The Best Deadlift Variation to Protect Your Back

How to Do It

1. Load the sleeve of a barbell into a landmine unit. Stand at the opposite end of the bar and load its sleeve with weight. If you don’t have a landmine in your gym, wedge the bar into a corner.

2. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and bend at the hips, bending your knees as needed until you can grasp the sleeve, fingers interlaced. Your lower back should be flat.

3. Take a deep breath. Twist your feet outward, rooting yourself into the floor, and extend your hips to lift the bar up in front of you.

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Spare Your Spine

The path the bar follows in a landmine allows you to keep your spine more upright, so you don’t put forces on it that can cause injury—as with a classic barbell deadlift.