# Does anyone do rack deadlifts?



## powerlifter8 (Jan 28, 2007)

Hey guys just wondering if any of you incorporate rack pulls into your training, and if so whats your heaviest pull and at what height?

Mine is pretty low but I'm going to really hammer them for the next 4-6 weeks and see if it helps my deadlift.


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## MissBC (Apr 29, 2008)

dont have a rack at our gym so its off the floor for us!!


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## powerlifter8 (Jan 28, 2007)

Ok so just back from the gym, managed 255kg x 1 from the second pin (which is exactly at my knee height. Think an aim of 280kg for the year end is realistic...wonder if it will improve my deadlift off the floor considering I'm also squatting heavy each week?


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## martin brown (Dec 31, 2008)

I don't like them TBH. The bar slides around off the pins too much and isn't enough like a real DL for me.

We now have wooden blocks that we raise the bar with and these are 1000 times better.

They will help your deadlift but it's hard to say. If your weakness is below your knee they won't do much at all for your DL initially.


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## powerlifter8 (Jan 28, 2007)

God the last time I tried a max standard off the floor deadlift I did 190kg x 1 easily, that was probably two months ago...


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## powerlifter8 (Jan 28, 2007)

The deadlifts I did today had the bar exactly in line with my kneecaps, I reckon I could have done 260kg but I didn't want to chance it tbh. It'll be interesting to see if it improves my deadlift, I think the reason I can pull so much more from the rack than the floor is that my back is my strong point, its the initial drive off the floor that I struggle with.


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## Guest (Oct 10, 2009)

Used to do them and have hit 405kg from the knee cap with out straps 3 years ago.

Never do them any more as they simply do not relate into a bigger pull from the floor for me as the form is too different. Now deadlifting while standing on blocks is what i generally do.


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## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

I have done them only on the smith before and quite liked them to be honest i found they really hit my back all over not just lower back etc.


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## Guest (Oct 12, 2009)

they are good to get over a weak point in the lift.



> Used to do them and have hit 405kg from the knee cap with out straps 3 years ago.


Ha ha i could lift that weight with my cock- no straps.


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## Ken Hutchinson (May 29, 2009)

Con said:


> Used to do them and have hit 405kg from the knee cap with out straps 3 years ago.
> 
> Never do them any more as they simply do not relate into a bigger pull from the floor for me as the form is too different. Now deadlifting while standing on blocks is what i generally do.


Con are you sure you are from this planet lol, that is out of this world lifting mate, well done and no straps even more impressive.


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## Guest (Oct 12, 2009)

> Con are you sure you are from this planet lol, that is out of this world lifting mate, well done and no straps even more impressive.


Ken he is from this planet and a world record breaker when in his teens no less a legend in the power world


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## siovrhyl (Sep 14, 2008)

i do them quite regularly as in strongman the deadlifts are usually on wagon tyres or with the silver dollar d/l on a frame so its usually about a 15-18 inch from the floor i do agree with con tho the technique is completely different and i dont think it has helped my deadlifting from the floor my top rack deadlift is 310 kg


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## Harry Sacks (May 3, 2009)

Might give them a go today, i can pull 225kg from the floor, so be interesting to see what i can pull with a rack pull


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## Damo86 (Aug 7, 2009)

romper stomper said:


> Ken he is from this planet *and a world record breaker when in his teens* no less a legend in the power world


Details please.

That is incredible lifting by the way Con:thumbup1:


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## Guest (Oct 12, 2009)

agree with con, dont like doing rack pulls to improve pull, standing on blocks is way better to increase the pull as similar to floor deadlifts


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## Martin Jones (Apr 14, 2009)

It all depends on your weakness. If your weak at the top of the lift then rack pulls are the one. Like wise, if your weak from the floor then raised deadlifts are the one.

I have pulled 370kg from 18inch when my back was stronger, at the moment my strength is from the floor so hence the reason I am pulling from 14inch and 18inch.


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## Guest (Oct 13, 2009)

> Details please.
> 
> That is incredible lifting by the way Con


Pm him - i sure he will supply info on his lifts


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## H22civic (Oct 6, 2009)

As previously mentioned, if your strong in deadlifts off the floor but have a weaker top half of the lift(like me), then rack pulls from around knee height or slightly below should substantially improve your overall deadlift.  If i had a strong lockout i wouldnt bother with them though.


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## Guest (Oct 13, 2009)

Ken Hutchinson said:


> Con are you sure you are from this planet lol, that is out of this world lifting mate, well done and no straps even more impressive.





romper stomper said:


> Ken he is from this planet and a world record breaker when in his teens no less a legend in the power world





Damo86 said:


> Details please.
> 
> That is incredible lifting by the way Con:thumbup1:


 :beer:

Well to be fair i only competed for 1.5 years but in that time i did well for my self........ GPC worlds=90kg and best teenage award, Ireland/Wales contest= 2 world records (333kg deadlift 823kg total as a teenager still), GPC europeans= 90kg junior winner, GPC Brit opens= 842.5kg total as a junior. I also competed in the IPF 3 times in Ireland and won my class in all of them also, including best lifter in my first ever contest.

Always lifted at 90kg.

The reason i have not been doing any thing since then is because i left Ireland and went to uni in the states during which time i got into bodybuilding. Now i am enjoying heavy lifting again primarily deadlift which fits in well with my muscle building goals. I will be competing again in two weeks in a deadlift only meet

I did very well as a "young guy" but next year i will be officially in the open class as i will be 24 so i can't use being young as an excuse not to lift lighter than the best:thumbup1:


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## Willie (Feb 17, 2008)

I tend to do them with the bar at mid-shin. Weight isn't massively increased over normal deads but it's not a great difference in height.


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## leonface (May 10, 2009)

i've got a bad back at the moment so the strength and conditioning coach has got me on these, last night i pulled 180 for 6 reps from just below my knee caps which i was rather pleased with


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## Dezw (May 13, 2009)

I prefer to just do standard deadlifts.

The thing that has helped my deadlifting the most is shrugs, I used to struggle locking out at the top, but after doing heavy shrugs the last few months this has really helped me lock out and also pull at the top of the movement.


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## Guest (Oct 14, 2009)

> Well to be fair i only competed for 1.5 years but in that time i did well for my self........ GPC worlds=90kg and best teenage award, Ireland/Wales contest= 2 world records (333kg deadlift 823kg total as a teenager still), GPC europeans= 90kg junior winner, GPC Brit opens= 842.5kg total as a junior. I also competed in the IPF 3 times in Ireland and won my class in all of them also, including best lifter in my first ever contest.
> 
> Always lifted at 90kg.
> 
> ...


great stuff con- you have achived more than many at such a young age - and your also a bodybuilding champ are you not ???

and keep us posted on the deadlift comp results- and best of luck to you

what sort of training are you doing in preperation for that meet ?? and how long do you prepare for ?

romper


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## Guest (Oct 14, 2009)

romper stomper said:


> great stuff con- you have achived more than many at such a young age - and your also a bodybuilding champ are you not ???
> 
> and keep us posted on the deadlift comp results- and bast of luck to you
> 
> ...


 Thanks mate. Yeah i have won a bodybuilding show but it was only in the novice class. 

Well for the contest i worked up for several weeks on block deadlifts (basically i stand on boxes and deadlift with the bar down by my shoe laces) then i switched over and did high rep work with the 200kg for reps. Now i will be going for 7 plates (307kg) for reps on friday and then i take next week off from deadlifts and go for the big pull at the contest the week after. TBH i don't have a scientific way of training my deadlift:lol:


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## Harry Sacks (May 3, 2009)

Gave these a go last week, set the pins just below my knees and managed to pull 260kg for reps

might do them once a week at the end of my shoulders/trap workout


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## Conway805 (Dec 24, 2009)

I just started doing rack deadlifts and I find they are more effective in developing the back more so than traditional deadlifts to the extent you aren't relying on leg power to assist you in lifting the weight from the floor up.

I rack deadlift about 405 pounds (not sure how many kilos that is for you Europeans) for 10-12 clean reps, so I could increase the weight significantly.

Occasionally, I perform traditional deadlifts, but at 6ft 2in in height, that is one hell of a range of motion!


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