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Meadows Row strength standards

What is a good Meadows Row?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Meadows Row is about 91 lb (0.51x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 132 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 91 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 132 lb Advanced standard
Gym median Separate tab Self-reported, not blended
Check My Level Estimate Your 1RM Methodology
Evidence ledger No blended rankings
Primary source FitnessVolt standards model
Available views Standards
Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

Competition results, gym submissions, and reader logs stay labeled separately so the ranking source is clear.

Quick Answer Meadows Row

A solid (Intermediate) Meadows Row for a 180 lb male is about 91 lb (0.51x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Meadows Row into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 132 lb (0.73x bodyweight).

FitnessVolt standards, with FVCP competition rankings shown separately from gym percentiles

Estimated Standards

How strong is your Meadows Row? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.

Primary Muscles Biceps, Forearms, Latissimus Dorsi, Rhomboids, Trapezius, Posterior Deltoid
Equipment Barbell, Landmine Attachment (optional)
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

How Strong Is Your Meadows Row?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 91 lbs (0.51x bodyweight) on the Meadows Row ranks Intermediate on the FVCP competition scale, stronger than ~50% of verified competition lifters at this bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

That clears the median for this bodyweight and gives you a useful benchmark for the next tier.

Over 40? Our calculator also reports an age-adjusted percentile and an age-30 equivalent using the McCulloch age factor, so masters lifters are compared to lifters their own age. See the age-adjusted (Masters 40+) standards below for the full breakdown.

FVCP competition ranking, shown separately from gym percentiles and reader logs
Your FVCP:
Age-adjusted percentile
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

FVCP competition ranking, shown separately from gym percentiles and reader logs
th percentile

Illustrative: a normal-distribution model anchored to the real Beginner to Elite percentile thresholds for your bodyweight. The marker shows where your lift falls, not a measured frequency count.

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to track your progress over time.

Reader Data Is Still Building

We do not have enough reader-submitted Meadows Row entries yet to publish a stable crowd benchmark. Until then, this panel shows the Intermediate standards baseline only:

91 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
0.51x x Bodyweight

Baseline figures for a 180 lb male at Intermediate level, from the standards table. This is not reader-submitted data. So far readers have logged a lift here.

Enter your numbers above first. We publish reader benchmarks only after a sample threshold is met.

How Much Should You Meadows Row?

Use this table to find the standard closest to your bodyweight. The tiers are standards, not claims about reader submissions.

How a male lifter's expected 1RM scales with bodyweight at each level. Exact numbers in the table below.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 12 28 52 84 121
120 15 32 58 92 130
130 18 37 64 99 139
140 21 41 70 106 147
150 24 45 75 113 155
160 27 50 81 119 163
170 30 54 86 126 171
180 33 58 91 132 178
190 36 62 96 138 184
200 39 66 101 143 191
210 42 69 105 149 197
220 45 73 110 154 204
230 48 77 114 160 210
240 51 80 119 165 216
250 53 84 123 170 221
260 56 87 127 174 227
270 59 90 131 179 232
280 61 94 135 184 237
290 64 97 139 188 243
300 67 100 143 193 248
310 69 103 146 197 252

Is Your Meadows Row Good?

A quick read on what counts as a good Meadows Row at each level, for a typical male and female lifter.

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Meadows Row is about 91 lb (0.51x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 132 lb (0.73x), and Elite is 178 lb (0.99x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Meadows Row is about 45 lb (0.32x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 65 lb (0.46x), and Elite is 88 lb (0.63x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Meadows Row?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 91 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 33 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 45 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 17 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 75 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 110 lb at an Intermediate level. Find your exact bodyweight in the table above.

By age (men): at an Intermediate level a 30 year old male lifts about 86 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 77 lb. See the By Age tab for every age band.

FitnessVolt standards, with FVCP competition rankings shown separately from gym percentiles

How Does Age Affect Meadows Row Strength?

How Meadows Row standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.

How a male lifter's expected 1RM changes with age at each level. Exact numbers in the table below.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 23 44 73 110 151
20 27 51 84 126 173
25 28 52 86 129 178
30 28 52 86 129 178
35 28 52 86 129 178
40 28 52 86 129 178
45 26 49 82 122 169
50 25 46 77 115 158
55 23 43 71 106 146
60 21 39 65 97 134
65 19 35 59 88 121
70 17 32 53 79 108
75 15 28 47 70 97
80 13 25 42 63 87
85 12 23 38 56 78
90 11 21 34 51 70

What Do Meadows Row Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are building the mind-muscle connection for the Meadows Row, learning to initiate the pull with your back rather than your arms, and developing basic grip strength.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can perform the Meadows Row with proper scapular retraction and a controlled range of motion. You are progressively overloading and building back thickness and lat width.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Meadows Row shows strong back engagement with minimal momentum. You use RPE to regulate pulling intensity and train strategically to balance horizontal and vertical pull volume.

Advanced

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have built substantial back development through the Meadows Row with refined technique and heavy loads. Your grip is no longer a limiting factor, and you manage rowing and pulling fatigue across training blocks.

Elite

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your Meadows Row strength is exceptional. You can handle loads that most lifters cannot move with strict form, and your back development reflects years of high-volume, periodized pulling work.

How to Progress Your Meadows Row

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Meadows Row to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Meadows Row 2x per week, focusing on initiating the pull from your back, not your arms.
  • Use linear progression with strict form - no swinging or excessive body English.
  • Pause briefly at peak contraction to build the mind-muscle connection.
  • Develop grip strength in parallel to avoid it becoming a bottleneck.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Add a pull variation (different grip width, underhand, or single-arm) for balanced development.
  • Increase pulling volume to 10-15 sets per week across all back movements.
  • Program the Meadows Row at RPE 7-8, saving RPE 9 work for top sets only.
  • Balance horizontal pulls (rows) with vertical pulls (pulldowns/pull-ups).
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week blocks with progressive overload on the Meadows Row.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for heavy sets with calculated backoff work at RPE 6-7.
  • Add controlled eccentrics and paused reps to break through plateaus.
  • Total back volume of 15-22 sets per week, distributed across pull patterns.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize the Meadows Row through advanced intensity techniques and precise volume management.
  • Use periodized blocks with planned overreaching and supercompensation phases.
  • Refine execution: squeeze at contraction, controlled stretch, zero momentum.
  • Your back development should reflect years of disciplined, high-volume pulling.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Meadows Row

  1. Position a barbell in a landmine attachment or securely wedge it into a corner.
  2. Stand perpendicular to the bar with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Bend at the hips and knees, maintaining a neutral spine, and grab the end of the barbell with an overhand grip.
  4. Place your non-working hand on your thigh or a stable surface for support.
  5. Pull the barbell towards your hip, keeping your elbow close to your body.
  6. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
  7. Lower the barbell back to the starting position with control.
  8. Exhale as you pull the barbell up and inhale as you lower it down.
  9. Complete the desired number of repetitions before switching to the other side.

Tips for Meadows Row

  • Maintain a neutral spine throughout the exercise to prevent lower back strain.
  • Avoid using momentum; focus on controlled, deliberate movements.
  • Keep your elbow close to your body to maximize lat engagement.
  • Adjust your stance and grip to find the most comfortable and effective position for your body.

Where Do These Meadows Row Standards Come From?

FitnessVolt keeps each data population labeled. Competition percentiles use verified raw meet results where available. Gym percentile tabs use self-reported Symmetric Strength data. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 28, 2026

Is Your Meadows Row Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your Meadows Row against clearly labeled standards and percentile datasets. Here is the cleanest way to read it:

  1. Start with Standards to find the tier closest to your bodyweight.
  2. Use Gym Percentiles when you want self-reported gym comparisons.
  3. Use Competition for verified meet-result percentiles where the lift supports it.
  4. Use By Age when age-segmented gym data is available.

If you do not know your 1RM, use the one rep max calculator to estimate it from any rep set. For example, if you can Meadows Row 185 lbs for 5 reps, the calculator will estimate your max.

The important rule: do not mix the tabs. Standards, gym percentiles, competition percentiles, and reader logs answer different questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Meadows Row depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier on the Meadows Row after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
Yes. Competition views use verified meet-result data where available, gym percentile views use self-reported gym cohorts, and reader-submitted benchmarks are shown only after enough entries are logged. The populations are labeled separately.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

Related Exercise Standards

Related Calculators

One Rep Max Calculator Estimate your one-rep max from any rep set Benchmarks Compare against competition data RPE Chart Training load percentages by RPE
Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.