Rogue S-1/Power Cleans/Racks

[mcdodd]

Hello, this is my first post. I've been lurking for a while, and now I need some help.

For the last few months I've been doing a lot of research into buying a suitable rack (I bet you've not heard that before) for a very primitive but functional setup for my smallish first floor apartment. I'm one of the minority (or so it seems) on here that lives in the UK so my choice of gear is somewhat limited.

I started off looking at the Bodymax CF415, then stuff like the Powerline PPR200X which seems pretty popular. Ceiling in my apartment isn't that high, about 90", so even though I can fit something like a PPR200X in there, I'm still gonna bash my head doing chin ups. So I also recently got looking at the Rogue stuff, in particular the S-1 which seems really nice, solid, and their customer service is ace too. Costs a bit more for delivery from their EU store but it's do-able.

Do people even use these things in apartments? I intend to work through the Starting Strength programme and understand power cleans are are an important routine. Will the S-1 allow me to set the safeties low enough to rest the bar on so that the plates do not touch the floor, but still allow me to do the full motion of a power clean? I'm not really in a position where I can drop weights directly on the floor or even lower them (as demonstrated by Mark Rippetoe in his hilarious video) I've done a fair bit of googling around this and didn't seem to find much evidence that people use rack safeties at a low setting for power cleans. Is this proper use of the equipment?

Also, I've been looking at ebay for months and found nothing great. Not many people use Craigslist here in the UK. Plus, I don't have a car to collect used equipment anway, so it's gotta be new.

Any constructive help regarding anything I should be considering/is relevant to my situation, would be highly appreciated!

Mike,
Bristol, UK

[owasM]

Hello, this is my first post. I've been lurking for a while, and now I need some help.

For the last few months I've been doing a lot of research into buying a suitable rack (I bet you've not heard that before) for a very primitive but functional setup for my smallish first floor apartment. I'm one of the minority (or so it seems) on here that lives in the UK so my choice of gear is somewhat limited.

I started off looking at the Bodymax CF415, then stuff like the Powerline PPR200X which seems pretty popular. Ceiling in my apartment isn't that high, about 90", so even though I can fit something like a PPR200X in there, I'm still gonna bash my head doing chin ups. So I also recently got looking at the Rogue stuff, in particular the S-1 which seems really nice, solid, and their customer service is ace too. Costs a bit more for delivery from their EU store but it's do-able.

Do people even use these things in apartments? I intend to work through the Starting Strength programme and understand power cleans are are an important routine. Will the S-1 allow me to set the safeties low enough to rest the bar on so that the plates do not touch the floor, but still allow me to do the full motion of a power clean? I'm not really in a position where I can drop weights directly on the floor or even lower them (as demonstrated by Mark Rippetoe in his hilarious video) I've done a fair bit of googling around this and didn't seem to find much evidence that people use rack safeties at a low setting for power cleans. Is this proper use of the equipment?

Also, I've been looking at ebay for months and found nothing great. Not many people use Craigslist here in the UK. Plus, I don't have a car to collect used equipment anway, so it's gotta be new.

Any constructive help regarding anything I should be considering/is relevant to my situation, would be highly appreciated!

Mike,
Bristol, UK

i'm not sure about the rack,
but what ive done is put a stall mat down, with one rubber grass mats each side (1 large cut in half) and one playground mat a side , i literally let go of the bar at the top of the deadlift and i havnt cracked the brittle tiles underneath in my kitchen.

[BuckWyld]

Will the S-1 allow me to set the safeties low enough to rest the bar on so that the plates do not touch the floor, but still allow me to do the full motion of a power clean?

No, the lowest point for the safeties would probably be around knee level. I would also suggest bolting the S-1 to a piece of plywood, it isn't necessary but it works better if you do.

[Detrus]

You can't slam a barbell on safeties, it will bend. Putting it on safeties won't be any quieter than on protected floors, probably louder. Putting new rubber on floors in apartment will smell so use plywood or cardboard.

If people have bodymax and powerline in apartments you can have S-1 too. But sure it's rare and weird. If you have the space though, why not?

[TwoBitHit]

I'm thinking of buying the S-1 or S-2 for my apartment too, so I'm interested in what the responses are.

As a Bristolian, I'm wondering what kind of apartment you're living in, some of those Victorian ones are pretty solidly built.

[mcdodd]

I'm thinking of buying the S-1 or S-2 for my apartment too, so I'm interested in what the responses are.

As a Bristolian, I'm wondering what kind of apartment you're living in, some of those Victorian ones are pretty solidly built.

Thanks to those of you that have replied, any kind of contribution is valuable to a complete novice like me. You have good knowledge of the architecture round here! I do indeed live in a converted Victorian house (into two flats) and while they are pretty solid, I don't wanna go upsetting the guy that lives below.. I feel a bit limited by not being able to use the floor like most people do in their basements or garages. But what else can I do other than omit these types of lifts altogether, or like others have suggested lay down some kind of mats/protective floor covering..

[Accutron]

I would not do power-cleans. Do rows or dips or whatever else you want to do. I never do cleans and its perfectly fine.

PPR is 82" according to amazon, so it may be tight to 90" - worst case you can drill 4 holes and put the top bar in the front a bit lower. If you ever want to cover the holes you can get nice colored plastic grommets like they use for car rustproofing holes to cover any holes.

[mcdodd]

I would not do power-cleans. Do rows or dips or whatever else you want to do. I never do cleans and its perfectly fine.

PPR is 82" according to amazon, so it may be tight to 90" - worst case you can drill 4 holes and put the top bar in the front a bit lower. If you ever want to cover the holes you can get nice colored plastic grommets like they use for car rustproofing holes to cover any holes.

Thanks Accutron, I'm so beginner I just had to google the above excercises. Is there any reason you suggest leaving them out? I just figured I would try and stick to the programme as closely as I could. But I'm open to suggestions!
That's a great idea with the chin-up bar, I hadn't even considered that. Regarding my choice of rack, the S-1 with safeties would cost me £480 and the PPR200X £300, both including shipping. Which of these would you go for, in my position? Or is there any other solution you'd recommend?

[Accutron]

Thanks Accutron, I'm so beginner I just had to google the above excercises. Is there any reason you suggest leaving them out? I just figured I would try and stick to the programme as closely as I could. But I'm open to suggestions!
That's a great idea with the chin-up bar, I hadn't even considered that. Regarding my choice of rack, the S-1 with safeties would cost me £480 and the PPR200X £300, both including shipping. Which of these would you go for, in my position? Or is there any other solution you'd recommend?

The earlyl Staring Strength program (Onus Wunsler) did not have power cleans in it. Also the Jim Wendler 5/3/1 beginner program does not have cleans in it (EDIT - OOPS OKAY IT DID ALTERNATING), neither does the PP novice program. So instead of people struggling with cleans or if you live in an apartment or heritage home, just skip the power clean and do something which does not call for them...

http://www.jimwendler.com/2011/09/531-for-a-beginner/
Monday
Squat – 5/3/1 sets/reps
Bench – 55%x5, 65×5%, 75%x5
Assistance work

Wednesday
Deadlift – 5/3/1 sets/reps
Press – 5/3/1 sets/reps
Assistance work

Friday
Bench – 5/3/1 sets/reps
Squat – 55%x5, 65%x5, 75%x5
Assistance work

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wi...inner_Programs
Onus Wunsler Beginner Program (from SS):

Workout A
3x5 Squat
3x5 Press
1x5 Deadlift / 5x3 Power Cleans (Alternating)

Workout B
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press
3x10 or 5x10 Back Extensions (unweighted if progressing to GHR, weighted if not)
Chin-Ups: 3 sets to failure or add weight if completing more than 15 reps

Workouts A and B alternate on 3 non-consecutive days per week.


Practical Programming Novice Program:

Monday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench press / Press (Alternating)
Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure or add weight if completing more than 15 reps

Wednesday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Press / Bench Press (Alternating)
1x5 Deadlift

Friday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press / Press (Alternating)
Pull-ups: 3 sets to failure or add weight if completing more than 15 reps

S-1 stands are a beautiful and high quality product so you could be proud display/show it in your house, but its a stand and not a full power rack. However it doesnt have a chin-bar so that rules it out for me. So I would at least look at the S-2 stands...(for the chin bar)

PPR while perfectly serviceable is a cheaper quality product...myself I would go with the option PPR200X at £300 because of the height, its a full rack, has a chin bar, has safety bars, plus it costs less.

It is a tough choice though because the Rogue products are so nice...

[owasM]

at £480 i would not bother with the s1,
you can easily have the exact same thing with w.e extras you want for a lot less if you just go to a fabrication shop,
the desings simple enough to work from a sketch.

[mcdodd]

at £480 i would not bother with the s1,
you can easily have the exact same thing with w.e extras you want for a lot less if you just go to a fabrication shop,
the desings simple enough to work from a sketch.

Thanks guys, It's looking more like I will end up going with something like the PPR200X rather than the S-1, because I also need to buy a bench, bar and plates. I may invest in some rubber tiles or similar for the floor, which might allow me to do stuff outside the rack, but I'm still a little unsure about this. This whole thing seems like an absolute minefield but the sooner Starting Strength arrives and I get stuck into it, I'll hopefully feel a bit more confident about it all.