The Rack Workout Station Review

[Jetigen]

Yesterday I had a chance to use The Rack Workout Station at work. I really liked this versatile dip station. It's lightweight, compact, sturdy, stable and foldable. The Rack is a perfect companion to a doorway pull-up bar. I think it's a good piece of equipment if space is really tight and also for office environment where you can "deploy" the rack and make it disappear in no time. I read few threads here where it's dismissed as a junk by people who have never owned or even tried the rack. It even made it to the "Workout Equipment Hall Of Shame" thread. I find it to be far from the truth. BTW, amazon reviews are highly favorable for this product.

The rack is about 25" wide, 15" deep and 34" high. The round tubing is 1.5" in diameter. The dip handles are about 1.75" thick. The frame parts are welded and kept together by bolts and nuts. It seems to be pretty heavy duty for home use. This is a pro version and weighs about 30 pounds.

It's sold on amazon for $110 with $39 shipping:
http://www.amazon.com/PowerPortLA-LL...all+in+one+gym


Here is the link to the company site: http://www.rackworkout.com/
My understanding it's more expensive to buy directly from them. Other online retailers might have it cheaper.


Here are few pictures of the rack station:











Variety of grips for push-ups




When folded the rack can be used as ab wheel as it has wheels (obviously)

[Jetigen]

I really liked the thickness and overall feel of the dip handles. Very comfortable.






Here are the close-ups of the frame:

[daniel327]

I read few threads here where it's dismissed as a junk by people who have never owned or even tried the rack. It even made it to the Hall of Shame thread

I don't have to drive a Yugo to know it's a POS.

This^^^^

[Northernmoris]

How's the shake weight compare?

[mr. strength]

Something tells me the OP also has a unicycle

[trimble006]

This you OP?!



poverty paintshop...

[supmannn]

In all seriousness it could be useful for dips if you really really really don't have space for one of those cheapish pull up/dip towers, and you're short enough that your feet don't bottom out on the ground.

(assuming that it won't fall apart within a month, but to be honest I don't see it standing up to big dudes for any amount of time)

[qaz123]

Welds actually look pretty good and they use 6mm plate and commercial quality pop pins.

[Jetigen]

In all seriousness it could be useful for dips if you really really really don't have space for one of those cheapish pull up/dip towers, and you're short enough that your feet don't bottom out on the ground.

I am 6' and had no problem doing dips on it. Actually I liked the rack more than my Pull-up/Dip tower. One thing you can't really do on it is weighted dips.

(assuming that it won't fall apart within a month, but to be honest I don't see it standing up to big dudes for any amount of time)

This thing is pretty heavy duty. Now doubt it can handle considerable load. I think the rack is good for people who like bodyweight workouts and for situations where space is really limited.

[swimmer32]

I think it's a good piece of equipment

I never expected to see these works in the thread.

Good review OP. It does look a little more sturdy than I thought it would be.

[Jetigen]

Welds actually look pretty good and they use 6mm plate and commercial quality pop pins.

That's what surprised me when I first saw it upclose. This thing is made to last. I wonder if the company behind the rack is hurting itself by releasing traditional cheap infomercials.

[super_tactical]

The Rack is legit.


I put on tons of lean mass when I started using it.

[ProtienandIron]

That's what surprised me when I first saw it upclose. This thing is made to last. I wonder if the company behind the rack is hurting itself by releasing traditional cheap infomercials.

Thats why it ended up in the hall of shame. As far as effectiveness goes, its equivilent to things like pushup handles, dorrway chin bars, lifeline cables etc. which are just compact solutions to gym equipment. Nothing wrong with that, I have bought, used and got results from all of the above. But when you bring out informertials with contrived exercises touting it like its the secret to your success- thats when people need to know the real story:

Its a dip frame. You CAN curl it...in the same way you CAN curl a bunch of bananas, but ultimatly its just a dip frame. You CAN do pushups off it, but all you will do is lower the resistance...because its really just a dip frame. Its just a dip frame.....Its just a dipframe...that you can't do weighted dips from.

....but its still a dip frame.

....that looks like an old ladys walker.


....but its a dip frame.

[ironwill2008]

To anyone who's thinking of buying one of those things new, just wait a few more months, and they should start showing up at flea markets and yard sales for just a few dollars, along with some of the other TV stuff that gets bought, used a couple of times, and then discarded because the user didn't become jacked (like he was led to believe by the infomercial) in 30 days.


The proof of value of any piece of equipment is in the results obtained. Other than words in print, I haven't seen any except for the paid actor/athletes used in the infomercials, and I tend to be somewhat...skeptical. KWIM?

[Jetigen]

To anyone who's thinking of buying one of those things new, just wait a few more months, and they should start showing up at flea markets and yard sales for just a few dollars, along with some of the other TV stuff that gets bought, used a couple of times, and then discarded because the user didn't become jacked (like he was led to believe by the infomercial) in 30 days.

This thing has been around since 2010. Not seeing it on craiglist or at flea markets.

The proof of value of any piece of equipment is in the results obtained.

Not everybody into iron and real gyms. Ask any gymnast about bench press and see their reaction. And those guys are very strong. IMO the rack is for people who like bodyweight training like calisthenics guys. No doubt it can bring good results.

Elite gymnast and member of the U.S. Olympic team (he won silver and bronze in Bejiing Olympics), Jonathan Horton on weight training and bench pressing:

[ironwill2008]

This thing has been around since 2010. Not seeing it on craiglist or at flea markets.

That tells me they haven't sold many.

Not everybody into iron and real gyms.

You've got that right.

[ProtienandIron]

Not everybody into iron and real gyms. Ask any gymnast about bench press and see their reaction. And those guys are very strong. IMO the rack is for people who like bodyweight training like calisthenics guys. No doubt it can bring good results.

I am sure this is a major missconception on gymnasts that was spread by Chris Sommer prior to the sales of his book. Most olympic gymnasts use weights, in the same way basketball players and every other uses them.

[Jetigen]

Most olympic gymnasts use weights, in the same way basketball players and every other uses them.

Jonathan Horton and his coach disagree with you.

From the video (starts at 0:40) :

Weight training is not something that we do at all. I've never done it.

[Squeebo]

Finally I can do pushups again. I was about to resort to doing them off the floor like some savage.

[ProtienandIron]

Jonathan Horton and his coach disagree with you.

Not the first and won't be the last....no two coaches are the same, the same way no two athletes are the same. There was a time when boxers were told that weights would make them bulky and slow. Times change, and methods change.

You seem to be missing the point on this, no one is disscounting bodyweight exercise, just the marketing and hype of this thing.

[Jetigen]

You seem to be missing the point on this, no one is disscounting bodyweight exercise, just the marketing and hype of this thing.

I get your point. Actually I enjoy discussions with reasonable people like you are. I guess that's the only reason I am still around.

[ProtienandIron]

Its just a forum mate. Even when it seems like someone is having a go at you on here, they really aren't, they're just trying to get a point across.

[SDSammy]

looks like an old ladys walker.


....but its a dip frame.

Ironically, last year I paid around the same for my body solid dip station.


I checked out "The Rack“ at Dick's Sporting Good and was not even remotely impressed. It had some wobble to it plus it's so low that I feared I'd bump my knees on the ground.

However, I had no idea I could do power squats with it. I wouldn't have purchased my squat rack had I known. :-P

[twodog]

I checked out "The Rack“ at Dick's Sporting Good and was not even remotely impressed. It had some wobble to it plus it's so low that I feared I'd bump my knees on the ground.

Jonathon Horton wouldn't have the problem of hitting his knee's on the ground as he's only 5'2" tall. Maybe he needs a spot to get on to it, lol.

[Wildtim]

This thing has been around since 2010. Not seeing it on craiglist or at flea markets.

Its on clearance sale at both stores that carry it near me they can't even sell all they have. Its far overpriced for what you get.

[Jetigen]

Its on clearance sale at both stores that carry it near me they can't even sell all they have.

Which stores? Dick's Sporting Goods? I am interested in buying it.

[Stasher1]

It's sold on amazon for $110 with $39 shipping:
http://www.amazon.com/PowerPortLA-LL...all+in+one+gym

When folded the rack can be used as ab wheel as it has wheels (obviously)

....but its still a dip frame.

....that looks like an old ladys walker.

Folding walker, $36 shipped: http://www.amazon.com/Ez2care-Classi...folding+walker

Ab wheel, $10 shipped: http://www.amazon.com/Champion-MSABW...words=ab+wheel


I'm sorry, but I just don't see where the extra $100 went...

[Jetigen]

Folding walker, $36 shipped
Ab wheel, $10 shipped

I'm sorry, but I just don't see where the extra $100 went...

Folding walker is not a dip station, is it?

Try this:

Above mentioned Body Solid dip station - $191.77, shipped free. http://www.amazon.com/Body-Solid-GDI...ds=dip+station

Ab wheel, $10 shipped: http://www.amazon.com/Champion-MSABW...words=ab+wheel

[Stasher1]

The only things that seperates the two products (The Rack and the folding walker) is marketing. Show a 70yr old man a pic of The Rack and ask him what it is. You'll likely hear the word "walker" come out of his mouth.

[daniel327]

Show a 70yr old man a pic of The Rack and ask him what it is. You'll likely hear the word "POS" come out of his mouth.

Fixed.