Thread: Rack Pulls

Originally Posted by Stewart14

I'm intrigued by your "best shoulders" comment. Traps are a given but how do these help your shoulders? Causew frankly other than my front delts, my shoulders suck.

Hang cleans and Press, my newest favorite workout that kills me by the end. Built also talked about corner bar presses(im sure i killed what it was called).

I'm going to throw this out, see what you guys think. If you want the benefits of the rack pull for your traps and upper back, but aren't looking to do them to increase your regular deadlift, why do them at all? Can't you just load up a barbell and do a static hold?

If I set up a rack pull to pull from just above my knee, for example, that would be something like a 4 to maybe 6 inch range of motion for me, and if I am not mistaken, you still want to do the movement as you would a regular deadlift, so you would initiate with your legs/hips anyway, so your traps would just be going along for the ride since you're really not pulling with your arms.

so why not just hold a loaded barbell for the same amount of time? It would be easier on the low back in case you are doing other movements (like in my case a stiff leg deadlift), and you still get the isometric benefits to your traps and upper back.

why or why not?

Originally Posted by sassy69

I like to do them when I need to feel better about myself .. I can pull a plate and a half more than I can DL. Ego lift.

Yes... big time Ego Lift, lol. Feels good to pull a heavy ass bar even if it is a partial motion. I was pretty close to 500(485lb I think?), I've literally only done them a hand full of times though and I'm 6'2 so a rack pull from below my knees is like a straight deadlift for you vertically challenged lifters.