6 Upper Body Landmine Exercises to Up Body-mass and Strength for People in the Fifties
Landmine exercises involve barbell movements at an angle, using either a special landmine machine or just lifting one end of your barbell while the other is pressed to the room’s corner. They are great for building strength and gaining mass. What’s also fabulous is that these exercises can be adjusted so they can be performed by people of any age or fitness level.
Before We Dig Into the Exercises
Women around the age of 50 might find themselves struggling to build upper body strength and mass. Studies suggest that this may be largely due to an age-related decline in estrogen levels.
To help with the hormonal imbalance that this condition creates, one effective solution is to usetopical phytoestrogen preparation. These help to support local estrogen
levels, promote muscle recovery, and prevent loss of muscle mass as well as strength due to estrogen decline.
Here are the six best upper body landmine exercises for building strength and mass.
Landmine Shoulder Press
The landmine shoulder press is excellent for people who are older but still want to strengthen and develop their shoulder muscles. If you have just recovered from a shoulder injury or your shoulder joints tend to get sore easily when lifting, this exercise might be a great option for you.
Here’s how you can do the landmine shoulder press:
- Position yourself in front of your landmine machine or barbell with the pivoting end away from you.You can do this either in standing or kneeling position.
- Make sure that you lean forward slightly. Just slightly, around 5 to 10 degrees forward will be okay but not more than that.
- Grab the end of the barbell’s collar with your right hand. Position your right hand over your right shoulder with the palm up.
- Keep your elbow close to your body. This will be your starting position.
- Push the bar up and try to bring your right biceps as close to your right ear as you can. Don’t turn or move your head closer to your bicep while doing this movement.
- Lower the bar and go back to the starting position. This makes 1 repetition. Do 10 reps with the right arm and then switch to your left arm.
2. Single Arm Landmine Row
This exercise is a variation of the dumbbell row. The difference is that with the single arm landmine row you are standing a bit taller, which reduces the strain on your back. It’s perfect for older men and women who want to work on their upper body.
You’re going to do full lateral contractions, which works your core but mostly targets your obliques.
How to do this exercise:
- Stand beside the bar/barbell (bar on the right side) but at a slight angle from it. You should be facing away from the landmine machine/attachment or wall (if you’re using a barbell).
- Lean forward slightly, keeping a 50 to 60 degree angle from the floor. This is your starting position.
- Grab the bar’s end with your right hand and go to the starting position.
- Pull the bar up, bringing your elbow backwards. The motion should be something like you’re elbowing someone behind you. Try to pull your elbow as far back as you can.
- Slowly bring your elbow down and go back to the starting position. This is one rep – do 10 reps with each arm.
3. John Meadow’s Row
This exercise was popularized by John Meadows, strength coach and a legend in many bodybuilding circles. This is a great exercise for strengthening the upper back. It works your traps, shoulders, lats, forearms, and biceps.
How to do this exercise:
- Place your left foot perpendicular to the bar of your landmine. Stand with your left foot forward. Your right foot should be at the plates of the barbell.
- Grab the barbell’s collar with your right hand using a pronated grip. Rest your left elbow on your left knee.
- Raise the bar performing a row but remember that your torso shouldn’t be moving. Your entire right arm should be isolated and it should be the only part of your body that is bearing the weight. Allow your lats to stretch as you motion up and down.
- Do 10 reps for each arm.
4. Landmine Chest Press
This exercise targets the chest and also the triceps. It also improves deltoid strength. You can load more weights as per your strength levels.
How to do it:
- Lie on the floor perpendicular to the bar.
- Grab the bar’s end and raise it so you can position yourself as if you’re going to do a bench press. Your elbow should be touching the floor and your hand should be at chest level.
- Raise the bar up and press back.
- Do 10 reps for each arm.
5. Plate Pinch Landmine Press
This is another chest press and it is similar to the plate pinch press. But, this variant allows you to load more weights as needed. It isolates the chest muscles, and with added weight you can overload them for greater gains in muscle mass.
How to do it:
- You can either kneel or stand in front of the landmine. Place your hands on both sides of the bar’s end, as if clasping your hands in a prayer.
- Make sure that the bottom of your palms (i.e. at the wrist) is pinched tight so the bar doesn’t slip through.
- Press the bar upwards, putting all the tension into your pectoral muscles
- Press down and complete the rep.
- Do 20 reps.
6. Landmine Lateral Raise
This exercise targets the shoulder muscles. You can use varying angles to target the posterior, front, and also the lateral deltoid muscles.
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet in a squatting stance.
- Hold the collar with your right hand in front of your body. Keep the elbow extended. Use a pronated grip.
- Raise your arm until you reach all the way to the top.
- Slowly lower your arm maintaining the distance of the bar from your body without bending your elbow.
- Do 10 reps for each arm.
Conclusion
You can do these landmine exercises with or without weights depending on your current level of strength and conditioning. Adjust the number of reps accordingly as well. As a quick reminder, women approaching menopause may benefit from using products with Pueraria Mirifica to support their strength and recovery despite the age-related drop in estrogen levels.