10 Best Rack Pull With Bands Alternatives for Limited Gear

The Rack Pull With Bands is done standing with a barbell. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Linear Acceleration Wall Drill, the Rear Pull-up and Bench Pull-ups.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Rack Pull With Bands

Rack Pull With Bands
Primary muscle
Lower Back
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Advanced
Type
Compound

Secondary muscles: Forearms, Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Traps

How to perform Rack Pull With Bands
  1. Set up in a power rack with the bar on the pins. The pins should be set to the desired point; just below the knees, just above, or in the mid thigh position. Attach bands to the base of the rack, or secure them with dumbbells. Attach the other end to the bar. You may need to choke the bands to provide tension.
  2. Position yourself against the bar in proper deadlifting position. Your feet should be under your hips, your grip shoulder width, back arched, and hips back to engage the hamstrings. Since the weight is typically heavy, you may use a mixed grip, a hook grip, or use straps to aid in holding the weight.
  3. With your head looking forward, extend through the hips and knees, pulling the weight up and back until lockout. Be sure to pull your shoulders back as you complete the movement. Return the weight to the pins and repeat.
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Ranked Rack Pull With Bands Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Rack Pull With Bands on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

  1. Linear Acceleration Wall Drill

    1. Linear Acceleration Wall Drill

    48% match
    • Hamstrings
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A looser match: it works the hamstrings rather than the lower back.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lean at around 45 degrees against a wall. Your feet should be together, glutes contracted.
    2. Begin by lifting your right knee quickly, pausing, and then driving it straight down into the ground.
    3. Switch legs, raising the opposite knee, and then attacking the ground straight down.
    4. Repeat once more with your right leg, and as soon as the right foot strikes the ground hammer them out rapidly, alternating left and right as fast as you can.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, not lower back
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Rack Pull With Bands
  2. Rear Pull-upPlay demonstration

    2. Rear Pull-up

    42% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A looser match: it works the lats rather than the lower back.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    2. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
    3. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, keeping your elbows close to your body.
    4. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, not lower back
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
  3. Bench Pull-upsPlay demonstration

    3. Bench Pull-ups

    41% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Position yourself under a bar or a sturdy horizontal surface that is at chest height.
    2. Grab the bar or surface with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    3. Hang with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
    4. Pull your chest towards the bar or surface by squeezing your shoulder blades together and bending your elbows.
    5. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar or surface.
    6. Lower yourself back down to the starting position with control.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, not lower back
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Rack Pull With Bands
  4. Pull-upPlay demonstration

    4. Pull-up

    41% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your arms fully extended.
    2. Engage your core and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
    3. Pull your body up towards the bar by bending your elbows and bringing your chest towards the bar.
    4. Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, not lower back
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Rack Pull With Bands
  5. Pullups

    5. Pullups

    41% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing forward using the prescribed grip. Note on grips: For a wide grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance wider than your shoulder width. For a medium grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance equal to your shoulder width and for a close grip at a distance smaller than your shoulder width.
    2. As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar at the chosen grip width, bring your torso back around 30 degrees or so while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position.
    3. Pull your torso up until the bar touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary as it moves through space and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work other than hold the bar.
    4. After a second on the contracted position, start to inhale and slowly lower your torso back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched.
    5. Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, not lower back
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Rack Pull With Bands
  6. Rocky Pull-up PulldownPlay demonstration

    6. Rocky Pull-up Pulldown

    41% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand in front of a pull-up bar with your feet shoulder-width apart.
    2. Reach up and grab the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    3. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
    4. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, leading with your chest.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, not lower back
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Rack Pull With Bands
  7. Shoulder Grip Pull-upPlay demonstration

    7. Shoulder Grip Pull-up

    41% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Grab the pull-up bar with a shoulder-width grip, palms facing away from you.
    2. Hang freely with your arms fully extended.
    3. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar until your chin is above the bar.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, not lower back
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Rack Pull With Bands
  8. Scapular Pull-upPlay demonstration

    8. Scapular Pull-up

    41% match
    • Traps
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start by hanging from a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your arms fully extended.
    2. Retract your shoulder blades by pulling them down and back.
    3. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, focusing on squeezing your shoulder blades together.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: traps, not lower back
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
  9. L-pull-upPlay demonstration

    9. L-pull-up

    40% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    2. Hang with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
    3. Engage your lats and biceps to pull your body up towards the bar, keeping your elbows close to your body.
    4. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, not lower back
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Rack Pull With Bands
  10. Wide Grip Pull-upPlay demonstration

    10. Wide Grip Pull-up

    39% match
    • Lats
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your hands wider than shoulder-width apart.
    2. Engage your core and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
    3. Pull your body up towards the bar until your chin is above the bar.
    4. Lower your body back down to the starting position with control.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, not lower back
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Rack Pull With Bands

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