Rack Pull

Set the bar just below or around knee height and stand with it over your midfoot. Lift your chest, pull the bar close to your body, and start with your hips high enough that they are not too low.

Push through your feet and extend your knees and hips together as you pull the bar up. Keep the bar close and think of your body standing tall to maintain tension through your back.

Stand fully upright in a straight line without leaning your torso back, then slowly lower the bar to the rack while keeping it close. Do not drop it quickly; lower it with the same control you used to lift it.

Your back should stay firmly fixed to transfer force rather than moving through a large range. If you do not feel your back working, check that the bar has not drifted away and bring it closer.

Overextending your lower back at the top or lifting with the bar away from your body quickly increases back stress. Using too much weight for the starting height can overwhelm your back and turn the lift into a lower-back movement.

Take a deep breath before starting and brace your core, then exhale briefly through the hardest point. Reset your breath before lowering so your torso stays steadier with heavy weight.

For rack pulls, learning to keep your back fixed and the bar close is more useful long term than simply lifting heavy. If the bar travels steadily along your thighs, your position is set well.