10 Best Rack Pulls Alternatives for Limited Rack or Low-Back Pain

If you can’t do rack pulls, use Romanian deadlifts, trap-bar deadlifts, single-leg RDLs, glute-ham raises, or good mornings to load the hamstrings and posterior chain. Emphasize a hip hinge: push your hips back, maintain a neutral spine, and feel tension through the hamstrings on the descent.

Original Exercise: Rack Pulls

Rack Pulls
Primary Muscle
Hamstrings
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Advanced
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Forearms, Glutes, Hamstrings, Traps
How to Perform Rack Pulls
  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. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Return the weight to the pins and repeat.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Powerlifting
  • Force: Pull
  • Movement type: Compound

Ranked Rack Pulls Alternatives

Best Match
Rack Pull With Bands

1. Rack Pull With Bands

85% Match
Lower-back Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Clean Deadlift

2. Clean Deadlift

81% Match
Hamstrings Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Begin standing with a barbell close to your shins. Your feet should be directly under your hips with your feet turned out slightly. Grip the bar with a double overhand grip or hook grip, about shoulder width apart. Squat down to the bar. Your spine should be in full extension, with a back angle that places your shoulders in front of the bar and your back as vertical as possible.
  2. Begin by driving through the floor through the front of your heels. As the bar travels upward, maintain a constant back angle. Flare your knees out to the side to help keep them out of the bar's path.
  3. After the bar crosses the knees, complete the lift by driving the hips into the bar until your hips and knees are extended.
Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift

3. Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift

80.2% Match
Hamstrings Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Grasp a bar using an overhand grip (palms facing down). You may need some wrist wraps if using a significant amount of weight.
  2. Stand with your torso straight and your legs spaced using a shoulder width or narrower stance. The knees should be slightly bent. This is your starting position.
  3. Keeping the knees stationary, lower the barbell to over the top of your feet by bending at the hips while keeping your back straight. Keep moving forward as if you were going to pick something from the floor until you feel a stretch on the hamstrings. Inhale as you perform this movement.
  4. Start bringing your torso up straight again by extending your hips until you are back at the starting position. Exhale as you perform this movement.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Power Clean

4. Power Clean

78% Match
Hamstrings Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Start with the barbell on the ground in front of you, with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Bend down and grip the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Keep your back straight and chest up as you lift the barbell off the ground, extending your hips and knees.
  4. As the barbell reaches your mid-thigh, explosively pull it upwards, shrugging your shoulders and pulling your elbows high and to the sides.
  5. As the barbell reaches its highest point, quickly drop underneath it, rotating your elbows around and catching the barbell on your shoulders in a front squat position.
Reverse Band Sumo Deadlift

5. Reverse Band Sumo Deadlift

77% Match
Hamstrings Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Begin with a bar loaded on the floor inside of a power rack. Attach bands to the top of the rack, using either pegs or the frame itself. Attach the other end to the barbell.
  2. Approach the bar so that the bar intersects the middle of the feet. The feet should be set very wide, near the collars. Bend at the hips to grip the bar. The arms should be directly below the shoulders, inside the legs, and you can use a pronated grip, a mixed grip, or hook grip. Relax the shoulders, which in effect lengthens your arms.
  3. Take a breath, and then lower your hips, looking forward with your head with your chest up. Drive through the floor, spreading your feet apart, with your weight on the back half of your feet. Extend through the hips and knees.
  4. As the bar passes through the knees, lean back and drive the hips into the bar, pulling your shoulder blades together.
  5. Return the weight to the ground by bending at the hips and controlling the weight on the way down.
Snatch Deadlift

6. Snatch Deadlift

77% Match
Hamstrings Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. The snatch deadlift strengthens the first pull of the snatch. Begin with a wide snatch grip with the barbell placed on the platform. The feet should be directly under the hips, with the feet turned out. Squat down to the bar, keeping the back in absolute extension with the head facing forward.
  2. Initiate the movement by driving through the heels, raising the hips. The back angle should remain the same until the bar passes the knees.
  3. At that point, drive your hips through the bar as you lay back. Return the bar to the platform by reversing the motion.
Reverse Band Deadlift

7. Reverse Band Deadlift

76.2% Match
Hamstrings Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Set the bar up in a power rack. Attach bands to the top of the rack, using either bands pegs or the frame itself. Attach the other end of the bands to the bar.
  2. Approach the bar so that it is centered over your feet. You feet should be about hip width apart. Bend at the hip to grip the bar at shoulder width, allowing your shoulder blades to protract. Typically, you would use an overhand grip or an over/under grip on heavier sets.
  3. With your feet, and your grip set, take a big breath and then lower your hips and bend the knees until your shins contact the bar. Look forward with your head, keep your chest up and your back arched, and begin driving through the heels to move the weight upward.
  4. After the bar passes the knees, aggressively pull the bar back, pulling your shoulder blades together as you drive your hips forward into the bar.
  5. Lower the bar by bending at the hips and guiding it to the floor.
Sumo Deadlift

8. Sumo Deadlift

76.2% Match
Hamstrings Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Begin with a bar loaded on the ground. Approach the bar so that the bar intersects the middle of the feet. The feet should be set very wide, near the collars. Bend at the hips to grip the bar. The arms should be directly below the shoulders, inside the legs, and you can use a pronated grip, a mixed grip, or hook grip. Relax the shoulders, which in effect lengthens your arms.
  2. Take a breath, and then lower your hips, looking forward with your head with your chest up. Drive through the floor, spreading your feet apart, with your weight on the back half of your feet. Extend through the hips and knees.
  3. As the bar passes through the knees, lean back and drive the hips into the bar, pulling your shoulder blades together.
  4. Return the weight to the ground by bending at the hips and controlling the weight on the way down.
Sumo Deadlift With Bands

9. Sumo Deadlift With Bands

75.9% Match
Hamstrings Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. To deadlift with short bands, simply loop them over the bar before you start, and step into them to set up. Ensure that they under the back half of your foot, directly where you are driving into the floor.
  2. Begin with a bar loaded on the ground. Approach the bar so that the bar intersects the middle of the feet. The feet should be set very wide, near the collars. Bend at the hips to grip the bar. The arms should be directly below the shoulders, inside the legs, and you can use a pronated grip, a mixed grip, or hook grip.
  3. Take a breath, and then lower your hips, looking forward with your head with your chest up. Drive through the floor, spreading your feet apart, with your weight on the back half of your feet. Extend through the hips and knees.
  4. As the bar passes through the knees, lean back and drive the hips into the bar, pulling your shoulder blades together.
  5. Return the weight to the ground by bending at the hips and controlling the weight on the way down.
Sumo Deadlift With Chains

10. Sumo Deadlift With Chains

75.9% Match
Hamstrings Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. You can attach the chains to the sleeves of the bar, or just drape the middle over the bar so there is a greater weight increase as you lift. Attempt to keep the ends of the chains away from the plates so you don't hit them when you lower the weight.
  2. Begin with a bar loaded on the ground. Approach the bar so that the bar intersects the middle of the feet. The feet should be set very wide, near the collars. Bend at the hips to grip the bar. The arms should be directly below the shoulders, inside the legs, and you can use a pronated grip, a mixed grip, or hook grip. Relax the shoulders, which in effect lengthens your arms.
  3. Take a breath, and then lower your hips, looking forward with your head with your chest up. Drive through the floor, spreading your feet apart, with your weight on the back half of your feet. Extend through the hips and knees.
  4. As the bar passes through the knees, lean back and drive the hips into the bar, pulling your shoulder blades together.
  5. Return the weight to the ground by bending at the hips and controlling the weight on the way down.

Why You Might Need a Rack Pulls Alternative

You might substitute rack pulls for several reasons: no rack access, lower-back pain with high lockout loads, or a need to target different parts of the posterior chain. Alternatives change leverages and range of motion so you can shift work from lumbar extensors to hamstrings and glutes. For example, Romanian deadlifts increase hamstring length-tension and eccentric loading; trap-bar deadlifts reduce shear on the lumbar spine by keeping load closer to your center of mass. Use cues like bracing the core and hinging at the hips to control spinal loading and ensure targeted hamstring activation.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select a substitute based on equipment, your weak link (lockout vs hip hinge), and spinal tolerance. If you lack a rack but want heavy load, choose trap-bar deadlifts and cue: drive through the mid-foot and keep the chest up. To emphasize eccentric hamstring work pick Romanian deadlifts or Nordic curls and cue: push hips back and keep knees slightly soft. For unilateral stability or imbalance, use single-leg RDLs and touch the floor lightly as a depth cue. Consider progression options and how each exercise shifts load between hamstrings, glutes, and lumbar extensors.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Rack Pulls work?

Rack pulls primarily load the posterior chain: lumbar erectors, glutes, and hamstrings, with secondary activation of traps and forearms. The partial range of motion emphasizes lockout strength and spinal extension, so you’ll feel high activation in the upper erectors and traps during the finish.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Rack Pulls?

The Nordic hamstring curl is the best bodyweight substitute for hamstring hypertrophy and eccentric strength; anchor your ankles, keep hips aligned, and lower slowly to maximize eccentric tension. If you lack an anchor, use single-leg Romanian deadlifts with slow tempo and a strong hip-hinge cue.

Can I build muscle without doing Rack Pulls?

Yes. You can build the same hamstring and back mass using Romanian deadlifts, trap-bar deadlifts, good mornings, glute-ham raises, and targeted eccentric work. Focus on progressive overload, proper hip-hinge mechanics, and sufficient volume to stimulate hypertrophy.

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