Back
Rack Pull
A powerful compound lift designed to maximize upper back thickness and grip strength through a shortened range of motion.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Set the safety pins in a power rack to a height just above or just below your knees depending on your specific goals.
Position yourself with your mid-foot under the bar and your shins close to the steel but not touching.
Hinge at the hips and grip the bar just outside of your legs with a double overhand or mixed grip.
Pull your shoulder blades back and down into your armpits to create tension and take the slack out of the barbell.
Drive your feet into the floor and extend your hips forward to lift the bar until you reach a fully upright position.
Squeeze your glutes and upper back at the top for a brief pause without leaning backward.
Lower the bar under control back to the safety pins and allow it to come to a complete dead stop before the next rep.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Hyperextending the lower back at the top of the lift.
- Bouncing the barbell off the safety pins to create momentum.
- Allowing the shoulders to round forward under heavy load.
- Positioning the pins too high, resulting in a negligible range of motion.
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.