Barbell Rack Pull
Barbell Rack Pull is the middle rung where progress speeds up and works before or after your main squat.
How to do Barbell Rack Pull
- Set up a barbell on a rack at knee height.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outwards.
- Bend at the hips and knees to lower yourself down and grip the barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
- Engage your core and lift the barbell by extending your hips and knees, pulling your shoulders back and squeezing your glutes at the top.
- Lower the barbell back down to the starting position by bending at the hips and knees.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Rack Pull Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean.
Endurance
3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the heaviest sets.
Common Barbell Rack Pull Mistakes
Gripping off-centre so one side carries more load
Set both hands on matching knurl marks before each set.
Moving through the easy half of the range only
Work the part of the range that feels hardest, not the part that feels good.
Easier and Harder Than Barbell Rack Pull
Swap Barbell Rack Pull For
Barbell Rack Pull — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Barbell Rack Pull?
Set up a barbell on a rack at knee height. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outwards. Bend at the hips and knees to lower yourself down and grip the barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart. Use a barbell and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Barbell Rack Pull work?
The Barbell Rack Pull primarily targets the glutes. It is classified as a legs exercise and is performed with a barbell.
How many sets and reps of the Barbell Rack Pull should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Barbell Rack Pull good for beginners?
It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic legs patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.
What can I do instead of the Barbell Rack Pull?
Try the Cable Deadlift, Weighted Squat or the Reverse Hyper On Flat Bench. Each trains the glutes with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
