Twisting the torso
Brace on the front knee and keep the hips and shoulders square to the floor.
Horizontal pull · Barbell
Meadows Row
A single-arm row standing beside a landmine-anchored barbell, gripping the end of the sleeve overhand. It gives a big stretch and lets you load one side heavily. Best for intermediate lifters looking to build lats and upper back.
- Primary
- Back
- Secondary
- Biceps
- Starting rep range
- 8–12 reps
- Target effort
- 1.5 reps in reserve
- Progression
- 2.5 kg jumps
Muscles worked
The lats, rhomboids, and traps do the pulling, with the rear delts and biceps assisting. The overhand grip on the thick sleeve also works the forearms, and the staggered stance asks the hips and trunk to resist rotation.
How to set up
- Anchor one end of a barbell in a landmine or corner and load the other end.
- Stand perpendicular to the bar, front foot near the plates and back leg staggered behind.
- Hinge until your torso is close to parallel and rest your non-working forearm on your front knee.
- Grip the end of the sleeve overhand with the working hand.
How to do each rep
- Row the bar up and back, driving the elbow up and slightly out.
- Pull until the elbow passes the torso; stop before the plates touch your arm.
- Lower slowly to a full stretch, letting the shoulder blade move forward.
- Keep the hips square; avoid twisting to lift the weight.
Common meadows row mistakes
Using large plates
Use 25 lb or smaller plates to get a fuller range without them hitting you.
Grip giving out
Use straps if your grip fails before your back.
Sets, reps, and progression
Surpass starts the meadows row at 8–12 reps with about 1.5 reps in reserve. As a compound lift it usually belongs early in the session, when you are fresh.
Progress in small plates (2.5-10 lb) once you hit 8-12 clean reps per side. If grip limits you, add straps rather than shortening the range.
Know what to lift next time
Surpass shows what you lifted last time beside a target for this set, and adjusts it from your reps and RIR. Free on iPhone, no account needed.
Meadows Row alternatives
These train the same main muscles. Swap when the equipment is busy, something hurts, or progress has stalled for several weeks.
Questions
What does the Meadows row work?
Mainly the lats and upper back, with biceps, rear delts, and forearms helping. The single-arm setup also challenges trunk stability.
Can I do a Meadows row without a landmine?
Yes. Wedge the empty end of the barbell into a corner, ideally wrapped in a towel, so it cannot slide or damage the wall.