscle growth, and overall fitness.

Ben Morris14 July 2023Comment