The Reeves Row was created by the bodybuilder Steve Reeves who notably won Mr. America in 1947, Mr. World in 1948, and Mr. Universe in 1950. Steve Reeves was well known for experimenting with different exercises in the gym which led to the birth of the innovative Reeves Row which focuses on the muscles in the mid-back. Since then, there have been numerous variations developed over the years including the incline Reeves row and Reeves deadlift.

How Do You Perform a Reeves Row?

A Reeves row involves gripping the plates on an EZ bar while performing a bent over row, targeting the back muscles with a unique emphasis on the latissimus dorsi due to the wide plate grip position. To maintain a stable posture, your knees must be slightly bent whilst leaning forward until your chest is parallel to the floor. Because of this, having good hamstring and lower back flexibility is important.

When this position has been achieved, you should then grip the weight plates. To gain the most benefit from the Reeves row, you should focus on keeping your arms close to your body when lifting the Curl Barbell to your chest, with a particular focus on controlling the weight during the negative phase of the repetition. This will add difficulty to the exercise and help lifters use the Reeves Row to build strength and size.

How Do You Perform an Incline Reeves Row?

Another variation of the Reeves row uses an Incline Bench to provide greater support to the lower back. This allows different abilities to benefit from the Reeves Row because you don’t need to worry about keeping your posture flat or fatiguing your core. To perform a repetition, firstly lie on an incline bench at approximately 45-degrees.

If you are unable to reach the EZ bar from here, consider using hip thrust plates or XL Weight Plates which have a wider diameter, or moving to the top of the bench to increase your reach and then once the plates have been gripped return to the starting position (legs slightly bent, feet flat on the floor and chin resting on top of the bench). Once in this position, pull the bar up towards your chest by retracting your shoulder blades whilst maintaining a high elbow position pointing to the ceiling.

How Do You Perform a Reeves Deadlift?

A third variation is incorporating the wide grip position with a deadlift. By combining the benefits of the Reeves row with a deadlift, you are able to perform a compound exercise which targets the glutes, hamstrings and lower back, with a wider grip which requires considerable mid-back strength to control.

In summary, the Reeves row provides an excellent exercise for beginners through advanced lifters. If you struggle to maintain your grip on a regular bumper plate, try using a deep dish Olympic weight plate, which feature an extra lip. The ability to adjust the difficulty of the exercise using equipment like an incline bench, different sized EZ bars and weight plates means it’s a versatile exercise to target the mid-back.

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Tags: Equipment > Bars and Weight Plates ; Exercise Type > Strength