Next to the basic squat, the deadlift is one of the most common lower back, glutes, and legs exercises done by people today. It is a fantastic compound exercise that helps build the muscle strength and power of different muscle groups and joints throughout the body.
Despite being such a great workout, a number of people only know one basic movement of this exercise – where you stand behind a weight that’s on the ground, squat down while keeping your back straight and butt pushed out, and lift the weight as you come back up to a standing position. While there’s nothing wrong with this simple movement, if you want to lift heavier and increase your pulling strength, the conventional deadlift is not it.
This is where rack pulls come in. These are a variation of the conventional deadlift with all the benefits of the original exercise but with the added benefit of helping you lift heavier, increasing pulling strength, and making your lower back and hips even stronger. If this sounds like something you are curious about, then this article is what you’ve been looking for.
Stick around to learn the proper rack pull form, what equipment you will need to complete this exercise, the benefits of and muscles worked by this workout and much more.
Before getting into the details of the correct rack pull form, what on earth is this exercise?
For those who’ve never come across this workout before, a rack pull is a variation of the traditional deadlift. When doing this workout you use a loaded barbell and the support of a power rack. As the name suggests, the exercise will help improve your pulling strength and since it is still a deadlift, it will work on strengthening the same muscles that the traditional deadlift does.
Read More: Standing Barbell Calf Raise: Benefits, Variations, And Mistakes To Avoid
The deadlift is mostly a lower body workout that is known to help activate the gluteus, hamstrings, erector spinae and quadriceps (2). It also helps strengthen your forearm and core muscles as well as grip strength (3, 1, 4).
Now that you know the muscles targeted by this workout, how do you safely do it? Before getting into the proper rack pull form, here are some things to take note of:
As a beginner, the belt and wrist straps aren’t really important as you will not be lifting anywhere as heavy as the power lifters. However, with time, and as you gradually increase the weights on the barbell, you might have to invest in them.
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Please note that there are two ways for you to grab the barbell – Overhand grip where your palms are facing your body or the alternating grip where one palm faces your body while the other faces away from you. This is all dependent on personal preference and comfort.
This movement, like the lift, should be slow and controlled – don’t just suddenly drop the weight. You might damage the equipment or hurt yourself.
This counts as 1 rep. Do 10 reps for 1 set – and as many sets as desired after that.
Read More: Barbell Workout Plan For Beginners
Here are some rack pull exercise benefits to help convince you to include this workout in your upcoming leg day routine
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Unlike the rack pull form described above, the snatch grip variation requires you to use a much wider grip than slightly wider than shoulder width – your hands will almost be touching the weights set on the barbell.
The benefits of this exercise are the same as the traditional deadlift as well as the rack pull. Where it differs is that the snatch grip targets way more upper body muscles (especially those in the middle back) than these two other exercises – all thanks to the much wider grip on the barbell.
Understanding the correct rack pull form is the first step in not only doing this workout well, but also reaping its benefits. If you are going to be doing this workout, remember to always have proper form, use controlled motions, and not to lift too heavy. Workout in front of a mirror or film yourself to ensure that you are keeping your body in the right position.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!