5/21 Friday - Strength Movement Of The Week
Do Rack Pulls For More Pulling Strength And A Bigger Back
The rack pull can improve your deadlift lockout and help you build bigger and stronger traps.
Written by Mike Dewar
Last updated on February 12th, 2021
There are plenty of ways to deadlift — conventionally, with a sumo stance, using a trap-bar, with a snatch-grip, standing on a weight plate, or even using a thick bar. Depending on your sport of choice, some or all of those variations can have a place in your workout split. In this article, we’re covering the rack pull.
The rack pull is a deadlift variation that can increase overall pulling strength, build more muscle in the back, strengthen the hips, and teach beginners how to deadlift. In this rack pull exercise guide, we will discuss:
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Rack Pull Video Guide
Want to perfect your rack pull? Considering you’re reading this, then we’re going to guess yes. Well, you can’t do much better than watching our rack pull video guide featuring one of the best female powerlifters (and deadlifters) on the planet — Kimberly Walford.
How to Do the Rack Pull
The rack pull is typically done in a power rack (but can also be off blocks or even 45-pound bumper plates). You start the pull from about knee height (either slightly below or above the knees) and then pull the barbell to lock out. This reduced range of motion (ROM) strengthens the back half of the deadlift. It’s also a great way to acclimate to heavier loads — you can pull more due to the reduced ROM — and improve your grip strength. Here’s how to do the rack pull.
Step 1 — Set Your Rack Height
If your sticking point is below the knee, then set the power rack’s height to just below the knee. If your sticking point is above the knee, then set the rack height in line with the bottom of your quad.
Form Tip: When progressing with the rack pull, increase the weight and not the physical rack height.
Step 2 — Get Tight and Lift
Assume your normal deadlift grip and stance. Brace the back and then pull the bar close to the body with the lats. Take a deep breath into your stomach to brace, and grip the floor with your feet by turning the toes slightly outward. Now drive the feet through the floor and push your hips forward to pull the barbell from your knees to hip height. Your hips should be fully locked out.
Form Tip: When gripping the floor with your feet, you don’t want to flex your knees outward drastically. Pretend you’re standing on a piece of paper and that you’re trying to tear it in half with just your feet. Twist them outward just until you feel your hamstrings and glutes engage.
Step 3 — Stay Tight and Hold
After you’ve set the back and hit a strong hip extension, keep the lats contracted and hold the weight for a second at the top. This is essential for improving grip strength allowing the body to get used to heavier loads.
Form Tip: If your goal is to improve your grip, then don’t use lifting straps and hold the weight for a few seconds or as long as possible at the apex of the movement.
Benefits of the Rack Pull
Below are four benefits of adding rack pulls into your training routine.
Increased Pulling Strength
If you’re looking to improve your traditional deadlift, then the rack pull deserves a place in your routine. The higher starting point lets the trainee lift more weight and hone in on the lockout portion of the deadlift. This improved lockout — which comes from a stronger hip drive — will carry over to your standard deadlift.
You’ll also have a better grip from handling heavier loads (assuming you don’t use straps) and will make neurological adaptions to lifting more weight. Your central nervous system (CNS) is the internal network that connects your brain to your muscles. Your body can’t do what it doesn’t know, so by handling a heavier weight, and your CNS will actually learn that it’s capable of doing that. Of course, you need to possess the mechanical skills and strength to lift the weight, but showing your CNS you’re capable is a good first step towards pulling more weight.
Decreased Lumbar Stress
The raised position of the rack pull means that you pull from a more vertical position. This is easier on your lower back. While loading the lower back is necessary for developing a stronger back, deadlift, squat, and performance, the rack pull is sometimes used to decrease training volume and/or limit the amount of stress placed on the lower back. It’s also a better choice than the standard deadlift for lifters with a history of back injuries (assuming their doctor has cleared them to deadlift).
Trapezius and Back Development
The partial range of motion and increased load makes the rack pull a great move to target the upper back muscles. This can be key for lifters who lack size and strength or are looking for the aesthetic appeal of larger, fuller traps.
Grip Strength
The rack pull is a great exercise to increase grip strength since it allows the lifter’s ability to lift more weights from this partial range of motion lift. Increasing a lifter’s grip strength can enhance neurological engagement and readiness for heavy lifts and help them keep their back locked during deadlifts.
Muscles Worked by the Rack Pull
Below are the primary muscle groups that are worked during the rack pull.
Glutes
The rack pull targets the glutes (hips) to a high degree due to both the limited range of motion in the deadlift and the high amounts of loading that can be used. Limiting the range of motion minimizes the amount of lower back and hamstring involvement and focuses more on the gluteals to provide enough force for hip extension.
Hamstrings
The hamstrings, while not fully engaged in the movement, are still involved and can be trained depending on the depth at which the rack pull is from. Generally speaking, the lower the starting height, the more hamstring extension and flexion must occur.
Quadriceps
The quadriceps are slightly engaged and used to lock out the knees fully. While the amount of knee flexion is limited in this movement, rack pulls from lower depths can call on the quadriceps, especially if the hips are kept low during the pull.
Erector Spinae (Lower Back)
Similar to the sumo deadlift and trap bar deadlift, the decreased range of motion results in less hip flexion needed in the pull. In doing so, you can reduce the amount of lower back stress and the demands placed upon the spinal erector muscles.
Trapezius and Back Muscles
The trapezius and upper back muscles work to maintain proper back tension. The ability to load the rack pull with very heavyweight can also help overload the upper back and trapezius muscles and stimulate new muscle growth.
Who Should Do the Rack Pull?
Below we will discuss what types of athletes can benefit from the rack pull and why.
Strength and Power Athletes
Strength and power athletes use the rack pull to increase overall strength, add quality muscle mass to the glutes, back, and traps, and improve sport-specific performance.
Powerlifters and Strongman/Strongwomen Athletes: Rack pulls can be used to increase overall pulling strength, develop stronger trapezius and back muscles, strengthen the posterior chain, and enhance grip strength. Also, the rack pull can increase lockout strength for lifters who have issues above the knee. Lastly, the rack pull can be programmed to maintain pulling volumes during periods where lower back stress management and/or recovery is key.
Weightlifters: In Olympic weightlifting, rack pulls are often called block pulls. They’re essentially the same thing. Lifters will perform block pulls from various heights to increase strength and speed at specific segments of their pulls. This can help lifters who lack explosive strength in the second pull, have positional issues off the floor, or simply are looking to strengthen pulls without overtaking the lower back.
Functional Fitness and Sport Athletes
The rack pull can be used for many of the same purposes above. However, functional fitness athletes can also get similar benefits of rack pulls from performing heavy farmer’s carries or Yoke Walks.
For most formal sports athletes, rack pulls may sometimes increase overall strength and muscle mass. However, most athletes will benefit from performing the fullest range of motion movements, such as the conventional, sumo, or trap bar deadlift.
General Population
Rack pulls can be used to increase muscle hypertrophy, fundamental pulling strength, and as a teaching progression for the deadlift. Lifters looking to increase upper back strength, glute development, and/or improve range of motion will benefit from the rack pull.