Meadow Row

Why Should you do Meadow Row?

Meadow rows can be made with a barbell that is either in a “land mine” bracket or pressed into a corner. You can also perform the exercise with a dumbbell. If you do the exercise with a dumbbell and a bench, it is similar to a dumbbell row, but you need to do a couple of things differently. The differences mean that the exercise does not primarily become a lats exercise such as dumbbell rowing but mainly loads the upper and middle back (Trapezius and Rhomboids). You will also train the lats and back shoulders, but it is mainly the upper parts of the back that will work.

Exercise Details for Meadow Row

  • Primary Muscle
    Traps, Middle back
  • Secondary Muscle
    Lats, Rear Delt
  • Equipment
    Barbell, Bumbbell
  • Level
    Easy

Pereparatory

Stand in a split stance position, i.e., with one leg in front of the other. Tilt your upper body forward so that you can place your elbow on your thigh just above the knee of the leg that is on the same side of your body. Your back should be neutral but tilt slightly upwards. You can vary the backrest’s inclination from being completely horizontal with the floor to tilting 45 degrees if a bench supports you with a raised backrest. Try it with the inclination. The important thing is that the back is neutral if not curved. Even your neck should be in a neutral position.

Performance

Now grab a dumbbell or the bar with the other hand. Because you use a prone grip, the palms of your hand should be down to the floor is also called the overhand grip, and not a neutral grip, the palm of your hand located inwards as when you clap your hands, the back muscles other than lats are engaged. A neutral grip often trains the lats, while a prone one puts more strain on the middle and upper back.
Now pull up the dumbbell or bar so that your elbow comes as high up as possible. Feel the elbow pull the movement. Your upper arm should be angled out from your body 60-70 degrees. You should not rotate your upper body in any other way, but it should remain fixed when you can not pull the weight higher up, slowly lower, and control it back to the floor. The movement is straight up and straight down.

In the bottom position, when the weight hangs in your hand, let the shoulder blade stretch out properly. Instead, the shoulder blades should be squeezed properly in the top position when you pull up the weight.

Perform the exercise in a controlled manner and do not rock the body. It is guaranteed to give results in the middle and upper back

Tips for Meadow Row

  • You can do the exercise with a dumbbell or barbell in the “line mine” bracket or pressed into a corner
  • Use a split stance
  • Put your elbow on your thigh for stability
  • Make sure your back is in a neutral position no matter how much you lean forward.
  • Perform the exercise with a horizontal back or a slightly tilted up, test yourself
  • Prone grip means that Rhomboids and Trapezius have to work extra hard in the movement
  • Extend the shoulder blade in the bottom position
  • Squeeze the shoulder blades to the max in the top position
  • Do not rotate your upper body when lifting weights
  • Lower the weight in a slow and controlled matter always with tension in the muscle you are exercising

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Related Exercises

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Seated Leg Curl

Dumbbell Pullovers

The side muscles of the back, your lats, attach to the humerus and are therefore responsible for pulling the arms down towards the body. This exercise is only about pulling down the arms in this way, which makes it a good lats exercise.

Single Arm Landmine Row

It is a fun variant of One-Arm Dumbbell Row, but you do it with a barbell instead of dumbbells. By varying how far from the grip you stand with your feet, the load will be moved between lats or traps, just like between Dumbbell Row and Meadow Rows.