Any advice on power racks? (re: full vs half)

[ArizonaEli]

I've spoken to a couple of power lifters, and they all scoffed at the idea of a half rack. However, for the purposes of CF-type uses, I am having trouble justifying the price of a full rack. I need a chin bar, a squat rack and a weight bench for light to medium lifting -- it seems like a half rack would be good enough. Is there something I am missing?

Asking because 1) I am setting up a home gym, 2) I am a rookie when it comes to gym equipment, 3) I don't want to spend several hundred dollars on a half rack only to find out I missed something important and really needed a full rack (or vice versa, spend thousand(s) on a full rack and only need a half).

[cgc]

1. First thing I would REALLY recomend is reading some of the stickys. Second thing I would do is check the search feature up above as this topic has been talked about more times than I can count.

FAQ thread - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=113942001

Power rack thread - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=109657991

2. Craigslist is your friend....I paid $200 for my full rack...and I've seen other full racks go for less.

[yankeemarko1]

This will not end well...

[Jimbo.]

Well you can get a full rack brand new for 400-500, not thousands. Look at the Powertec rack or TDS from New York Barbell. There are others in that price range, Powertec is the most popular on these boards. A full rack is safer than a half rack, especially for squats. If you fail on a squat and are in a half rack there is a chance you could miss the safeties, but not in a full rack. Look at the FAQ sticky above, there is some good info there.

[desslok]

I just went through this same dilemma as you. Here is what I found:

1. Powertec half rack is $299, I found the full rack new for $350 cash.
2. The half rack has quite a bit bigger footprint than the full rack. Think about it, to support your weight when doing pullups , or if you have a weighted bar up high, it needs to have long support legs to keep it from tipping over from being top heavy.
3. I ended up finding a full rack for $249 on Craigslist, waiting for the guy to call me back, doesn't seem to be in a hurry to sell it.
4. Full rack has dip bars.
5. Somebody posted this with 3 videos to watch of failed squats, watch the videos down the page:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=124534431

[ArizonaEli]

1. First thing I would REALLY recomend is reading some of the stickys. Second thing I would do is check the search feature up above as this topic has been talked about.

Read them all, including Rippetoe's, none of them answered my specific question. I even read over 200 pages of home gym stuff (very few people have half racks though, which may be an answer in itself).

[ArizonaEli]

I just went through this same dilemma as you. Here is what I found:

1. Powertec half rack is $299, I found the full rack new for $350 cash.
2. The half rack has quite a bit bigger footprint than the full rack. Think about it, to support your weight when doing pullups , or if you have a weighted bar up high, it needs to have long support legs to keep it from tipping over from being top heavy.
3. I ended up finding a full rack for $249 on Craigslist, waiting for the guy to call me back, doesn't seem to be in a hurry to sell it.
4. Full rack has dip bars.
5. Somebody posted this with 3 videos to watch of failed squats, watch the videos down the page:

Thanks. I didn't realize that half racks don't save floor space (makes sense though). I'm not sure the fail squat would have ended any different with a half rack though -- since all of the people fell down/forward would not the half rack safety bars have caught them equally as well as a full rack?

Re: the craigslist stuff, I live in the Mohave desert with about all of 3 people in my county, buying anything heavy on craigslist means I have to rent a moving truck ($150) and drive 700 miles ($200 gas) -- I have yet to find a single craigslist seller that will bring their rack to me.

[cgc]

Thanks. I didn't realize that half racks don't save floor space (makes sense though). I'm not sure the fail squat would have ended any different with a half rack though -- since all of the people fell down/forward would not the half rack safety bars have caught them equally as well as a full rack?

Re: the craigslist stuff, I live in the Mohave desert with about all of 3 people in my county, buying anything heavy on craigslist means I have to rent a moving truck ($150) and drive 700 miles ($200 gas) -- I have yet to find a single craigslist seller that will bring their rack to me.

FYI...most racks are not THAT heavy. Unless you just don't have a truck (which sounds like the case, but not 100% sure), lifting/moving it isn't THAT bad. As long as you take your time and are careful unless it’s a commercial grade rack you should be able to move it IMO.

Full rack will be your best/safest bet...and if you can't find one used or don't have a way to pick it up that will not end up being more than buying new, you really don't have many options.

[desslok]

I'm not sure the fail squat would have ended any different with a half rack though -- since all of the people fell down/forward would not the half rack safety bars have caught them equally as well as a full rack? .

It will if you are in the right spot. You just don't have much of a margin of error, a few inches instead of feet. Also you need to be pretty close to the uprights, which may make you feel kind of "claustrophobic" for lack of better term(personal preference). Also I've heard people complain about the safetys on the half racks not going low enough to act as spotters for benching.

[ArizonaEli]

Also I've heard people complain about the safetys on the half racks not going low enough to act as spotters for benching.

I haven't heard that before. That is interesting to know, thanks.

[Kodokan]

Just an option for you...

http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/92565.html

An open top rack you can also use the same space for your overhead lifts...do squats, bench press, push-press, etc...

You will need to pick up a flat bench or an adjustable FID bench..

You can pick up a pair of rogue rings from roguefitness.com for your pullups, dips, crossfit stuff and hang them from your ceiling. And/or, pick up a ceiling or wall-mounted pull-up bar and put your rings over that and you have lots of versitile options.

If money is really tight, I would still recommend getting the rack now...then just do inverted rows or buy a doorway pullup bar until you have the extra for the ceiling mounted bar and/or rings.

I would skip the half rack for your home gym, in favor of a sumo rack for overhead stuff...for safety and down the road versitility.

[Wildtim]

Rent a moving truck for $150? Lowes and Home Depot both rent trucks that will be more than adaquat for less than $20 a half day, even ryder or u-hauls rent for less than $150. The distance is a problem though, however new isn't that expensive. For well under a thousand you can have a decently equiped gym mailed to you, complete with a full reck.

[TheRagingboxer]

Rent a moving truck for $150? Lowes and Home Depot both rent trucks that will be more than adaquat for less than $20 a half day, even ryder or u-hauls rent for less than $150. The distance is a problem though, however new isn't that expensive. For well under a thousand you can have a decently equiped gym mailed to you, complete with a full reck.

^ this. Had a full rack shipped to me, in which each piece of the rack was individually wrapped(powertec) and I dont think that It cost more then $699.00. It was a semi that delivered it though, so I hope you live in an area in which a semi can drop package off and get turned around at least.

[desslok]

I haven't heard that before. That is interesting to know, thanks.

Was reading about it here, go to post #38ish
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...2744661&page=2

[cgc]

Rent a moving truck for $150? Lowes and Home Depot both rent trucks that will be more than adaquat for less than $20 a half day, even ryder or u-hauls rent for less than $150. The distance is a problem though, however new isn't that expensive. For well under a thousand you can have a decently equiped gym mailed to you, complete with a full reck.

Those bastards at Home Depot told me it was $20 an hour when I had to pick up my daughter's crib.....$20 for half a day, I would have done...lol.

[dskoo65]

depends on the rack. i have fit 2 powertec power racks in my 09 corolla. of course that rack comes apart such that all the peices are straight.

[cgc]

Read them all, including Rippetoe's, none of them answered my specific question. I even read over 200 pages of home gym stuff (very few people have half racks though, which may be an answer in itself).

OP....considering you said I wasn't any help (the comment you left me when you were trying to neg me I assume )....I did a quick search on "half rack" in this section. I found a GREAT deal of information from people who have half racks and those who are in your similar position.

If you take the time and search the forums here (like I originally suggested) you would fine some solid answers.

[dskoo65]

ive said this before. the only half rack ive use and liked was the body solid multi press rack. safeties are plenty long for pressing and for squatting under most circumstances. ive seen failled squats on this rack, both forward and falling back. failing and moving forward the safeties will help you out. failing and going backward the safeties arent quite long enough, but in those fails ive seen the barbell made it to the ground before the lifter.

[Manzooka]

There’s no right answer here really, it’s just a question of what level of safety you’re willing to accept.

It's not that half racks are dangerous; it’s just that even a high-end half rack can’t offer you the same level of safety as any given full rack. Personally, when I'm saddled with heavy weight and find myself in crisis the last thing I want to do is take the time to worry about how I'm going to set the bar down right where it needs to be. And don't just assume that all of your squat or bench failures will end with slow controlled descents.

Just my 2 cents.

[tedsheckler]

Half racks are not as safe. If you're going to be working out alone, get a full cage.

If your knee gives out and face plant using a half rack, you're dead. In a cage you'll probably be OK.

[dskoo65]

Half racks are not as safe. If you're going to be working out alone, get a full cage.

If your knee gives out and face plant using a half rack, you're dead. In a cage you'll probably be OK.

i wouldnt quite say that. if you fail forward, any half rack w/ decent length safeties is going to save you. granted, some half racks have no safeties or very short ones, and id never squat on those.

[ArizonaEli]

Thanks to everyone that gave positive (eg. non-trolling) replies. I talked to Jim Wendler with EFS last night about half racks and he summed it up like this: "Brother, I would never put one of those things in my house."

So now to search for a full rack that is right for me.

[desslok]

So now to search for a full rack that is right for me.

Think about what you want with it, and where it is going to go in your house. For me it was very important for it to have a lat attachment. I was mainly looking at the Powertec and the Body Solid. I liked how the Powertec had the dip bars and pullup bar. I also liked the attachments that are available for the PTec bench. My wife works out with me so convenience for her is a big facor as well.

What I liked better about the Body Solid was that for the lat attachment, you can get a weight stack, which would freee up plates, and make it much easier for my wife to use. Only problem is price. The Body Solid with lat attachment and the weight stack retails for around $1400, compared to the P-Tec retailing for around $750 for the rack with lat. I ended up paying $200 on CL for the lat and $200 for the rack on CL.

I really like the Ironmaster bench, but what I didn't like about the Ironmaster lat attachment was that the high pulley was on one side, and the low was on the opposite side. Which would mean I would need to either have the rack 6 feet or so from the wall putting it in the middle of the garage, or totally reconfigure, and spin the bench around and move the lat attachment when I wanted to do rows or any low pulley exercises.

That's why I personally went with the P-tec. Hopefully that will get you thinking about what you actually want/need. Since sometimes you aren't sure what you want until you realize what you bought is lacking it. Good luck!

[ArizonaEli]

Hopefully that will get you thinking about what you actually want/need. Since sometimes you aren't sure what you want until you realize what you bought is lacking it. Good luck!

Thanks, and yes the biggest problem with this purchase is that I don't actually know what I want / need.

My original plan was to buy a pull-up / dip station + a weight bench set + a squat rack. It took about 5 minutes on the internet to figure out that a power rack could (potentially) replace all 3. But the more I looked into power racks, the more confusing the decision-making process got due to all the options and pricing differences.

I started re-reading the power-rack dedicated thread to try to find out if there is a functional difference between say, Rogues R-3, EFS Classic, and Power-Lifts Power Rack. Price range is anywhere from $700 (Rogue), $1000 (EFS) all the way to $3,299 (Power-Lift) and to me they seem to offer the exact same functionality -- but I am probably missing something?

[desslok]

they seem to offer the exact same functionality -- but I am probably missing something?

Well you kind of need to look at your goals, realistically. If your goals are modest, like you just want to put on some muscle and get toned and you know you will be happy at that pint then most racks are going to offer you the same functionality(j hooks and safety bars). If you think that you might get really into it and start powerlifting, etc, then some racks may offer benefits over others. Another thing, look carefully at all the details. Some come with 1" hole spacing in bench area, some have band pegs. The rogue you need to bolt to the floor, the EFS 2x2 is nice and you can get custom made to your liking but is 90" tall (would hit my garage door track), some also can handle crazy loads that I know I will never get close to realistically.