The Landmine has become a popular way to help athletes train a variety of fundamental movements. With a barbell and a landmine attachment, you can perform a huge array of movements. However, due to the design, you’re largely limited to unilateral variations.

Enter the Viking Attachment.

Photo via Total Strength & Speed

By adding a Viking Attachment to the equation, we’re able to challenge our muscles bilaterally much like we would with any other barbell exercise. With this setup, we’re able to add a bit more load, increasing the intensity and getting a phenomenal full-body workout.

Compared to most pieces of gym equipment, they’re also rather inexpensive.

With that in mind, here are six of my favorite exercises made possible by a Viking Attachment.

Viking Press

Overhead Pressing with a barbell can be problematic for those who don’t have access to the range of motion required to get a bar overhead efficiently.

It tends to make those shoulders and lower back cranky with compensations. The Landmine Press is a great way to work around that and still get an overhead training effect.

However, the limitation there is that we’re limited in our hand positioning. With the Viking Attachment, we’re able to mix up our grips and find a more mechanically advantageous position.

Additionally, it allows us to work on our overhead mobility by leaning into the press at the top of the movement. This allows us to get full motion of the shoulder blades as we lift the bar overhead. Plus, it adds a little more stress to the core and provides a loaded stretch for the shoulders and thoracic spine.

Viking Squat

Squat mechanics can be hard to master due to mobility, technique and strength limitations.

There are lots of options for helping someone learn how to squat, but I’ve found a Viking Squat to be a phenomenal option.

Once you have the bar in your hand, start to squat down. Due to the angle of the bar and where the load is positioned, you’re forced to sit back into the squat to accommodate that load. This creates an ideal looking squat, similar to that of a Goblet Squat. However, with the use of the Viking attachment, we’re able to disperse the load a bit as opposed to having it centrally located on the arms.

This can be quite beneficial for those with wrist or hand issues or who have a hard time holding a dumbbell in their arms.

Viking Thruster

Combine the technique-teaching Viking Squat with the shoulder-saving Viking Press and you have the Viking Thruster. This is one that challenges a ton of different muscles and can get your heart rate up in a hurry. The Viking Thruster is also a great movement to teach the transfer of strength and power from the lower body to the upper body.

Viking Hack Squat

While the previous Viking Squat is a great way to teach someone how to squat, the placement of the load may cause some trouble for those with a history of knee injuries.

This is where the Viking Hack Squat comes into play. At first glance, it can be a bit unnerving to lean into the bar in this fashion, as you must trust the other end is secure in place (make sure you always check before starting a set).

But once you get comfortable with it, you can really load this movement without being concerned about any stress on the knees.

With the Hack Squat, the angle of the bar allows us to sit into the squat, putting all the force into the quads as opposed to the knees.

The Viking Hack Squat also takes a lot of the vertical loading off of the spine, which can be beneficial for those with a back injury, as well.

Viking Romanian Deadlifts

RDLs are a great exercise to hammer the hamstrings and glute.

However, learning how to hinge without taking a toll on the lower back can be a challenge. With the Viking Attachment, we’re able to reach our hips back easier to counteract the load.

As we drive our feet through the floor to the top of the movement, the Viking attachment serves as a physical cue to stop your hips. This prevents you from overextending at the top of the movement.

Viking Reverse Lunge

Much like the Viking Squat forced us to sit back into our squat, the Viking Reverse Lunge eliminates one of the common errors we see on Lunges, which is putting too much weight onto the moving leg. By leaning into the Viking attachment, we put more load onto the front leg and hip.

Photo Credit: Total Strength & Speed

READ MORE:

• How to Finally Barbell Overhead Press Without Pain
• The Unconventional Squat Variation That Powers Up App. State Football
• 5 Split Squat Variations to Level up Your Training