The Great Rack Pull Myth!

[TimK]

I've observed this. I'm not going to suggest doing heavy rack pulls with a round back though. Dwayne didn't like the way his back was off he floor, and started pulling sumo.

I don't pull in true extention, but I can hold my back in place.

Well, I don't have any desire to pull sumo. I tried it once, felt really weird. I'm sure I could get used to it but I like pulling conventional and it hasn't hurt me yet despite some back rounding.

As a rule I don't think my back position changes significantly after the plates leave the floor. Form does break down sometimes though especially on something like a set of 8 @10 which I probably shouldn't be doing anyway.

[MattimusMaximus]

Thanks for the input fellas! I thought it sounded wrong but like I said I have zero experience with rack pulls.

I haven't liked a lot of Wendler's articles and don't even find his writing all that good despite him being an English Lit major (I think?). Anyways, I found it equally interesting that he used a certain picture of a certain pharaoh at the top of his article.

[TimK]

Anyways, I found it equally interesting that he used a certain picture of a certain pharaoh at the top of his article.

That's not Rip, it's Roger Estep.

[MattimusMaximus]

Anyways, I found it equally interesting that he used a certain picture of a certain pharaoh at the top of his article.

That's not Rip, it's Roger Estep.

Dang, you're right (smh) and all this time I used to think that was Rip from his glory days. Don't I feel dumb now lol.

[TimK]

Dang, you're right (smh) and all this time I used to think that was Rip from his glory days. Don't I feel dumb now lol.

You're not the first person to make that mistake, someone must have posted that photo claiming it was Rip back in the day. There is a passing resemblance in the face but Rip was never that jacked (or strong).

[Allentown]

^This is one of the most retarded things I've read in my life. Maybe he has dumbbells weighing 300+ lbs lying around, but the heaviest I've seen are 120 lbs. Something a fifth the weight of your max deadlift isn't going to be terribly handy for grip strengthening.

There are a number of reasons why doing heavy db rows might be taxing on grip for a person with a 600lb+ 1RM deadlift that should be pretty obvious to DR The Wise. I don't think they are the best way to train grip, but hey, bang-for-buck I guess.

[strega]

I like low rack pulls quite a bit. I don't get the crazy overload described in the article (locking out 900 while deadlifting only 700). To date my best ever pull was 622 and I haven't rack pulled that much yet. There's some potential to get carried away on these, but that doesn't make the exercise bad.

When my best DL was around 315 I was visiting my uncle who was 74 or so at the time. He asked me if wanted to workout with him that day. He planned on doing rack pulls, we did a few sets where my max rep was 400. His max that day was 510 and his DL at the time was around 350. He got me believing they were a good idea so I started including them now and then. It reality I was a waste of time, zero progress. I think the issue was they were too high, just a waste. He, on the other hand, is a big believer and he mixes them up at various heights. He’s way more accomplished then I am so maybe it helps him fine tune some points.

However, to your point of low ones, I think it would be a real help to someone old (I’m now 58 and my best DL is now 340, not much progress ), with poor flexibility. Stilling a few inches off the floor to length my arms and get my back in better position has to be better than executing DL’s with poor form. I’ve stopped doing DL’s over the past several months as it seems my arms keep shrinking. This thread has me thinking I should give them low rack pulls a run.

[Murelli]

I like low rack pulls quite a bit. I don't get the crazy overload described in the article (locking out 900 while deadlifting only 700). To date my best ever pull was 622 and I haven't rack pulled that much yet. There's some potential to get carried away on these, but that doesn't make the exercise bad.

When my best DL was around 315 I was visiting my uncle who was 74 or so at the time. He asked me if wanted to workout with him that day. He planned on doing rack pulls, we did a few sets where my max rep was 400. His max that day was 510 and his DL at the time was around 350. He got me believing they were a good idea so I started including them now and then. It reality I was a waste of time, zero progress. I think the issue was they were too high, just a waste. He, on the other hand, is a big believer and he mixes them up at various heights. He’s way more accomplished then I am so maybe it helps him fine tune some points.

However, to your point of low ones, I think it would be a real help to someone old (I’m now 58 and my best DL is now 340, not much progress ), with poor flexibility. Stilling a few inches off the floor to length my arms and get my back in better position has to be better than executing DL’s with poor form. I’ve stopped doing DL’s over the past several months as it seems my arms keep shrinking. This thread has me thinking I should give them low rack pulls a run.

FWIW, Jordan and Austin program mid-shin rack pulls on The Bridge, and they felt nice when I've done them (feeling nice is totally an important variable).

[strega]

FWIW, Jordan and Austin program mid-shin rack pulls on The Bridge, and they felt nice when I've done them (feeling nice is totally an important variable).

Feeling nice is a place I've never been. I'll have to work on that one.