Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Landmine Lateral Raise: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The landmine lateral raise is a shoulder exercise performed using a barbell anchored at one end (landmine setup). It targets the deltoids and also engages the traps and upper back. The movement involves lifting the barbell laterally to shoulder height, emphasizing shoulder strength and stability.

Primary muscles
Shoulders
Secondary muscles
Traps
Equipment
Barbell
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the landmine lateral raise
Front view: muscles worked by the landmine lateral raise. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: traps.
Back view: muscles worked by the landmine lateral raise. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: traps.
Primary Secondary

How to do the landmine lateral raise

  1. Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
  2. Step 2: Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, resting it on the front of your shoulders.
  3. Step 3: Keeping your core engaged and back straight, lift the barbell up and away from your body, raising it to shoulder height.
  4. Step 4: Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the landmine lateral raise by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Landmine Lateral Raise alternatives

More exercises that train the shoulders as their main target:

More shoulders exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.