Hello, I recently switched from 5/3/1 with PL assistance work to a program suggested by Cephalic_Carnage in his “How Do You Train” -thread. I decided to try doing rack pulls as back thickness exercise, but I wasn’t able to find much on how to do them if back thickness is the goal.
For those who do rack pulls for back thickness, a couple questions:
How do you set up? Over or below the knee?
Do you keep your scapulae retracted for the whole lift? Do you pull shoulder back when you lockout the lift?
Anything else?
Basically, I’m coming from a PL background and decided to do a BB program and bulk. I’ve no idea what’s the best way to do this lift when mass is the goal, how have you done it successfully?
I found a couple of threads about rack pulls but no real info on how to do them for back thickness.
after a suggestion from CC I tried retracting my scapulae at lockout on deadlifts and rack pulls for more back thickness, I didn’t keep it up for long (at all) since I’ve actually dropped both of those lifts from my routine, but I feel that it helps even though you’re not bent over, it obviously becomes more difficult as you get up to your top weight
I prefer just below the knee, and most people I know tend to as well, not sure if you’re “supposed to” retract scapulae throughout the entire motion, I’ve never done that for any pulling movement
Set up the bars from mid shin to knee
Scapulae retracted a little back from the get-go is the norm I think, at least a little retracted to protect shoulders.
Explode up and as you reach the top use some of your momentum to shrug as forcefully as you can.
You should be able to use a lot of weight, and shrug more than you normally would be able to. I’m sure CC can give a much more detailed explanation, he probably has already somewhere in the volume that is his How do you train thread.
That’s a pussy lift right there. A man that size pulling from above the knee should be laughed at for pulling 500 for 10. It’s only 495 too
Pull from below the knee. Keep the shoulders pinned back as much as possible until the weight becomes to heavy to do so. Finish the lift by pushing the hips forward and flexing the glutes NOT by hyperextending the back.
[quote]ssplit wrote:
Hello, I recently switched from 5/3/1 with PL assistance work to a program suggested by Cephalic_Carnage in his “How Do You Train” -thread. I decided to try doing rack pulls as back thickness exercise, but I wasn’t able to find much on how to do them if back thickness is the goal.
For those who do rack pulls for back thickness, a couple questions:
How do you set up? Over or below the knee?
Do you keep your scapulae retracted for the whole lift? Do you pull shoulder back when you lockout the lift?
Anything else?
Basically, I’m coming from a PL background and decided to do a BB program and bulk. I’ve no idea what’s the best way to do this lift when mass is the goal, how have you done it successfully?
I found a couple of threads about rack pulls but no real info on how to do them for back thickness.[/quote]
rack pulls should always be set up 1-3 inches below the knee. wear a weight belt just for good measure, keep your arms locked and practice on your form. and most importantly- you must have a good mind to muscle connection in order for the lift to feel like it should… good luck
[quote]countingbeans wrote:
I’m right below the knee… Here is my first day back after the flu in December, I felt like a little bitch.
(No I don’t jerk the weight up, it just looks like I do.) [/quote]
( It just looks sloppy to me )[/quote]
it’s not sloppy at all, i’d just be careful with bending my arms at the bottom of each rep. I’ve done that without realising before and ended up with some really sore bicep tendons the next day.
[quote]countingbeans wrote:
I’m right below the knee… Here is my first day back after the flu in December, I felt like a little bitch.
(No I don’t jerk the weight up, it just looks like I do.) [/quote]
( It just looks sloppy to me )[/quote]
it’s not sloppy at all, i’d just be careful with bending my arms at the bottom of each rep. I’ve done that without realising before and ended up with some really sore bicep tendons the next day.[/quote]
This is actually a great way to tear your biceps tendon (not keeping your arms fully extended). I see it very slightly in countingbeans’s lift, but it looks good otherwise.
And countingbeans, thanks for giving me the idea to do my rack pulls on those steps. I’ve just incorporated rack pulls into my workout, but I was having a tough time with the set up since the squat rack safety bars don’t go low enough for me. This way will work much better.
[quote]countingbeans wrote:
I’m right below the knee… Here is my first day back after the flu in December, I felt like a little bitch.
(No I don’t jerk the weight up, it just looks like I do.) [/quote]
( It just looks sloppy to me )[/quote]
it’s not sloppy at all, i’d just be careful with bending my arms at the bottom of each rep. I’ve done that without realising before and ended up with some really sore bicep tendons the next day.[/quote]
This is actually a great way to tear your biceps tendon (not keeping your arms fully extended). I see it very slightly in countingbeans’s lift, but it looks good otherwise.
And countingbeans, thanks for giving me the idea to do my rack pulls on those steps. I’ve just incorporated rack pulls into my workout, but I was having a tough time with the set up since the squat rack safety bars don’t go low enough for me. This way will work much better.[/quote]
Best exercise for back thickness and by far my favorite exercise … Wide grip pin pulls
shoulders shouldn’t be retracted thats retarded imho… and shrugging (if you wanna shrug…do shrugs not rack pulls) at the end of a rack pulls is great way to tear a bicep tendon.
grip em wide, flex the lats and pull. this is assuming your hyper extending your hips and not pulling with your lower back cause that too is retarded…
[quote]countingbeans wrote:
I’m right below the knee… Here is my first day back after the flu in December, I felt like a little bitch.
(No I don’t jerk the weight up, it just looks like I do.) [/quote]
( It just looks sloppy to me )[/quote]
it’s not sloppy at all, i’d just be careful with bending my arms at the bottom of each rep. I’ve done that without realising before and ended up with some really sore bicep tendons the next day.[/quote]
This is actually a great way to tear your biceps tendon (not keeping your arms fully extended). I see it very slightly in countingbeans’s lift, but it looks good otherwise.
And countingbeans, thanks for giving me the idea to do my rack pulls on those steps. I’ve just incorporated rack pulls into my workout, but I was having a tough time with the set up since the squat rack safety bars don’t go low enough for me. This way will work much better.[/quote]
You could also use two benches. Or just stand on the steps while in the rack. Not saying you have to, just other options.
[quote]countingbeans wrote:
I’m right below the knee… Here is my first day back after the flu in December, I felt like a little bitch.
(No I don’t jerk the weight up, it just looks like I do.) [/quote]
( It just looks sloppy to me )[/quote]
it’s not sloppy at all, i’d just be careful with bending my arms at the bottom of each rep. I’ve done that without realising before and ended up with some really sore bicep tendons the next day.[/quote]
This is actually a great way to tear your biceps tendon (not keeping your arms fully extended). I see it very slightly in countingbeans’s lift, but it looks good otherwise.
And countingbeans, thanks for giving me the idea to do my rack pulls on those steps. I’ve just incorporated rack pulls into my workout, but I was having a tough time with the set up since the squat rack safety bars don’t go low enough for me. This way will work much better.[/quote]
Best exercise for back thickness and by far my favorite exercise … Wide grip pin pulls
shoulders shouldn’t be retracted thats retarded imho… and shrugging (if you wanna shrug…do shrugs not rack pulls) at the end of a rack pulls is great way to tear a bicep tendon.
grip em wide, flex the lats and pull. this is assuming your hyper extending your hips and not pulling with your lower back cause that too is retarded…[/quote]
Could you explain the part I bolded? I must be doing them incorrectly because I feel it a lot in my lower back (lower back fatigue is actually my limiting factor… it could have also been the fact that I RDLed two days earlier).
