Having a squat rack inside your home gym will allow you to reach your fitness goals in no. Being able to work out any time you want is one of the biggest advantages to having a home gym. You can blast your favourite music and never have to worry if anyone is looking at you.
Choosing squat racks, power racks, and adjustable racks that are of excellent quality will make training easier for you. The cost upfront might be costly, but it eventually pays off by saving you from membership fees. Time is money, and working out from home is an excellent time saver.
Types of Squat Racks
The main purpose of a squat rack is help you make the most of your squats by adding weight in increments. Squat racks support the weight when you are doing different squat variations. The squat rack helps you attain the weight you may not achieve without assistance.
When you think of a squat rack, you're probably familiar with the big power cages that you see weightlifters using in the gym, but there are many more types of squat racks designed for a variety of users, and use cases!
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The squat stand is a unique lower body lift ideal for powerlifters, cross-fitters, and anyone working toward an ideal body shape. It assists in overall strength and also works as a lift. It will be your heaviest lift if you are squatting correctly.
The bar of the squat stand stays in position to assist you in making heavy lifts comfortably. It was created to meet different lifting needs and has evolved from there. The modern squat stands give you the flexibility to do other exercises.
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A half rack, which has two posts instead of four, is perfect if you only have a small area for your workout space. Less costly than the four-post rack, the half rack consists of a base, two vertical bars, and a top bar that combines them for safety purposes.
It can be used for bench presses, squats, lunges and barbell presses. You can also do pull-ups on the top bar. Ensure your half-rack has long enough safety arms. You will have enough room for catching the bar in case of a failing rep if the safety arms are long.
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A power rack is a vital piece of gym equipment that can help you do a variety of lifting exercises, including back and front squats, shoulder presses, deadlifts, heavy rows, and bench presses. It will allow you to rack the bar when doing the overhead presses and squats and will give you the confidence you need to do heavy lifts.
The power rack has an inbuilt pull-up bar to help in strengthening your arms, shoulders, and core. Available in several varieties at different price points, you can find one that fits your budget and has all the features you need. The power racks come with many optional attachments so you can modify it to fit your favourite workouts.
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A multi-rack is a squat rack that offers more exercises while taking up less space. It is perfect for squats, lunges, dead lifts, upright rows, and calf raises. Perfect for both solo and group workouts, the multi-rack is easily customizable and grow with you and your training needs.
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The functional rig is a modified workout station effective for suspension training, bodyweight exercise, and assault courses. The functional rig is a squat rack that offers natural movements at the core of each of your workouts. Perfect for beginners or advanced lifters, the functional rig can be used in personal or group training.
Featuring a wide array of equipment that targets every part of your body, the functional rig is great for circuit training. It provides you the means to do bodyweight exercises and cardio together through intensity interval training (HIIT).
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Perfect for small houses and apartments, a fold-away squat rack is perfect for small space. Folding flat against the wall, most are mounted with some of them available freestanding. Safety and quality are the two most important aspects when it comes to foldable squat racks. You should also look for one that provides versality to your workout.
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Squat Rack Features To Consider
When purchasing a squat rack, it is important to look at a few different areas, including versatility, safety, size, and storage options. You should look for a rack that has top of the line safety features as you may not always have a buddy working out with you. Measure the space you have for the rack and then choose one that fits. Some racks have storage options for plates and bars.
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The uprights on a squat stand are called supports, rails, and pins. These should be made of a strong material like steel so it will support the weights you are using.
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Squat racks are usually made of steel. High-quality ones usually use 11 gauge, which is durable enough for most home use. Commercial grade racks also use 11-gauge steel, so you can be reassured about durability. A 3" x 3" 11 gauge rack is likely to serve you the rest of your life.
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Some people look at the welding to see how well-made they are. A good weld will look like a stack of dimes in a row. One that is badly welded will look as though someone squirted toothpaste around the weld or may just be spot welded. High quality welds created by precision robots are more expensive but will provide miles better reliability compared to cheaper options.
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When purchasing a squat rack, be sure to look at the feet. The two best options are ones with flanges or ones with a flat foot rack. The racks with flanges will have holes for bolts to attach the rack to the floor or a secured lifting platform. This will keep your rack from tipping when not in use.
A flat foot rack has cross members at the bottom of each upright that are less than a foot apart. This creates a stable base for the rack and helps keep it from tipping. If the squat rack has any other type of feet, it isn't sturdy and won't provide you with a safe workout.
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Stick with a squat rack that has a weight capacity of 1,000 pounds. This is usually enough for most home gym users. If you are a more advanced and heavier lifter, look for a weight capacity of about 1,500 pounds.
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Squat racks sometimes feature pull-up handles or horizontal bars that allow you to do pull-ups. Check and see if there is enough room above the squat and bench rack to finish a full pull-up motion. You don't want your head to hit the ceiling when you are working out. Make sure the handles have a good texture to ensure you have comfortable grip positions.
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Band Pegs are small pegs at the top and bottom of the rack where you attach the power bands. These give you more versatility when lifting. Fastening the band to the bar from the bottom allows you to experience increasing resistance when you come further up from a squat. Attaching the bands down from the top bars will let you experience various pushing and pulling motions, and you can do resistance floor work if the pegs are located flush with the floor.
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The short vertical shafts near the back of the rack will let you store the barbells safely while keeping them close for accessibility.
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Weight plate storage is included with most power and half racks. If not, most manufacturers will allow you to add it separately. Ensure adequate storage space for additional accessories you will require during training. Some squat racks have customized arms and hooks for storing several plates. An outward angled plate storage can be helpful if you plan to put several lifting racks in a row and keeps you from having to squeeze between two racks when loading and unloading.
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The uprights of your pull-up bar squat rack have visible holes. Check to see how the holes are created, along with the spacing and the size. The holes on heavy gauge steel are made using two methods. The preferred type of hole is one created by a laser, but some are made by a press. When made with a press, the uprights are often curved, and the holes are ragged.
Cutting the holes using laser leaves the adjacent uprights undestroyed, which allows you to have an excellent training experience. Be sure to check the size of the holes so you can be sure all your accessories will be compatible.
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Inspect the J-Hooks carefully to make sure they are high enough to support the drop of a heavy bar. If the squat Rack of your choice comes with the J-Hooks, it is worth inspecting them carefully. The J-Hooks should be high to support the drop of a heavy bar excellently. Make sure your J-Hooks have a plastic insert. This is gentle on the bar and helps keep it in good condition for a longer period of time.
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Make sure your rack comes with safety pins, arms, and straps. This will keep you safe and comfortable throughout your whole workout. Safety pins can be ordered separately if needed. The safety bar should perfectly support the drop of a heavy bar. Ensure that the steel is thick. It should have a plastic insert on the top to ensure the bars stay safe when dropped.
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Squat racks often include the dip attachment, step platform, and core plate. Adding attachments will add a variety of workouts to your lifting zone.
Choosing A Squat Rack
We've covered the types of racks and the various features you should consider, the last piece is deciding on a budget and which model suits your specific needs.
A squat rack is an important piece of equipment for a home gym, but you don't want to spend more than you can afford. Decide which features are most important to you and look for the safest and most durable rack at that price point.
Luckily we've filtered out some of our most popular models based on our customer feedback. Check them out below.
