Barbell High Pull
The barbell high pull is an explosive movement that combines a deadlift pull with a high elbow shrug, training the traps with heavy loads and speed. It is a power exercise used by athletes for upper-body explosiveness.
How to Perform
Set up as you would for a deadlift with a shoulder-width or slightly wider grip.
Drive through the floor and extend the hips explosively.
As the bar passes your waist, shrug hard and pull your elbows high — the bar should reach upper chest height.
Lower the bar under control back to the start position.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Pulling with the arms too early instead of waiting for the hip extension to generate momentum.
Rounding the lower back on the initial pull off the floor.
Not reaching full hip extension before the shrug, which limits power output.
Going too heavy and losing the explosive speed that makes this exercise effective.
Muscle Activation
Variations
Track your Barbell High Pull progress with Revy
Log your sets, see your strength gains over time, and get AI-powered recommendations to break through plateaus.