Deadlifts.....How much do you lose by

[stfuhr]

starting on the lowest setting on a cage vs. lifting from the floor?

No Excuses, I just don't do them right now but I want to. I'm 6'5" and have a bit of trouble keeping good form from the floor. The lowest pin helps me keep form, but how much of the total benefit would I lose by using the rack?

 

[combat_action]

Yeah, their called rack deadlifts. You're supposed to set the bar about knee level in the cage. I love them and use them as a primary back thickness exercise. It allows you to go way heavier. The only difference is that it takes away from some of the leg and lower back work that floor deadlifts use. If you can't do floor deads then don't risk it.

 

[riverrock]

Yeah, their called rack deadlifts. You're supposed to set the bar about knee level in the cage. I love them and use them as a primary back thickness exercise. It allows you to go way heavier. The only difference is that it takes away from some of the leg and lower back work that floor deadlifts use. If you can't do floor deads then don't risk it.

Here's your answer..... This man knows his exercises.

 

[b fold the truth]

Rack Pulls can and ARE supposed to be done from all levels in the rack. I do them about once a month, normally from pretty deep. Pulling from a deep position helps the full pull the most (for me anyway).

You can pull from the floor. Some of the best pullers in the world are tall people. Just work at it. It might help you to get the bar farther out in front of you....just play with it.

B True

 

[Silvertide]

Rack pulls are good for increasing strength, although I personally don't think they are a worthy replacement for the deadlift. To say that you break form from the floor just means that your form isn't proper--being tall is no excuse. I'd suggest a sumo stance since that tends to suit taller people much better.

 

[Fast Twitch Fiber]

As a powerlifter I've done all levels of rack pulls. If you aren't competing in the deadlift then you should get plenty out of using the lowest setting as long at it isn't up too high. When you start with the bat up high you are making it more of an upper back exercise. The bottom of the lift is all quads, hams, glutes, and spinal erectors. So for each notch higher on the rack you are changing which muscles are hit the hardest. If your rack has a lot of different levels you should be ok.

 

[Madcow2]

I'm guessing you are weak from the floor and strong through lockout after you get to the knees. You can do some rack pulls if you want but I'd make every effort possible to learn to pull from the floor correctly or develop the necessary strength and flexability to allow you to do it. If flexability isn't the issue and it's strength off the floor, stand on a set of 45's and practice from below floor level (you can also use smaller diameter 35lbs plates or a wider grip like the snatch if you'd prefer).

 

[stfuhr]

Thanks to all for the great advice. I just need to bite the bullet and pull from the floor. I hope my ego can take the wimpy weights I will need to use to keep form. I think I will work on pulling from below floor by standing on a box I have an using smaller plates like madcow suggested, and will incorporate rack pulls only once in a while.

 

[MsBeverlyHills]

starting on the lowest setting on a cage vs. lifting from the floor?

No Excuses, I just don't do them right now but I want to. I'm 6'5" and have a bit of trouble keeping good form from the floor. The lowest pin helps me keep form, but how much of the total benefit would I lose by using the rack?

The benefit of deadlifting off the rack is that you can pull much heavier poundages, but the downside is you can easily overtrain yourlower back because of that. You really take the hams/glutes out of the lift as opposed to lifting off the floor.

 

[rbtrout]

When I started deadlifting, I used only 25#ers on the bar to keep it as low as possible. This helped me get stronger out of the hole and now it's less of a problem.

 

[stfuhr]

Thank you all for your great responses. This is all great info that I will be able to incorporate into my workouts.