Did rack pulls for the first time.....

LatsMakeTheMan · 07-11-2005, 02:15 PM

I got a mild strain in my lower back about a month ago while doing deadlifts, so I've been laying off them for a while. This morning I decided to do rack pulls, since I figured they'd be a bit easier on the lower back.

I set the safety bars at knee height (which made the bar itself about an inch above my knees.....I'll probably lower it by one notch next time). To my surprise, I found that the rack pulls seemed harder than actual deads. I was using a weight that I can normally deadlift fairly easily, but the rack pulls were tough. I suppose it could just be that my body isn't used to the motion yet. I'm looking forward to trying them again next week again.....although I'm going to lower it a bit.

Am I just a weirdo or has anyone else noticed that rack pulls seem harder than deads.....at least at first?

ZackMurphy · 07-11-2005, 02:42 PM

I hadn't experienced that. With the pins at that height, my rack pull is about 25% higher than my dead, and certainly not more difficult.

That said, I don't find them any easier on the low back. Rack pulls (for me) really just remove my legs from the move. Close to a SLDL, really. There's some bend in the knees, but not much at that height.

Just make sure you've got the nice arch in the back. A nice neutral arch, locking your spine tight. And tight abs throughout.

Dan · 07-11-2005, 02:47 PM

I could do 200+ more pounds when doing rack pulls .. IMO I found them to be week when compared to deads. BUt I to did them when coming back from an injury. Some people sware by them and they should if they get the gains they are after while doing them.

watch your form you could be taking more weight on your low back than you should. Make sure you are still standing up with the weight and pushing your feet to the floor.

How ya been?

LatsMakeTheMan · 07-11-2005, 03:04 PM

Hangin' in there

Yea I think it could just be that I wasn't used to the motion, plus the fact that I haven't done deads in a month so I might be a bit weak at the moment anyway. We'll see what happens next week.

Trick D · 07-11-2005, 03:12 PM

I like Rack pulls myself. And I don't find them much easier from anything else. My max from the floor about 6 months ago was around 305 x 1. In the last 6 months I have gained weight and had some serious gains in deadlifts and I do 330 x 6. I like rack pulls, but I don't use racks, I use the bench and put my bar on the bench, it makes it about 1-2 inches below my knees. ALso they don't kill my hamstings and it allows me to work out back after or before legs without problems.

LatsMakeTheMan · 07-11-2005, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trick D

I like Rack pulls myself. And I don't find them much easier from anything else. My max from the floor about 6 months ago was around 305 x 1. In the last 6 months I have gained weight and had some serious gains in deadlifts and I do 330 x 6. I like rack pulls, but I don't use racks, I use the bench and put my bar on the bench, it makes it about 1-2 inches below my knees. ALso they don't kill my hamstings and it allows me to work out back after or before legs without problems.

So you balance the bar on the bench?

It's true that they seemed to take the hamstrings out of the equation. I do deads on leg day, after squats. I do stiff-legged DL's for hamstrings, but I'm usually already tired from the deads by the time I get to them.

Maybe if I keep up with these rack pulls, I'll be able to hit the hams harder with the STDL's since I won't be so exhausted.

Trick D · 07-11-2005, 03:52 PM

You have to have two people to do it my way, we don't have a dead rack. And I do deads for back not legs...

LatsMakeTheMan · 07-11-2005, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trick D

You have to have two people to do it my way, we don't have a dead rack. And I do deads for back not legs...

Yea I do them for back as well.....but I like doing them on leg day.

LatsMakeTheMan · 07-12-2005, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LatsMakeTheMan

Yea I do them for back as well.....but I like doing them on leg day.

Heh......well I'm sore as **** today. Although since this was my first leg day in about a month since I hurt my back, that's probably why. I'm going to do rack pulls for another week or two to decide if I like them or not. If I do, I'll probably just alternate them with deads from week to week.

Trick D · 07-12-2005, 06:45 PM

Hope they work for you!

LatsMakeTheMan · 07-12-2005, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trick D

Hope they work for you!

Thanks......me too

**spytech** · 07-18-2005, 10:42 PM

Thought I would chime in late on this thread.

I love doing rack deads. One thing you will notice, if you progressively lower the pins on your rack deads, is that you will reach a point where, due to your physical build, it will probably be harder to do weight than from a normal full dead position. You will probably still do more than a normal dead, but getting started might seem next to impossible. For me, that position is about 1.5" below my kneecaps - starting there is extremely difficult due to the way my legs and back are in a sort of 'in between' position where I normally transition from legs to back on a normal deadlift. Alot of guys are like this - extremely strong from the knees, but getting the weight from the ground to the knees, or from midway up the shins to the knees is a damn near impossible challenge

LatsMakeTheMan · 07-19-2005, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spytech

Thought I would chime in late on this thread.

I love doing rack deads. One thing you will notice, if you progressively lower the pins on your rack deads, is that you will reach a point where, due to your physical build, it will probably be harder to do weight than from a normal full dead position. You will probably still do more than a normal dead, but getting started might seem next to impossible. For me, that position is about 1.5" below my kneecaps - starting there is extremely difficult due to the way my legs and back are in a sort of 'in between' position where I normally transition from legs to back on a normal deadlift. Alot of guys are like this - extremely strong from the knees, but getting the weight from the ground to the knees, or from midway up the shins to the knees is a damn near impossible challenge

Yea I think that's what I was finding out when I did them. It seems as though if you're doing normal deads, you've built up some momentum to rocket past that tough point.....whereas with rack pulls, your starting from a dead stop at that point, so getting it moving becomes harder.

07-11-2005, 02:15 PM	#1
LatsMakeTheMan Pro Stature Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 185 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 5	Did rack pulls for the first time..... I got a mild strain in my lower back about a month ago while doing deadlifts, so I've been laying off them for a while. This morning I decided to do rack pulls, since I figured they'd be a bit easier on the lower back. I set the safety bars at knee height (which made the bar itself about an inch above my knees.....I'll probably lower it by one notch next time). To my surprise, I found that the rack pulls seemed harder than actual deads. I was using a weight that I can normally deadlift fairly easily, but the rack pulls were tough. I suppose it could just be that my body isn't used to the motion yet. I'm looking forward to trying them again next week again.....although I'm going to lower it a bit. Am I just a weirdo or has anyone else noticed that rack pulls seem harder than deads.....at least at first? __________________ Super Saiyan in training..... My MySpace account....come love me: http://www.myspace.com/eric2080

07-11-2005, 02:47 PM	#3
Dan Unpaid Trash Collector Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,725 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 26	I could do 200+ more pounds when doing rack pulls .. IMO I found them to be week when compared to deads. BUt I to did them when coming back from an injury. Some people sware by them and they should if they get the gains they are after while doing them. watch your form you could be taking more weight on your low back than you should. Make sure you are still standing up with the weight and pushing your feet to the floor. How ya been? __________________ Got an issue send a PM ... to anyone but me

07-11-2005, 03:04 PM	#4
LatsMakeTheMan Pro Stature Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 185 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 5	Hangin' in there Yea I think it could just be that I wasn't used to the motion, plus the fact that I haven't done deads in a month so I might be a bit weak at the moment anyway. We'll see what happens next week. __________________ Super Saiyan in training..... My MySpace account....come love me: http://www.myspace.com/eric2080

07-18-2005, 10:42 PM	#12
spytech Getting Stronger Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,592 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 38	Thought I would chime in late on this thread. I love doing rack deads. One thing you will notice, if you progressively lower the pins on your rack deads, is that you will reach a point where, due to your physical build, it will probably be harder to do weight than from a normal full dead position. You will probably still do more than a normal dead, but getting started might seem next to impossible. For me, that position is about 1.5" below my kneecaps - starting there is extremely difficult due to the way my legs and back are in a sort of 'in between' position where I normally transition from legs to back on a normal deadlift. Alot of guys are like this - extremely strong from the knees, but getting the weight from the ground to the knees, or from midway up the shins to the knees is a damn near impossible challenge __________________ 5'10" - 230 @ 8-9% Status: Getting stronger... 700x2d/625s Create your own FREE Workout Journal at http://www.strengthandbody.com/ My Lifting Vids Spytech SHSHT: http://www.strengthandbody.com/shsht.html Spytech SHWSB: http://www.strengthandbody.com/shwsb.html

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07-11-2005, 02:42 PM	#2
ZackMurphy IronMass Donator Join Date: May 2005 Location: Folsom, CA Posts: 547 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 9	I hadn't experienced that. With the pins at that height, my rack pull is about 25% higher than my dead, and certainly not more difficult. That said, I don't find them any easier on the low back. Rack pulls (for me) really just remove my legs from the move. Close to a SLDL, really. There's some bend in the knees, but not much at that height. Just make sure you've got the nice arch in the back. A nice neutral arch, locking your spine tight. And tight abs throughout.