Exercise movement reviewed by:Cody Lockling, MS, CSCS

How Iridium Programs This

Iridium categorizes this as a high-velocity power movement and checks your sleep-based recovery score to ensure you have the systemic energy for explosive output. Since the lift targets both the posterior chain and upper back, Iridium splits the volume credit across your glutes, hamstrings, and traps to prevent accumulating excessive fatigue in those individual muscle groups.

Form Cues

Stand with feet wider than shoulders and toes pointed out
Grasp the bar with a narrow grip inside your knees
Drive explosively through your heels to extend hips and knees
Shrug shoulders and pull elbows high as hips reach full extension
Keep the bar close to your body throughout the lift

Don't

Don't round your lower back during the setup or pull
Don't pull with your arms before your hips are fully extended
Don't let your elbows drop below your wrists at the top
Don't hyperextend your lower back at the top of the movement
Don't perform this movement slowly; keep it explosive

Common Mistakes

Pulling early with the arms
Rounding the lumbar spine
Stance too narrow
Bar drifting away from body
Lack of explosive hip drive

Muscles Worked

This exercise is a true total-body power builder that generates force from the ground up, primarily engaging the glutes and hamstrings through the explosive hip hinge. As the momentum transfers to the upper body, the upper trapezius, rhomboids, and posterior deltoids contract forcefully to pull the weight high, effectively developing the upper back muscles.