Barbell exercise

Rack Pull (Barbell) form, muscles worked, and workout tracking

The rack pull is a partial deadlift performed with the barbell starting on rack pins or blocks around knee height, targeting the spinal erectors, upper back, glutes, and trapezius. Lifters use it to overload the deadlift lockout with supramaximal weight and to build upper-back thickness, since the shortened range allows heavier loads than pulling from the floor.

Rack Pull (Barbell) illustration

How to do Rack Pull (Barbell)

  1. 1Set the rack pins just below or at knee height and load the barbell so it rests securely on the pins.
  2. 2Grip the bar just outside your legs, hinge into position with a flat back, and pull the slack out of the bar.
  3. 3Take a deep breath, brace your core hard, and drive your hips forward to stand tall with the bar.
  4. 4Avoid leaning back at lockout or ramping your knees under the bar to cheat it upward.
  5. 5Squeeze your glutes and lats at the top, then lower the bar under control back to the pins and reset before the next rep.

Related exercises

Active Hang

Back · Duration

Back Extension

Back · Reps Only

Band Pull-Apart

Back · Reps Only

Banded Face Pull

Back · Reps Only

Track Rack Pull (Barbell) in Plates

Save this movement to a workout template, log sets and rest periods, and keep your training history in one focused gym tracker.