What would be lost in replacing conventional deadlifts with rackpulls?

[bulldog91]

I have a long torso and despite extensive efforts (seeing personal trainer, reading everything on the internet about proper deadlift technique, etc.), I still have a hard time keeping my back straight when I deadlift from the floor. I've reset the weight easily five times by this point and I still hit the same sticking point. I have heard that rackpulls might be a good replacement exercise for people with this problem. So my question is: if I were to replace deadlifts with rackpulls, would I be missing out on any benefits? I'm already doing squats, front squats, romanian deadlifts, hip thrusts, hamstring curls, shrugs, pull-ups, rows, and calf raises elsewhere in my program. I like what deadlifts do for my back; would rack-pulls give the same back gains, and would any bodypart end up neglected if I replaced deadlifts with rack pulls?

[gcoulson]

Tried sumo?

[Garage Rat]

So is your goal a bodybuilding one or general overall strength.
Doing a deadlift from the floor hits the quads,glutes and hamstrings hard at the first 1/3 of the movement.
After about half way up glutes and lumbars kick it more up to lockout.
If your bodybuilding i might suggest rack pulls slightly below the knees.
Frank Zane had a style he did with these.
He used a wider than shoulder width grip and focused mostly pulling with the back/lumbars.
With the wider grip you can also feel the lats and traps towards lockout.
This is a specific bodybuilding style and not meant to get you stronger in the deadlift but be more of a developer of muscle .It's a "feel" movement and it works well with lower weights and higher reps say 8-12 reps.

[bulldog91]

Never tried sumo, no.

I'm more interested in hypertrophy/aesthetics than I am in strength--I have no powerlifting goals. So sounds like I'd be fine dropping the deadlift for rack pulls to hit the lower back as long as I'm hitting the quads and hamstrings adequately in other exercises, then.

[SuffolkPunch]

Part of the range of motion is what would be lost. I believe that it's not healthy to train only in a shortened range of motion and it leads to knots, inflexibility and possible cramp/spasm

[FaIIen]

Post a form vid.

[IroncraftP]

Have you tried Sumo deadlifts? You are already pretty much in an upright position and may find that more suitable.

I do both, deadlifts and rackpulls. If you think about it, rackpulls only work the top part of the deadlift, the bottom part you are missing out completely. So the muscles involved at the bottom part of the lift won't be engaged.

You will get more traps etc from the shrugs. A deadlift is a compound movement, working multiple muscles to perform that one lift, like a squat would.

You don't need the deadlift for back development, but if you're physically capable then you should try to do them.

I don't particularly like doing them but I do them nevertheless. And I don't actually do them on back day.