Variations — what changes
Conventional
Feet about hip width, hands just outside the legs.
More hamstrings and back, longer pull.
Sumo
Very wide stance, toes out, hands inside the knees.
More upright back, more quads and inner thighs, shorter pull. Often easier on the lower back.
Rack pull
Bar starts on blocks or pins around knee height.
Only the top half — upper back, traps and lockout.
Grip: double overhand
Both palms facing you.
Best for grip strength; will limit you first as the weight gets heavy.
Grip: mixed
One palm facing in, one facing out.
Stops the bar rolling so you can hold more — switch which hand is under from set to set.
Setup
- Bar over mid-foot (about an inch from your shins).
- Hinge down and grab the bar, then bring your shins to it without moving the bar.
- Chest up, back flat, arms straight. Take the slack out: pull until the bar "clicks" against the plates before it leaves the floor.
Doing the rep
- Push the floor away with your legs; the bar stays in contact with your legs the whole way.
- Hips and shoulders rise together.
- Finish tall — squeeze your glutes, don't lean back.
- On the way down, push your hips back first, then bend your knees once the bar passes them.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the lower back to reach the bar.
- Hips shooting up first so it turns into a stiff-leg pull.
- Jerking the bar off the floor.
Stop if something hurts sharply. When you're learning a lift, start light and film a set from the side to check it.
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