How high should the arm go on a Landmine Lateral Raise?

In this version the hand finishes just above head height, with the arm angled up and out to the side rather than straight overhead. If that end range pinches, stop at shoulder height, where the side of the shoulder is still doing most of the work.

How heavy should a Landmine Lateral Raise be?

Lighter than the plate numbers suggest. The anchor carries part of the bar's weight and the bar gets easier to hold as it stands up toward vertical, so landmine loads do not compare with dumbbell weights. Start with the bar alone, or a lighter bar if the empty one already makes you twist, and choose a load you can raise for 10 to 15 controlled reps.

Which side should the anchor be on?

For this version, on the side of the working arm and a little in front of you. That lets the bar start low in front of your opposite hip and sweep across and up, which gives the raise its diagonal path.

Can I do a Landmine Lateral Raise kneeling?

Yes. Kneeling on one or both knees makes it much harder to lean or twist, which helps if your torso keeps joining in, though you may need a little less load.

Is a Landmine Lateral Raise better than a dumbbell lateral raise?

Neither is better overall. The landmine guides the bar on a fixed arc and adds a cross-body start and an above-shoulder finish, while a Dumbbell Lateral Raise is easier to load in small steps and can train both arms at once.

Landmine Lateral Raise

What Is the Landmine Lateral Raise?

Landmine Lateral Raise is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders and also engages the upper trapezius, the serratus anterior and the core muscles that keep the torso square. It is an intermediate-level movement trained one arm at a time, in which you lift the free end of a barbell anchored in a landmine from in front of your opposite hip, out to the side and up to just above head height.

The bar pivots around the anchor, so it travels on a guided arc instead of a free path, and the thick sleeve gives the grip some extra work. Starting across the body and finishing high and out to the side makes this a diagonal raise rather than a strictly side-on one. It follows the same path as the D2 flexion diagonal that physical therapists and strength coaches use for the shoulder, often cued as drawing a sword from the opposite hip, so it trains the shoulder through a longer range than a raise that stops at shoulder height.

The deltoid does most of the lifting, with its side and front fibers sharing the work as the arm sweeps across and up. Because the hand finishes above shoulder height, the upper and lower trapezius and the serratus anterior have to rotate the shoulder blade upward to make room, which is why the upper trapezius plays a larger role here than in a raise that stops level with the shoulder. Other setups shift the work: standing with your back to the anchor and stopping at shoulder height keeps it closer to a classic side raise, and kneeling takes away most of the chance to lean or twist.

The movement fits as an accessory after the main pressing or pulling work of a session, usually for moderate to high reps with a light load. It suits lifters who already control a Dumbbell Lateral Raise or Cable Single-Arm Lateral Raise and can raise the arm overhead without pain, and who want a different stimulus for the side of the shoulder. Anyone whose shoulder pinches above shoulder height should build up with those raises first, or stop this one at shoulder height.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Deltoid: Primary
Upper Trapezius: High
Lower Trapezius: Medium
Serratus Anterior: Medium
External Oblique: Low
Infraspinatus: Low
Teres Minor: Low
Flexor Carpi Radialis: Minimal
Rectus Abdominis: Minimal

Instructions

Set one end of a barbell in a landmine anchor on the floor and load a light plate on the free end.
Stand side-on to the bar with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your knees soft, so the anchor sits out to the side of your working arm and slightly in front of you.
Reach across your body with the working arm and grip the end of the sleeve overhand, so the bar end sits in front of your opposite hip. Let your free arm hang at your side.
Brace your core, stand tall and keep a slight bend in the working elbow.
Exhale and raise the bar in a diagonal arc, sweeping your arm across your body, out to the side and up.
Keep going until your hand is just above head height, with your arm angled up and out to the side, about halfway between shoulder height and straight overhead.
Pause briefly at the top, keeping your shoulder down away from your ear and your chest facing forward.
Inhale and lower the bar along the same arc under control until it returns to the front of your opposite hip.
Complete all reps, then turn around so the anchor is on your other side and repeat with the other arm.

Common Mistakes

Twisting the torso
Rotating the hips and chest toward the anchor to swing the bar up turns the raise into momentum and loads the lower back instead of the shoulder.
Leaning away from the anchor
A large side bend lets the trunk lift the bar, so the shoulder does less of the raise.
Shrugging at the top
Hiking the shoulder toward the ear as the arm passes shoulder height hands the work to the upper trapezius and crowds the top of the shoulder.
Bending the elbow to finish
Pulling the elbow in and pushing the bar up over the last stretch turns the raise into a partial press.
Dropping the bar on the way down
Letting the bar fall back to the hip skips the controlled lowering and jars the shoulder at the bottom of the rep.

Injuries

Landmine Lateral Raise is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The load is modest and the anchor guides the bar along a fixed arc, so most problems come from the top of the rep, where the arm rises above shoulder height and the shoulder blade has to rotate upward to keep the joint clear. The usual strain points are the top and front of the shoulder, the upper trapezius when it takes over with a shrug, and the lower back when the torso twists or leans to help the bar up.

Use a light load you can raise and lower slowly, keep the shoulder down and away from the ear as the arm climbs, and keep your ribs stacked over your pelvis so the trunk stays square to the front. Warm the shoulder up with a few easy sets before adding weight, and lower the bar under control instead of letting it drop back to the hip.

If the top of the rep pinches, stop the raise at shoulder height, or switch to a Dumbbell Lateral Raise or Cable Single-Arm Lateral Raise taken to shoulder height. Kneeling on one or both knees makes it harder to lean or twist. To progress, slow the lowering, pause at the top or add load in small steps before adding sets.

Stop if you feel sharp or pinching pain at the top or front of the shoulder, pain that spreads down the arm, or numbness or tingling in the hand. Pain that keeps returning when the arm passes shoulder height should be checked by a physical therapist or doctor before you train the movement again.

Overview

Primary Focus: Shoulders
Equipment: Barbell and landmine
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Intermediate

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How high should the arm go on a Landmine Lateral Raise?: In this version the hand finishes just above head height, with the arm angled up and out to the side rather than straight overhead. If that end range pinches, stop at shoulder height, where the side of the shoulder is still doing most of the work.
Q: How heavy should a Landmine Lateral Raise be?: Lighter than the plate numbers suggest. The anchor carries part of the bar's weight and the bar gets easier to hold as it stands up toward vertical, so landmine loads do not compare with dumbbell weights. Start with the bar alone, or a lighter bar if the empty one already makes you twist, and choose a load you can raise for 10 to 15 controlled reps.
Q: Which side should the anchor be on?: For this version, on the side of the working arm and a little in front of you. That lets the bar start low in front of your opposite hip and sweep across and up, which gives the raise its diagonal path.
Q: Can I do a Landmine Lateral Raise kneeling?: Yes. Kneeling on one or both knees makes it much harder to lean or twist, which helps if your torso keeps joining in, though you may need a little less load.
Q: Is a Landmine Lateral Raise better than a dumbbell lateral raise?: Neither is better overall. The landmine guides the bar on a fixed arc and adds a cross-body start and an above-shoulder finish, while a Dumbbell Lateral Raise is easier to load in small steps and can train both arms at once.