Watch Kate Upton Hit a PR While Doing Some Badass Landmine Reverse Lunges

Kate Upton is a beast in the gym. The supermodel has long been flaunting her impressive fitness skills, whether she's crushing some grueling bootcamp workouts or mastering the art of aerial yoga. She even pushed her husband up a hill once like it was NBD.

It seems that in 2020, Upton has no plans of slowing down in the gym. She started the new year with some landmine reverse lunges, as seen in a video shared by her trainer, Ben Bruno.

"@kateupton is kicking off the new year with a bang," Bruno wrote alongside the video, adding that the model hit 110 pounds on the bar, a new PR for her. (

In case you're unfamiliar with landmines, the equipment is set up with a base attached to a metal tube that you can place a barbell into to create a lever. Once the barbell is inside the tube, you can add weights to it, and the equipment allows you to move the barbell in any direction you choose. In Upton's case, she decided to do reverse lunges. (Here's why the reverse lunge is one of the best exercises to target your butt and thighs.)

Landmine reverse lunges are a great compound movement that helps to build leg muscle strength, says Beau Burgau, C.S.C.S., founder of GRIT Training Maine. The move specifically focuses on the quads while simultaneously improving stability and balance, he explains. Several secondary muscles come into play, too, including the hamstrings, calves, and core, adds Burgau. (

The best part? It's a pretty low-risk exercise, says Burgau. "Landmine lunges allow you to increase weight without structurally loading your back," he explains. "It provides a fixed plane of motion and increased stability throughout the movement. It's a perfect alternative movement for those lacking experience with barbell reverse lunges." (

If you're inspired by Upton's badassery, Burgau shares exactly how you can build up to her level. To start, he suggests beginning with a technique or training barbell (like a PVC pipe) to get familiar with the general movements. Once you're comfortable, you can move to a standard landmine, he explains.

As for a starting weight, Burgau says 45 pounds is pretty standard. But it's perfectly okay to go lighter or heavier based on your current fitness level, he adds.

In terms of reps, Burgau recommends starting with 2 sets of 10-15 reps to help build muscle memory. Then you can increase the weight in 5-10 pound increments and complete 3 sets of fewer reps (approximately 6-8) to help build strength, he suggests. "Add these to your routine once a week, and before you know it, you'll be up to 110 pounds," says Burgau. (

If you're not really feeling reverse lunges, there are plenty of other ways to add landmines to your workout routine. Try this full-body landmine workout for beginners to take full advantage of this versatile piece of gym equipment.