# Rack Pulls



## F.M.J (Mar 23, 2009)

I want to start a debate - not an argument - for useful information/tips/etc. about rack pulls.

I've done them about an inch above the knee and found I really feel it on my traps/middle region of the back.

But I've read in several places that it should be below the knee. Some even say above the knee is nothing but ego.

I'm interested in rack pulls to develop my upper/middle back region and somewhat to help deadlift strength. Tried today with the bar below my knee and just couldn't get it right, just having a bad day probably.

So I'm open to opinions and want to know what you do?


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## Galaxy (Aug 1, 2011)

I always pull from below the knee, no sciencey reason except i feel it hits my back/traps better


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## barsnack (Mar 12, 2011)

just below the knee for me, as said before, feel it hits upper back better


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## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

I use the bottom setting on my rack (well below the knee) about 6" higher than a standard dead


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

Try high pulls instead these hit your target area and help the deadlift .


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## F.M.J (Mar 23, 2009)

ewen said:


> Try high pulls instead these hit your target area and help the deadlift .


This is what I found with having the bar just above the knee (literally a thumb space above the top of the cap), absolutely hammers my traps/middle region.

Can't comment on below the knee because today's efforts were just crap. I found much more emphasis on lumbar region today.


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## need2bodybuild (May 11, 2011)

I go as low as the bars let me coz I feel bad for not deadlifting :lol:


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## F.M.J (Mar 23, 2009)

need2bodybuild said:


> I go as low as the bars let me coz I feel bad for not deadlifting :lol:


Lol, I started incorporating rack pulls into my routine because I found I was progressing too slowly doing deadlifts every week. By alternating deadlifts and rack pulls on week-by-week basis deadlifts have got stronger and smoother.

But now I've been reading around, I'm wondering am I even doing rack pulls correctly? Is there any actual unique benefit of having the bar above the knee or am I being a pussy and should drop it below my knee?

There's some mixed views.


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## need2bodybuild (May 11, 2011)

F.M.J said:


> Lol, I started incorporating rack pulls into my routine because I found I was progressing too slowly doing deadlifts every week. By alternating deadlifts and rack pulls on week-by-week basis deadlifts have got stronger and smoother.
> 
> But now I've been reading around, I'm wondering am I even doing rack pulls correctly? Is there any actual unique benefit of having the bar above the knee or am I being a pussy and should drop it below my knee?
> 
> There's some mixed views.


I switched to racks as I feel atm with the training I'm doing i'm hitting my legs hard enough, getting my squat up atm, I don't need to get my legs involved on back day as my legs are ruined and need the recovery. I feel the lower you go the more your getting your hams, glutes, legs in general involved, I'm not interested in that, i'm there to hit my back and don't need extra work on my legs, saying that though, I go as low as poss so I fully work my lower back as well


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## biglbs (Jan 26, 2012)

I like them as every time i dead any decent weight from floor,i spend £200 on osteo,so they serve a purpose and allow me to pull over 200k,that i would blow my money doing from floor,but still get growth and power from...


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

F.M.J said:


> I want to start a debate - not an argument - for useful information/tips/etc. about rack pulls.
> 
> I've done them about an inch above the knee and found I really feel it on my traps/middle region of the back.
> 
> ...


Standard form is of course just below the knee, but I don't see why differing arm and torso lengths relative to each other might not make a slightly higher pull still effective. No expert here though.

Ewen mentioned highpulls - love those. Can't go as heavy as rack pulls of course, but a very nice exercise. Big fan of power cleans too, although technically the toughest lift of the three mentioned, and gotta stay real tight on form when you start to fatigue or there are a million and one ways to get a niggly injury.


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## F.M.J (Mar 23, 2009)

Well I did have a nice long reply for everyone's posts but I went ahead and clicked the cancel button by accident. Idiot.

Anyway, will have to start trying high pulls. Never done them before, always looking for new ways to mix up my workouts. No room in my gym to do power cleans - would need a tutorial on it anyway since I think the last time I did one was... 11 years ago when my school decided for PE class we would go to a powerlifting gym to learn to lift weights.

Going to carry on doing the rack pulls the way I was since I'm tall anyway (6'4") have a 74" reach also so still some good ROM from the knee - it also felt great in the traps.

Thanks for the replies people


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## BettySwallocks (Aug 1, 2012)

never tried rack pulls but I suppose its just the same as altering deadlift height, we have some small pallets is the only way to describe them, that you can set to 6, 12, and 18 inch from the floor, further away from the floor you go the easier it is to lift.


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## BettySwallocks (Aug 1, 2012)

ill also add they don't really interest me, prefer pulling from the floor.


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## theBEAST2002 (Oct 16, 2011)

i do a lot of partial deadlifts to hit the erector and the stabalizing muscles like traps and rhomboid with some time under tension. i think there a good exercise for bodybuilders to do a deadlift veriation with minimal contributions from the hamstrings and glutes. great for developing a lot of density in the back. for powerlifters exercises like rack pulls are great for all out strength and if you struggle with the lock out on the deadlift then they are the perfect exercise to improve your lockout.


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

Do nay of the powerlifting lads here do dimel deadlifts? Is more an explosive power building exercise for hamstrings and glutes than a rack pull, so a better alternative for SLD's and romanian dead's - i've often wondered though if doing rack pulls and dimel deadlifts is not a better combination than simply doing regular dead's for total trap and rear chain development.


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

F.M.J said:


> This is what I found with having the bar just above the knee (literally a thumb space above the top of the cap), absolutely hammers my traps/middle region.
> 
> Can't comment on below the knee because today's efforts were just crap. I found much more emphasis on lumbar region today.


High pulls are a differnt exercise .


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