# Rack Pulls vs Deadlifts. Which do you prefer?



## GymRat79 (Feb 16, 2022)

Do you prefer rack pulls or deadlifts for back development?


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## BRICKS (Feb 16, 2022)

Neither.


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## CJ (Feb 16, 2022)

No.... "Discuss"?  🤔


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## Seeker (Feb 16, 2022)

Rack pulls are utilized to work on improving weak points with your deadlifts, mostly.


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## FlyingPapaya (Feb 16, 2022)

Seeker said:


> Rack pulls are utilized to work on improving weak points with your deadlifts, mostly.


Beat me to it


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## silentlemon1011 (Feb 16, 2022)

what @Seeker said
They both serve their own purposes.


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## BigJoshStud (Feb 16, 2022)

I conventional deadlift once a week every week. Personally I have never found it to be effective for “back” development. Despite the claims from many that they are great for building a muscular back. They are great for overall strength and badassery.


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## SFGiants (Feb 16, 2022)

Bent over rows, pullups, dumbbell rows, hammer machines, cable rows and pulldowns!

Mix those all up!


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## BRICKS (Feb 16, 2022)

See above.  Barbell rows, dumbell rows, cable rows, t-bar rows, chest supported t-bar rows, pullups, pulldowns, pullovers.  Now the this list and vary grip, wide, narrow, supinated, pronated, neutral.....
There is a huge list of exercises that are better for back development then deadlifts.


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## SFGiants (Feb 16, 2022)

BRICKS said:


> See above.  Barbell rows, dumbell rows, cable rows, t-bar rows, chest supported t-bar rows, pullups, pulldowns, pullovers.  Now the this list and vary grip, wide, narrow, supinated, pronated, neutral.....
> There is a huge list of exercises that are better for back development then deadlifts.



This right here.

You can deadlift 1st then hit some of these though!


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## Test_subject (Feb 16, 2022)

GymRat79 said:


> Do you prefer rack pulls or deadlifts for back development?


Depends on what you mean by “back development.”

Deadlifts hit your lower back way harder than rack pulls. Rack pulls allow you to use more weight so they hit your upper back musculature harder.  There’s no “better” of the two — it depends on why you’re programming them.

As others have said, neither is the best for back development. There are better alternatives. 

From a PL perspective, deadlifts will make your deadlift better and have more specificity. Rack pulls will help if you’re having lockout issues.


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## RiR0 (Feb 16, 2022)

Heavy reverse hypers for lower back. As far as back development I can think of several exercises that are better than a rack pull or deadlift


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## SFGiants (Feb 16, 2022)

> Heavy reverse hypers for lower back. As far as back development I can think of several exercises that are better than a rack pull or deadlift


GHR (Glute Ham Raise) with some resistance is money also!


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## Test_subject (Feb 16, 2022)

RiR0 said:


> Heavy reverse hypers for lower back. As far as back development I can think of several exercises that are better than a rack pull or deadlift


Rack pulls are pretty awesome if you’re using them specifically for traps, but bent over rows are better over all, no question.

Weighted hyperextensions are pure win for lower back.


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## RiR0 (Feb 16, 2022)

Test_subject said:


> Rack pulls are pretty awesome if you’re using them specifically for traps, but bent over rows are better over all, no question.
> 
> Weighted hyperextensions are pure win for lower back.


Reverse hypers are a staple movement for me. My gym has 3 different ones so when I stall I just change machines. 
They’ve also done wonders for my bad lower back. 
Another favorite back movement is bent over 2 hand dumbbells rows.


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## Test_subject (Feb 16, 2022)

RiR0 said:


> Reverse hypers are a staple movement for me. My gym has 3 different ones so when I stall I just change machines.
> They’ve also done wonders for my bad lower back.
> Another favorite back movement is bent over 2 hand dumbbells rows.


The only thing I don’t like about them is that I get back pumps from hell from them.

On any oral they’re a hard no.


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## RiR0 (Feb 16, 2022)

Test_subject said:


> The only thing I don’t like about them is that I get back pumps from hell from them.


I do if I’m on tren or orals. I was on 150mg of anadrol , did a set of 100 and all I could do is lay the floor. 
It also helps to stay really hydrated and superset them with some abs


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## Seeker (Feb 16, 2022)

Test_subject said:


> Depends on what you mean by “back development.”
> 
> Deadlifts hit your lower back way harder than rack pulls. Rack pulls allow you to use more weight so they hit your upper back musculature harder.  There’s no “better” of the two — it depends on why you’re programming them.
> 
> ...



As for working on deadlift weak points it isn't just if you're having lockout  issues. If you are working on lock out,  then you'd be  rack pulling from above the knee. You could also be rack pulling from your ankles, or just below the knee, depending. In that case though, i would prefer block pulls.


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## SFGiants (Feb 16, 2022)

Seeker said:


> As for working on deadlift weak points it isn't just if you're having lockout  issues. If you are working on lock out,  then you'd be  rack pulling from above the knee. You could also be rack pulling from your ankles, or just below the knee, depending. In that case though, i would prefer block pulls.


I liked mats and wooden boxes over racks.

But this is so correct, level positions dictated sticking points on all lifts.


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## Test_subject (Feb 16, 2022)

Seeker said:


> As for working on deadlift weak points it isn't just if you're having lockout  issues. If you are working on lock out,  then you'd be  rack pulling from above the knee. You could also be rack pulling from your ankles, or just below the knee, depending. In that case though, i would prefer block pulls.


How would rack pulling from your ankles work?  The bar sits above your ankles on a regular deadlift unless you’re loading the bar with 5s 😜


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## Seeker (Feb 16, 2022)

Test_subject said:


> How would rack pulling from your ankles work?  The bar sits above your ankles on a regular deadlift unless you’re loading the bar with 5s 😜


Well high on your ankles. Your shins is what i was meaning. But like i said, i do prefer blocks in that case


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## Test_subject (Feb 16, 2022)

Seeker said:


> Well high on your ankles. Your shins is what i was meaning.


I knew what you meant, I was just being an ass.


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## Seeker (Feb 16, 2022)

Test_subject said:


> I knew what you meant, I was just being an ass.


Haha noted


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## SFGiants (Feb 16, 2022)

Test_subject said:


> How would rack pulling from your ankles work?  The bar sits above your ankles on a regular deadlift unless you’re loading the bar with 5s 😜



Setting the rack, mats or blocks at that level is what he means.


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## GymRat79 (Feb 16, 2022)

I’m glad on the responses I’m reading because rack pulls and deadlifts really seem to be more of a powerlifting exercise than a bodybuilding one. I believe cable, t bar rows, and lat pull downs are much better for back development. If an individual focused on perfecting and improving those 3 exercises everytime they hit back I believe they would have very good development.


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## SFGiants (Feb 16, 2022)

Test_subject said:


> I knew what you meant, I was just being an ass.



Oh , LMAO!


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## RiR0 (Feb 16, 2022)

GymRat79 said:


> I’m glad on the responses I’m reading because rack pulls and deadlifts really seem to be more of a powerlifting exercise than a bodybuilding one. I believe cable, t bar rows, and lat pull downs are much better for back development.


Just don’t use the stupid close grip v baby handles


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## GymRat79 (Feb 16, 2022)

RiR0 said:


> Just don’t use the stupid close grip v baby handles


Why?


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## SFGiants (Feb 16, 2022)

GymRat79 said:


> I’m glad on the responses I’m reading because rack pulls and deadlifts really seem to be more of a powerlifting exercise than a bodybuilding one. I believe cable, t bar rows, and lat pull downs are much better for back development.



No such thing as powerlifting or bodybuilding exercises, just how they are done is different SOMETIMES!


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## RiR0 (Feb 16, 2022)

RiR0 said:


> Just don’t use the stupid close grip v baby handles


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## GymRat79 (Feb 16, 2022)

What exercise? T bar rows?


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## RiR0 (Feb 16, 2022)

GymRat79 said:


> Why?


Why would waste time on making a movement less effective? It’s like the stupid hex press


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## RiR0 (Feb 16, 2022)

GymRat79 said:


> What exercise? T bar rows?


Any movement


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## Test_subject (Feb 16, 2022)

SFGiants said:


> No such thing as powerlifting or bodybuilding exercises, just how they are done is different SOMETIMES!


Yep. You don’t see a whole lot of scrawny powerlifters.


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## GymRat79 (Feb 16, 2022)

RiR0 said:


> Any movement


What do you use?


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## RiR0 (Feb 16, 2022)

GymRat79 said:


> What do you use?


Not the baby handles


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## GymRat79 (Feb 16, 2022)

Test_subject said:


> Yep. You don’t see a whole lot of scrawny powerlifters.


Yes because they are strong. More strength, greater weight moved = muscle development.


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## RiR0 (Feb 16, 2022)

Also don’t do scap pulls


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## GymRat79 (Feb 16, 2022)

RiR0 said:


> Not the baby handles


Show me.


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## RiR0 (Feb 16, 2022)

GymRat79 said:


> Show me.


What do you mean? Show you? I’m not at the gym and my back/ham workout isn’t for 3 days.


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## SFGiants (Feb 16, 2022)

RiR0 said:


> What do you mean? Show you? I’m not at the gym and my back/ham workout isn’t for 3 days.


I think he means your penis!


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## GymRat79 (Feb 16, 2022)

RiR0 said:


> What do you mean? Show you? I’m not at the gym and my back/ham workout isn’t for 3 days.


LMFAO show me a picture of what you use for back exercises like you did with the baby handles.


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## RiR0 (Feb 16, 2022)

GymRat79 said:


> LMFAO show me a picture of what you use for back exercises like you did with the baby handles.


There’s over 100 back pieces at my gym im not gonna do that. 
My favorite is regular bent over 2 hand db rows.


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## CJ (Feb 16, 2022)

GymRat79 said:


> LMFAO show me a picture of what you use for back exercises like you did with the baby handles.


Those baby V Handles get you too bound up, can't fully contract your back, you end up using biceps.

Roughly shoulder width is 100x better.


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## Test_subject (Feb 16, 2022)

CJ said:


> Those baby V Handles get you too bound up, can't fully contract your back, you end up using biceps.
> 
> Roughly shoulder width is 100x better.


I use the V handle for landmine rows but I agree they’re pretty shit for things like seated rows, pull downs etc.


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## RiR0 (Feb 16, 2022)

Test_subject said:


> I use the V handle for landmine rows but I agree they’re pretty shit for things like seated rows, pull downs etc.


They’re not even good for that.


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## Test_subject (Feb 16, 2022)

RiR0 said:


> They’re not even good for that.


I do them on my arm day to get some extra back frequency in with my current program, so the V handle is great.

For pure back work I’d sub them out for Meadows rows TBH.

Edit: gud grammur


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## TODAY (Feb 16, 2022)

GymRat79 said:


> LMFAO show me a picture of what you use for back exercises like you did with the baby handles.


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## Badleroybrown (Feb 16, 2022)

Personally I have messed around with dead’s a tiny bit over the last year. Before thi I have not dead’s in a long time.. no need for them anymore.. yes they make you overall strong and help in your squats. But at the end of the day I belive you can get a well rounded body without deadlifts…

Now that I am older I try and keep my lower back healthy and pulling a bar with 500lbs on it will not keep it that way.

A 250lb cable row’s or heavy pull downs will create a thick wide back.


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## Yano (Feb 16, 2022)

Test_subject said:


> How would rack pulling from your ankles work?  The bar sits above your ankles on a regular deadlift unless you’re loading the bar with 5s 😜


When I do racks I'm just above my ankle so I know what Seeker means for sure. I'll start at the lowest hole I can put the j hooks in and go from there. Starts with a 45 just an inch off the floor or so ... eh. Then if I feel froggy I'll pull 3 sets of 3 weights every two holes up from there. so I'll start with 135x3 225x3 315x3 and then I'll move up .. not sure if thats the right way to do it haahaaha , but that's how I do.


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## Badleroybrown (Feb 16, 2022)

Talking handles… I like to take a couple of handles on straps and clip them to the seated row..
I do my cable rows with these. It lets me really contact my lats and bring my elbows farther back.
When I use v handles I feel like it hits  before I can get far enough back.
If I lean forward a little bit and do my rows with the v’s then I get a good contraction.
But I vary the angle of my body all the time till I feel the contractions that I am looking for .


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## Yano (Feb 16, 2022)

Badleroybrown said:


> Personally I have messed around with dead’s a tiny bit over the last year. Before thi I have not dead’s in a long time.. no need for them anymore.. yes they make you overall strong and help in your squats. But at the end of the day I belive you can get a well rounded body without deadlifts…
> 
> Now that I am older I try and keep my lower back healthy and pulling a bar with 500lbs on it will not keep it that way.
> 
> A 250lb cable row’s or heavy pull downs will create a thick wide back.


Thats my 450 from a month or so ago and i'm in my mid 50s. I think if some one is going up sensibly and not trying to go up too fast , they can still work heavy , what ever that is for  themself. Just have to use their head and not try to be a young bull , I think that's how some one our age ends up blowing shit out. *knock on wood and all that. 








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## CJ (Feb 16, 2022)

GymRat79 said:


> What do you use?


I like this bad boy.


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## CJ (Feb 16, 2022)

Badleroybrown said:


> Talking handles… I like to take a couple of handles on straps and clip them to the seated row..
> I do my cable rows with these. It lets me really contact my lats and bring my elbows farther back.
> When I use v handles I feel like it hits  before I can get far enough back.
> If I lean forward a little bit and do my rows with the v’s then I get a good contraction.
> But I vary the angle of my body all the time till I feel the contractions that I am looking for .


Like these? I do this too at home...


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## silentlemon1011 (Feb 17, 2022)

Yano said:


> When I do racks I'm just above my ankle so I know what Seeker means for sure. I'll start at the lowest hole I can put the j hooks in and go from there. Starts with a 45 just an inch off the floor or so ... eh. Then if I feel froggy I'll pull 3 sets of 3 weights every two holes up from there. so I'll start with 135x3 225x3 315x3 and then I'll move up .. not sure if thats the right way to do it haahaaha , but that's how I do.



If I'm doing rack pulls on a back day, specifically for the back.... and not apart of a DL day (I sometimes on lower weight days will pre exhaust my back and focus on deficit DL)

 I pretty much almost eliminate legs if om on back day
I'll pull from just below the knees and put a stupid fucking amount of weight on, 
Or just high block pulls for overloading the ever living fuck out of CNS

Maybe I just like lifting heavy shit


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## silentlemon1011 (Feb 17, 2022)

CJ said:


> I like this bad boy.
> 
> 
> View attachment 18455



aaaaaaannnnnd I'm getting flashbacks
Last time I saw one of those, had to call in to work because my back no longer existed the following day


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## CJ (Feb 17, 2022)

silentlemon1011 said:


> aaaaaaannnnnd I'm getting flashbacks
> Last time I saw one of those, had to call in to work because my back no longer existed the following day


Is that good or bad?  🤔


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## silentlemon1011 (Feb 17, 2022)

CJ said:


> Is that good or bad?  🤔



Column A and B
Sometimes when I see new stuff, i go ham and end up hurting myself


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## Badleroybrown (Feb 17, 2022)

CJ said:


> Like these? I do this too at home...
> 
> View attachment 18456


Exactly… I am able to draw my elbows back and get a wicked contraction.. As I get to the end of my set, the last 2-3 maybe 4 reps I try and hold it for a 2 or 3 count.


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## Send0 (Feb 17, 2022)

CJ said:


> I like this bad boy.
> 
> 
> View attachment 18455


I've got a whole set of different width ones like that, including close grip attachments as well. I love them!


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## MR. BMJ (Feb 17, 2022)

I prefer rack deads.


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## Rot-Iron66 (Feb 17, 2022)

I like powerlifting so deadlifts for strength. For a back exercise, I dont use them for that.
(Though f course they help)
Rack-pulls will help someone working on their lockout. Partial movements build partial muscle/strength.

For over-all back work, I like bent-rows, dead-stops, chest-supported, etc.


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## MindlessWork (Feb 17, 2022)

Rackpulls for me as less taxing on the back  (as have lower back issues) and go below-the-knee. With plates 5" off the floor, it still gives a reasonable ROM.


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## Butch_C (Feb 17, 2022)

I prefer the deadlift but there is usefulness in rack-pulls, especially if you have sticking points in the deadlift.


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## Skullcrusher (Feb 17, 2022)

Yeah my lower back is fucked too so I would choose Rack Pull from just below the waist. From that high up they mostly hit my upper back muscles.


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## FlyingPapaya (Feb 17, 2022)

Pendlay rows, weighted chin ups, lat pulls seated rows. I don't db row much, those reverse hypers.


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## BigBaldBeardGuy (Feb 17, 2022)

MindlessWork said:


> Rackpulls for me as less taxing on the back  (as have lower back issues) and go below-the-knee. With plates 5" off the floor, it still gives a reasonable ROM.


That must look beast. Hogging a squat rack to do your 315 pound rack pulls. 💪 I’m sure you bang the bar down on the pins too. 

Oh wait. You do it with the Smith Machine. Sorry. I forgot.


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## Test_subject (Feb 17, 2022)

BigBaldBeardGuy said:


> That must look beast. Hogging a squat rack to do your 315 pound rack pulls. 💪 I’m sure you bang the bar down on the pins too.
> 
> Oh wait. You do it with the Smith Machine. Sorry. I forgot.


If I ever see someone doing rack pulls on a smith machine I swear to God I will neck-punch them.


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## BigBaldBeardGuy (Feb 17, 2022)

Test_subject said:


> If I ever see someone doing rack pulls on a smith machine I swear to God I will neck-punch them.


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## Send0 (Feb 17, 2022)

BigBaldBeardGuy said:


> View attachment 18503


To be a little fair, the context here is about planet.fitness. I didn't think they had any free weight machines or bars?


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## RiR0 (Feb 17, 2022)

Test_subject said:


> If I ever see someone doing rack pulls on a smith machine I swear to God I will neck-punch them.


Well damn. I have a confession…. I do them on the smith machine


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## Test_subject (Feb 17, 2022)

RiR0 said:


> Well damn. I have a confession…. I do them on the smith machine


Can I see your neck for just a second?


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## Crom (Feb 17, 2022)

I like doing rack pulls. I have shorter arms and dislike pulling sumo. It's fun loading up the weight and cranking out some reps. It really helped thicken my upper back and traps up a lot. I know a lot people are not into thick ass traps, but I like it. just make sure those pins are set below the knee. 

 I know they're also making the rounds with some IFBB pros like Brett Wilkin, Martin Fritzwater, and Hunter Lebrada. Good enough for those guys, good enough for me.


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## BigBaldBeardGuy (Feb 17, 2022)

Send0 said:


> To be a little fair, the context here is about planet.fitness. I didn't think they had any free weight machines or bars?


Ahhh… I think you’re proving my point. 

Would YOU workout at Planet Fatness? 🚫

Would YOU do rack pulls on a Smith Machine? 🚫

Two wrongs don’t make it right.


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## Send0 (Feb 17, 2022)

BigBaldBeardGuy said:


> Ahhh… I think you’re proving my point.
> 
> Would YOU workout at Planet Fatness? 🚫
> 
> ...


Touchè


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