Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 10 hours ago
Want a lower-back-friendly free-weight alternative to the barbell row?
One of my favorites is the Meadows row.
Because you brace against your leg, this exercise takes stress off your lower back, and because the barbell pivots from a fixed point, it’s easy to minimize momentum, even when the weights get heavy.
You’re also not limited by your gym’s heaviest dumbbells, which can be a problem when you train in different gyms (because of traveling, for instance).
Here are a few tips for performing the Meadows row correctly:
1. Use weightlifting straps as you get stronger.
As the weight gets heavier, your grip will likely fail before your back muscles because the barbell collar is thick and tricky to hold.
Straps secure your hand to the bar, ensuring your back strength—not your grip—is the limiting factor.
2. Find a stance that suits you.
Either a square or staggered stance works best.
For a square stance, stand with your feet perpendicular to the barbell, with one foot beneath the collar and the other foot about 10-to-12 inches away.
For a staggered stance, start in a square stance, then move your foot closest to the weight plates back 1-to-2 feet, pointing your toes in whichever direction feels most comfortable.
3. Brace against your knee.
Using your free hand, forearm, or elbow, brace against your leg furthest from the weight just above your knee.
4. Pull with your elbow.
Imagine slamming your elbows into the ceiling as you row to ensure your back muscles do the work, not your biceps.
5. Use small plates.
If possible, load the barbell with smaller plates (like 25-pound plates instead of 45-pound ones). This allows you to train through a larger range of motion without the plates hitting the floor or your torso mid-rep.
Oh and in case you’re wondering how to set up the barbell for this exercise, you simply wedge one end of it into a landmine attachment or firmly against a corner (a towel can be used to protect the wall) to create a fixed pivot point.
Want a lower-back-friendly free-weight alternative to the barbell row?
One of my favorites is the Meadows row.
Because you brace against your leg, this exercise takes stress off your lower back, and because the barbell pivots from a fixed point, it’s easy to minimize momentum, even when the weights get heavy.
You’re also not limited by your gym’s heaviest dumbbells, which can be a problem when you train in different gyms (because of traveling, for instance).
Here are a few tips for performing the Meadows row correctly:
1. Use weightlifting straps as you get stronger.
As the weight gets heavier, your grip will likely fail before your back muscles because the barbell collar is thick and tricky to hold.
Straps secure your hand to the bar, ensuring your back strength—not your grip—is the limiting factor.
2. Find a stance that suits you.
Either a square or staggered stance works best.
For a square stance, stand with your feet perpendicular to the barbell, with one foot beneath the collar and the other foot about 10-to-12 inches away.
For a staggered stance, start in a square stance, then move your foot closest to the weight plates back 1-to-2 feet, pointing your toes in whichever direction feels most comfortable.
3. Brace against your knee.
Using your free hand, forearm, or elbow, brace against your leg furthest from the weight just above your knee.
4. Pull with your elbow.
Imagine slamming your elbows into the ceiling as you row to ensure your back muscles do the work, not your biceps.
5. Use small plates.
If possible, load the barbell with smaller plates (like 25-pound plates instead of 45-pound ones). This allows you to train through a larger range of motion without the plates hitting the floor or your torso mid-rep.
Oh and in case you’re wondering how to set up the barbell for this exercise, you simply wedge one end of it into a landmine attachment or firmly against a corner (a towel can be used to protect the wall) to create a fixed pivot point.
