Written by Patrick Dale, PT, ex-Marine

The deadlift is probably the most satisfying exercise you can do in the gym. Sure, the bench press is cool but gripping and ripping a heavy barbell off the floor makes you feel like a total badass!

No barbell exercise allows you to lift as much weight, and seeing the bar flex and bend as you lift is always a thrill.

However, while the deadlift is a tremendous exercise, not everyone is built to do it well. For example, tall lifters often struggle to reach the bar without rounding their lower backs. Tight hamstrings can also lead to a rounded back.

A rounded lower back is a weak lower back, which is why the deadlift from the floor is risky for some people.

That said, being tall or having a lack of mobility doesn’t have to prevent you from doing deadlift-type movements. Rack pulls compare favorably to deadlifts and features an elevated starting position that saves you from leaning so far forward. Rack pulls are far more spine-friendly alternatives to conventional deadlifts.  

Rack pulls are an excellent deadlift variation, but they aren’t always practical. After all, you need a power rack with which to do them. The good news is that there are several equally effective exercises you can do instead.

In this article, we reveal the seven best rack pull alternatives for building a stronger, more muscular posterior chain.

The rack pull is a compound exercise that involves multiple joints and muscles working together. Any movement that’s an alternative to rack pulls should work most of the same muscles.

The main muscles trained during rack pulls are:

As you’ve seen, the rack pull is virtually a full-body exercise. However, they emphasize the muscles on the back of the body, which are collectively called the posterior chain.

The following rack pull alternatives are also effective posterior chain developers.

No rack for rack pulls? Not a problem! Romanian deadlifts involve a similar movement and range of motion. Instead of lowering your barbell to a rack, you stop each rep at the end of your natural range of motion. Romanian deadlifts are a very effective posterior chain exercise. However, you probably won’t be able to go as heavy as rack pulls.

Pro tip: If using heavy weights, it may be necessary to use lifting straps so your grip doesn’t fail prematurely. If you use a mixed grip, switch your hands around set by set to avoid unbalanced muscle and strength development.

One of the downsides of rack pulls is that they can damage your barbell. Resting a heavily loaded barbell in a power rack concentrates all that weight onto two small areas near the ends of the bar, which can cause it to bend and then remain so. Deadlift bars are especially susceptible to being damaged this way, as they’re made to flex in the middle and not at the ends.

However, deadlifting from blocks will not damage your barbell, so they’re a bar-friendly alternative to rack pulls.  

Pro tip: Raise the height of your blocks set by set to allow for increases in fatigue. Each set should feel slightly easier than the last as your range of motion decreases.

While this rack pull alternative does start with the barbell resting on the floor, the weight increases as you near lockout, and there is less load at the start of each rep. This means less stress on your lower back, but you can still work with heavy weights.

To do this exercise, simply attach your chains to the ends of your barbell and then deadlift as normal. Use light to moderate weights and remember the load from the chains/bands will kick in/increase partway through your rep and max out at the top.

Pro tip: Some gyms have chains that you can fix to the end of your barbell, or you can use resistance bands to achieve a similar effect. If your gym doesn’t have chains, buy some bands and keep them in your training bag.

Cable pull-throughs are a popular accessory exercise in powerlifting. They work many of the same muscles as rack pulls but are somewhat more lower back friendly. They also tend to keep your muscles under tension for longer. This is an excellent rack pull alternative for anyone who prefers cable exercises to barbell training.

Pro tip: Use two rope handles instead of one, take an extra step or two forward at the start of each rep, and then reach back through your legs further to increase the range of motion and the effectiveness of this exercise.

I’ll be the first person to admit that kettlebell swings don’t look much like rack pulls. However, if you take a moment to analyze the movement, you’ll see that these exercises share several similarities and work many of the same muscles. The main difference is your movement speed. Where rack pulls are a slow, grinding movement, swings are faster and more powerful.

Pro tip: Imagine you are jumping forward at the start of each rep. This will fire up your glutes and hamstrings and make the exercise more powerful.

Hip thrust is another exercise that doesn’t look like rack pulls but works many of the same muscles. In this case, your upper and lower back are less involved, and your glutes and hamstrings do most of the work. For a back-friendly rack pull alternative, this effective exercise is tough to beat. It’s also an excellent booty builder! 

Pro tip: Place a folded towel or exercise mat on your hips or use a squat pad to make this exercise more comfortable. Put your feet on a raised surface, e.g., an aerobic step, to increase your range of motion and exercise difficulty.

The barbell good morning is a classic strength training exercise. It’s so-called because, when you do it, you look a little like you are bowing to greet someone. The good morning works almost all of the same muscles as rack pulls, but there is less upper back and quads engagement. On the downside, this exercise can be hard on your lower back, so don’t go too heavy too soon, and definitely do NOT round your spine!

Pro tip: If you find holding the bar across your neck uncomfortable, try resting it in the crooks of your elbows. This is called a Zercher good morning. Some people find this variation more practical.

The best rack pull alternative depends on what you are training for. For example, if you want to build strength, the deadlift from blocks is hard to beat. It’s a great exercise for lifting heavy weights.

But, if you are more interested in hypertrophy, Romanian deadlifts and good mornings are excellent options. If you want to lift and firm your butt and burn some calories and fat, kettlebell swings are a great choice, as are barbell hip thrusts.

Use the exercises that best match your training goals.

Your rep range depends on your goal and what equipment you have available. For example, if you are training for strength, you should mainly use heavy weights and low reps, i.e., 1-5 reps per set with 85% or more of your 1RM.

If you are training for hypertrophy or muscle growth, higher reps and lighter weights work best, e.g., anywhere from 6-30 reps per set (1).

Of course, suppose you only have access to light weights or are doing bodyweight exercises. In that case, you’ll have to train to failure regardless of how many reps you do. Taking your sets close to failure will increase muscle size and improve your strength, although strength gains will be somewhat less than when lifting heavy weights.

Lower back rounding is a common problem that can be caused by various issues. Frequent causes of lower back rounding during hip hinge exercises include:

The good news is that all these things can be fixed with corrective stretching and strengthening exercises. However, you first need to reduce your weights, use a shorter range of motion, and stop rounding your lower back. If you continue to do it, you could end up with serious lower back pain.

One of the best things about strength training is how many exercises you can do for the same parts of your body. Just because one exercise is off the menu doesn’t mean you can’t train that muscle group with a different movement or piece of equipment.

The rack pull IS a fine exercise, but it’s not the only way to train your glutes, hamstrings, and back. In fact, it’s just one of the many amazing posterior chain exercises available.

So, don’t worry if you can’t do it or don’t like it; there are lots of equally effective exercises you can do instead.

Use any of these rack pull alternatives to develop your posterior chain safely and efficiently.

1- PubMed: Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: A systematic review and meta-analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33497853/

Patrick Dale is an ex-British Royal Marine, gym owner, and fitness qualifications tutor and assessor. In addition, Patrick is a freelance writer who has authored three fitness and exercise books, dozens of e-books, thousands of articles, and several fitness videos. He’s not just an armchair fitness expert; Patrick practices what he preaches! He has competed at a high level in numerous sports, including rugby, triathlon, rock climbing, trampolining, powerlifting, and, most recently, stand up paddleboarding. When not lecturing, training, researching, or writing, Patrick is busy enjoying the sunny climate of Cyprus, where he has lived for the last 20-years.

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