how often to do rack pulls?

[underdog13]

how often should i do rack pulls? im really trying to focus on my weak points which seems to be my entire back. sometimes lifting feels really heavy for my back and i have trouble getting much past my knee whereas i know my grip would take it. so frustrating!

 

[jcp2]

Are you trying to improve your deadlift, or improve your back?

 

[underdog13]

improve deadlift strength

 

[AE14]

I usually do them once a week, and my other back day I focus more on deads. Might seem like overkill at times, and if so, I would alter and do RP's every other week

 

[jcp2]

improve deadlift strength

I personally would not do rack deads to improve the deadlift. I never felt they helped much. If you want to overload the top use accomadating resistance (bands chains). You also should work on your glutes and hams and hips. The back is really not involved all that much with locking out deads, it has more to do with getting your hips through and flexing your glutes. Granted your back should not be week. It is a shame everyone does not have access to a reverse hyper because it is probably the greatest deadlift accessory. You may want to read up on Dimmel deadlifts, they can help you learn to really get your hips throug and flexing the gluetes.

 

[CJPopovich]

I agree with jcp2. Rack deads never did much for me except make me sore and maybe better at rack deadlifts. If you need to fix a lockout issue, pulling against bands/chains is the way to go.

I had a terrible lockout for a long time, and the best thing I ever did for my lockout was to work on hip flexor stretching and get my quads a little looser. It made a giant difference in my overall deadlifting ability.

 

[SRS2000]

At your level, don't worry too much about rack pulls. You simply need to get stronger at the basic lifts (SQ, DL, BP, overhead press, rows). You can deadlift once a week, doing 1-5 reps per set. Again don't work up to an absolute max, simply get some good quality "heavy" reps (whatever weight is heavy for you). Do some back raises or something similar for higher reps and do some heavy ab work. About 90% of the time I've seen people having lockout issues with the DL, it's because they get rounded over and are in such poor position by the time the bar gets past the knees they have no chance to finish the lift.
Don't worry too much about weak points at this time. Everything needs to get stronger. You also need to make sure your technique is good and you should always seek to improve it.

 

[brownstown89]

im not really a fan of them tried them and can do way less on rack pulls then regular DL...if ur getting stuck at the bottom of the deadlift its too heavy.. if ur getting stuck at lockouts id do heavy ass shrugs on the barbell. and practicing just holding heavy weight for ur grip. if ur getting stuck above mid way to good mornings heavy and maybe to a ORM..

and i think if u can effectively use the bonce in ur deadlifts it would help alot... if ur repping from a cold stop do that and as u feel urself about to be burned out start using a little bonce.. That way it forces out more reps which will make u more powerfull for a ORM.

 

[John Smeton]

YouTube - Dimmel Deadlift

 

[jcp2]

im not really a fan of them tried them and can do way less on rack pulls then regular DL...if ur getting stuck at the bottom of the deadlift its too heavy.. if ur getting stuck at lockouts id do heavy ass shrugs on the barbell. and practicing just holding heavy weight for ur grip. if ur getting stuck above mid way to good mornings heavy and maybe to a ORM..

and i think if u can effectively use the bonce in ur deadlifts it would help alot... if ur repping from a cold stop do that and as u feel urself about to be burned out start using a little bonce.. That way it forces out more reps which will make u more powerfull for a ORM.

I don't think shrugs have any carryover to a deadlift, atually some really good deadliters look like they are at the bottom of a shrug when their deadlift is completed. You really don't need to do that overexagerated lean back and shrug the bar up at the end that is seen alot in the gym, in all reality if you ever want to compete that causes you to unock your knees and could cuase a redlight, and i would never bounce a deadlift, you are asking to get hurt. The deadlift is a lift from a dead stop. If you don't want to reset you can touch and go them, but i still would not bounce at all.

 

[brownstown89]

i meant more of a touch and go. not a stop and go, actually i read a couple articles saying starting the deadlift from a complete stop causes injuries if ur doing them for reps..

and i meant shrugs would help with pure grip strength. personally thats a problem for me i get it off the ground and to lockout but when im locking out it feels like the bar is slipping out my hand so i use heavy shrugs to get use to holding heavy weight.

 

[CJPopovich]

i meant more of a touch and go. not a stop and go, actually i read a couple articles saying starting the deadlift from a complete stop causes injuries if ur doing them for reps..

Doing deads for reps from a stop will not cause an injury unless you let your form slip.

Doing deads for reps using touch and go has been beneficial particularly to those who are weak at the lockout, IF they have been mostly doing their pulls from a dead stop. I wouldn't do it all the time though.

 

[jcp2]

Doing deads for reps from a stop will not cause an injury unless you let your form slip.

Doing deads for reps using touch and go has been beneficial particularly to those who are weak at the lockout, IF they have been mostly doing their pulls from a dead stop. I wouldn't do it all the time though.

I can see touch and go working here, but i would still opt for accomadating resistance. That is me though, everyone has their own way of doing things.

 

[buster0371]

At your level, don't worry too much about rack pulls. You simply need to get stronger at the basic lifts (SQ, DL, BP, overhead press, rows). You can deadlift once a week, doing 1-5 reps per set. Again don't work up to an absolute max, simply get some good quality "heavy" reps (whatever weight is heavy for you). Do some back raises or something similar for higher reps and do some heavy ab work. About 90% of the time I've seen people having lockout issues with the DL, it's because they get rounded over and are in such poor position by the time the bar gets past the knees they have no chance to finish the lift.
Don't worry too much about weak points at this time. Everything needs to get stronger. You also need to make sure your technique is good and you should always seek to improve it.

thats messed up, "at your level" what are you trying to say? hmmmm.....
:28:

 

[brownstown89]

yea i deffinelty feel touch and go helps u from below knee caps and up... and hows that messed up? hes just saying when ur not putting up above average numbers u can get by with what ur doing i wouldnt start worrying bout rack pulls till i was pulling like 450+ i wouldnt bench with chains bands etc till i max 315 regularly.

 

[tnubs]

personally, what has helped me deadlift strong has been rows and squats. My deads about up to 500 and i hardly ever even do deads anymore, and im a tiny guy. Heavy squats help the glutes and hams out to get that lockout and the rows helps with back and keeping it strong through the lift.

 

[SRS2000]

thats messed up, "at your level" what are you trying to say? hmmmm.....
:28:

The OP is listed at 130 lbs. and sounds like a relative beginner. I don't think rack pulls are the best way to build his DL. My best pull is 675 and rack pulls don't seem to help me much either. I still need to work on pulling from the floor and doing assistance work for the low back, glutes, and hamstrings. Sorry if you took my original statement as somehow offensive.

 

[stullsy]

dont know your training routine. but as once said hip flexor weakness is the main cause of a stalled deadlift at your knees. where as rack pulls and heavy shrugs work the lockout at the top. id suggest using good mornings and walking lunges as assistance work. and oh yeah work on your squat, my deadlift always seemed to be better when my squat was strong.