Meadow’s Row isn’t a poem, but it’s a back exercise I’ve come to value. John Meadows, who popularized the move, was a powerhouse and sadly passed away in 2021. It was a long-standing staple in his routines, and if you want a back size like his, you’d be wise to add it to your training. I’ve admired Meadow’s Row for a while, and after sharing a photo recently on Instagram, I was asked to discuss coaching cues and share some videos.
Meadow’s Row — what it does: I believe most trainees, especially beginners and intermediates, should first learn a strict one-arm dumbbell row. The one-arm DB Row shouldn’t be done straight up and down, as that can cause the shoulder to roll forward due to excessive humeral extension, making it hard to target the upper back—the usual goal of the exercise. Instead, move the dumbbell in an arc, forward and back. When you cue “elbow to hip” or “back pocket,” you keep the elbow from drifting past the midline and prevent that shoulder roll. It also aligns with the direction of the lats, which is what you want to hit.
A word on strictness: it’s good to start strict so you can target the scapular retractors, like the rhomboids. But the strictness can become a limitation once you’re chasing more muscle growth. As Nick Tumminello notes, consider the resistance curve (how the load changes with leverage) and the strength curve (how your strength changes throughout the range). Muscles produce the most force somewhere in the middle of their range, not at the ends. With a horizontal row, the lever arm lengthens toward the end range, which can tempt people to jerk the weight or twist. So start with strict form to learn the basics, but don’t stay so strict that you miss growth potential.
Why Meadow’s Row is appealing: it builds big backs, especially the lats, the largest back muscle. It makes you feel strong and capable, and it’s a fun change from ordinary dumbbell rows. It’s also a solid option if your gym doesn’t have very heavy dumbbells.
Coaching cues:
1) Use straps. Don’t listen to critics who say you’re cheating for using straps. Straps prevent your grip from limiting your progress.
2) Position your hips: the hip closest to the bar should be higher than the outside hip to help lengthen the lats.
3) Let your non-working hand rest on your opposite knee to support the torso.
4) Keep the cue “elbow to back hip or back pocket.”
5) Aim for a slight stretch in the bottom position with the arm straight.
6) Expect strong lat engagement.
Another option is to perform Meadow’s Row with a Meadows attachment. The thinner handle can help with grip issues and avoids necessarily using straps. You can experiment with different handle positions to see what feels best. There’s a Meadows attachment available at EliteFTS.
If you haven’t yet, give Meadow’s Row a try. It’s one of my favorites, and I think you’ll come to appreciate it as well.
