Rack Deads More Difficult Than Full DL?

I did rack deadlifts with the bar 3-4 in below the bottom of my knee for the first time and I couldn’t get as much weight up as I can typically with deadlifts. Is this uncommon? If it is, does it suggests a weakness. If so, what weakness is that?

this is very common. starting from the floor gives you momentum to get through this “dead spot”. i find that if you are going to do elevated deads, mid shin is the best place to do them. they teach you to strain.

everyone is weak there.

Yes, they are harder because you don’t get leg drive (at least if you do them right). They are great for building lower back strength.

I noticed the lower back thing lol… All I want to do is sit or lie down atm.

For myself i have found that pulling from my dead spot in the rack realy works the hell out of my hips.And im starting to get big carryover to the floor.

[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
this is very common. starting from the floor gives you momentum to get through this “dead spot”. i find that if you are going to do elevated deads, mid shin is the best place to do them. they teach you to strain.

everyone is weak there. [/quote]

Any particular reason why? Bad leveage or whatnot?

Also, meat, you’re the best; your log(s) are awesome.

/Nuthug and derail

[quote]A Ninny Mouse wrote:

[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
this is very common. starting from the floor gives you momentum to get through this “dead spot”. i find that if you are going to do elevated deads, mid shin is the best place to do them. they teach you to strain.

everyone is weak there. [/quote]

Any particular reason why? Bad leveage or whatnot?

Also, meat, you’re the best; your log(s) are awesome.

/Nuthug and derail[/quote]

like Wild Iron said, you don’t have that initial leg drive to get the bar moving. it basically becomes a lower back movement at that point.

thanks hoss!!

[quote]A Ninny Mouse wrote:

[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
this is very common. starting from the floor gives you momentum to get through this “dead spot”. i find that if you are going to do elevated deads, mid shin is the best place to do them. they teach you to strain.

everyone is weak there. [/quote]

Any particular reason why? Bad leveage or whatnot?

Also, meat, you’re the best; your log(s) are awesome.

/Nuthug and derail[/quote]

like Wild Iron said, you don’t have that initial leg drive to get the bar moving. it basically becomes a lower back movement at that point.

thanks hoss!!

I’ve noticed the same thing…I’m glad you asked, and the answers from the others on here make sense.

Rack pulls can help expose your weakpoints in the movement. This might be what has happened in your case.

Also, as others have said, if you’re strong off the floor, you’re losing the momentum there. I’ve normally had a stronger lockout than initial rip, which probably explains why my problem has been the opposite of yours.

Usually, if I can break the ground I can make the lift, but I was having even more difficulty breaking the pins on these rack pulls then the floor. I guess it’s just that crazy middish-shin area.

[quote]maraudermeat wrote:

[quote]A Ninny Mouse wrote:

[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
this is very common. starting from the floor gives you momentum to get through this “dead spot”. i find that if you are going to do elevated deads, mid shin is the best place to do them. they teach you to strain.

everyone is weak there. [/quote]

Any particular reason why? Bad leveage or whatnot?

Also, meat, you’re the best; your log(s) are awesome.

/Nuthug and derail[/quote]

like Wild Iron said, you don’t have that initial leg drive to get the bar moving. it basically becomes a lower back movement at that point.

thanks hoss!![/quote]

ARGLEBARGLE

Sorry for asking an unnecessary question. I totaly missed Wild_Iron_Gym’s response.

Thanks for answering though!

if you move your feet forward, almost in front of the bar, it will give you better leverage, you’ll be able to pull back like in a deadlift instead of straight up and down. still hammers the back, but you’ll be able to use a lot more weight.

[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
Usually, if I can break the ground I can make the lift, but I was having even more difficulty breaking the pins on these rack pulls then the floor. I guess it’s just that crazy middish-shin area.[/quote]

I’ve had the exact same experience. Whatever I can break 2 inches off the ground I can lockout, but mid shin rack pulls feel almost immovable.

I must be weird then cause I can lift much more from that height than from the floor. I am talking a difference of up to 75Lbs. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? I would appreciate the advice.

its the same for me (rich44). I can pull 700 lbs from below the knees and have only hit 540 from the floor. That is what you call a big difference.

its probably because your deadlift form from the floor needs work. Thats my reasoning for my own problem anywayz.

OP, i’ve got the same issue. Going from just above the kneecap, I could barely get up on rack pulls what I would consider a working set for deadlifts. Weak lower back, or lack of momentum probably.

Are there safety concerns with rack deads that are greater than for floor pulls? I’m asking cause just recently I had a real mild groin pull from doing them. I’ve been reading about keeping the groin safe and mostly I saw a few basic mobility and keep the adductors strong kind of stuff. Does anyone have any additional input?

[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
Usually, if I can break the ground I can make the lift, but I was having even more difficulty breaking the pins on these rack pulls then the floor. I guess it’s just that crazy middish-shin area.[/quote]

Try pulling off blocks.