The Official Power Rack Thread - August 2010 version

[a7stringkilla]

yeah, as soon as he said it was made of wood. I wasnt interested. The photo is so bad I thought it was some sort of DynaBody rack. I was looking for J-hooks and couldnt see them.
I just found a used (in very good shape) Cybex 5420 cage for just under 300 bucks so I am a happy camper.

The Cybex is a great rack for 300 bucks! Here is a little tip in case you havent thought of it already. Ive heard people complain that the hooks dont go low enough to do floor presses, but if you remove the side of the j-hook, you can use them in the front and on the lowest hole. I have this rack and its very safe to use this way.

[robgr]

The Cybex is a great rack for 300 bucks! Here is a little tip in case you havent thought of it already. Ive heard people complain that the hooks dont go low enough to do floor presses, but if you remove the side of the j-hook, you can use them in the front and on the lowest hole. I have this rack and its very safe to use this way.

Hey thanks! That was one thing that bothered me. But since im 6'9" this was the only cage that was tall enough for me. I went to a used fitness equipment warehouse. 50,000 square feet of nothing but benches, rowers, bikes, bars, cages, racks,etc. It was crazy. They have used oly 7ft bars for $25 and new bars for $125. I also got a new Maxicam 0-90 degree benth for just over 225. I could not believe that this place existed. I was the only customer in the whole place. They usually sell only to gyms and schools.
Everything they sell is the heavy duty commercial stuff.

[benbabaganoosh]

Hey thanks! That was one thing that bothered me. But since im 6'9" this was the only cage that was tall enough for me. I went to a used fitness equipment warehouse. 50,000 square feet of nothing but benches, rowers, bikes, bars, cages, racks,etc. It was crazy. They have used oly 7ft bars for $25 and new bars for $125. I also got a new Maxicam 0-90 degree benth for just over 225. I could not believe that this place existed. I was the only customer in the whole place. They usually sell only to gyms and schools.
Everything they sell is the heavy duty commercial stuff.

Where is this place?

[vTorresv]

Hello guys, can anyone recommend me a power rack up to the £300 Mark from the uk? Thanks

[a7stringkilla]

Hey thanks! That was one thing that bothered me. But since im 6'9" this was the only cage that was tall enough for me. I went to a used fitness equipment warehouse. 50,000 square feet of nothing but benches, rowers, bikes, bars, cages, racks,etc. It was crazy. They have used oly 7ft bars for $25 and new bars for $125. I also got a new Maxicam 0-90 degree benth for just over 225. I could not believe that this place existed. I was the only customer in the whole place. They usually sell only to gyms and schools.
Everything they sell is the heavy duty commercial stuff.

Dude, where is this place?

[robgr]

globalfitness.com
Their website kinda sucks and you need to call to get prices and since they move so much equipment. What you see in their website might not be there.
I discovered that there are 5 similar companies in L.A. All can be googled.

[jprockjr]

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/hab/2523972681.html

[benbabaganoosh]

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/hab/2523972681.html

How many of you people have lat attachments use them? Srs, what's so special about them? The weight goes up to about 200 even in commercial gyms, for most of us that's about body weight. Wouldn't it be better to have a more solid rack and use a belt that plates could be attached to for real pullups?
aware me

[Cpl.Girthington]

How many of you people have lat attachments use them? Srs, what's so special about them? The weight goes up to about 200 even in commercial gyms, for most of us that's about body weight. Wouldn't it be better to have a more solid rack and use a belt that plates could be attached to for real pullups?
aware me

I use my lat pulldown as a high cable attachment. Triceps pressdowns, body pullovers, hercules curls, single hand lat pulldown, there are a lot of uses for a high cable. I think of it as a unilateral cable crossover tower. Lots of these home models have low cable attachments, low cable exercises are more numerous than high cable.

[FOOFAC]

How many of you people have lat attachments use them? Srs, what's so special about them? The weight goes up to about 200 even in commercial gyms, for most of us that's about body weight. Wouldn't it be better to have a more solid rack and use a belt that plates could be attached to for real pullups?
aware me

Yes!
I did pulldowns for years but didn't develop a set of bat wings until I started doing weighted chins. My new home gym doesn't even have a pulldown machine because to me it is worthless. On the same note an overhead pulley is very useful for other exercises but pulldowns are a waste of time.

[FOOFAC]

My Louie Simmons Combo Cage and Legend Fitness PRO SERIES Self-Adjusting Three-Way bench.
I love being able to set the safeties to exactly the right height with the 41 adjustments and the sumo stance and band pegs are sweet!
Louie says they have dropped 1100 lbs in it without bending or breaking anything...I'll be a couple of weeks before I'm up to 1100 lbs. lol




http://www.legendfitness.com/product...cage_3230.aspx
http://www.legendfit[ATTACH=CONFIG]3...-way_3222.aspx

[ProudMarineDad]

Awesome set up there Foo.

[robgr]

FOO, that is crazy! Lots-O-money in t hat room. Very Cool!

Hey, I found this really nice Power Rack Wiki. Its pretty cool. Not all of the options are correct or the prices. But its damn near. Its a good jumping off point to see whats out there. Its not a complete listing of racks but it's close.

http://bodybuilding.wikkii.com/wiki/Power_Racks

[passat25]

globalfitness.com
Their website kinda sucks and you need to call to get prices and since they move so much equipment. What you see in their website might not be there.
I discovered that there are 5 similar companies in L.A. All can be googled.

Thanks for the site...

[schmack]

thinking about buying a power rack. Looked on CL and I see a few with olympic plates, olympic bar and lots of attachment already for about 800 bucks. What you guys think. Not sure of model for second link but the first one is the nautilus NT1200

http://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/spo/2574192554.html

http://worcester.craigslist.org/spo/2581333867.html

[KBKB]

thinking about buying a power rack. Looked on CL and I see a few with olympic plates, olympic bar and lots of attachment already for about 800 bucks. What you guys think. Not sure of model for second link but the first one is the nautilus NT1200

http://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/spo/2574192554.html

http://worcester.craigslist.org/spo/2581333867.html

Hey, on that first one, see http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...6969403&page=1

(He made a post here asking how much to sell it for!)

Looks like a fair deal for that first one. Second one might be okay too, but it's hard to tell from that picture.

[schmack]

Hey, on that first one, see http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...6969403&page=1

(He made a post here asking how much to sell it for!)

Looks like a fair deal for that first one. Second one might be okay too, but it's hard to tell from that picture.

LOL that's some funny $hit right there. I was gonna ask 700 but looks like he is parting it out?

[robgr]

So I ended up buying a TDS ( new york barbell) 96" 3x3" power cage. Took me 4hrs to install and it took some some elbow grease to get it put together. All due to the weight of the material. This cage is INSANELY solid. It 2x more solid than my old gym's Cybex cage and that was really nice. I also opted to get the optional weight rack and I can tell you that there is no problem loading up the rack 45lb plates on all of the pegs and still do a bench press with 45lb plates. The pull up bar is about the same diameter as an Oly bar which is nice. I did some kipping pull ups and there was no movement of the cage. I am 6'9" and over 200lbs so if I couldnt move it, well theres your answer.
I got the bench from a used fitness equipment store for $125. The weights are mainly Hi-temp wieghts because I do crossfit too. I got the bar (new) from the same used fitness equipment store for $80.

So now I can do bench, and military press right next to my drill press.
My next aquisitions will be a GHD and a C2 P4 rower.
yes, the cage is about 1ft taller than my hang down storage platform but I have about 1 ft space from the front uprights so I have no problem with intereference with it and I do my standing shoulder presses inside the cage with about 4" of clearance from the top cross beams so everything works for me. Damn, I am so happy that I spent my money well. It could of easily went the other way.
Space is tight in the garage but I make it work.

[RandyMcdonald]

So I ended up buying a TDS ( new york barbell) 96" 3x3" power cage. Took me 4hrs to install and it took some some elbow grease to get it put together. All due to the weight of the material. This cage is INSANELY solid. It 2x more solid than my old gym's Cybex cage and that was really nice. I also opted to get the optional weight rack and I can tell you that there is no problem loading up the rack 45lb plates on all of the pegs and still do a bench press with 45lb plates. The pull up bar is about the same diameter as an Oly bar which is nice. I did some kipping pull ups and there was no movement of the cage. I am 6'9" and over 200lbs so if I couldnt move it, well theres your answer.
I got the bench from a used fitness equipment store for $125. The weights are mainly Hi-temp wieghts because I do crossfit too. I got the bar (new) from the same used fitness equipment store for $80.

So now I can do bench, and military press right next to my drill press.
My next aquisitions will be a GHD and a C2 P4 rower.
yes, the cage is about 1ft taller than my hang down storage platform but I have about 1 ft space from the front uprights so I have no problem with intereference with it and I do my standing shoulder presses inside the cage with about 4" of clearance from the top cross beams so everything works for me. Damn, I am so happy that I spent my money well. It could of easily went the other way.
Space is tight in the garage but I make it work.
\

Nice looking! Do you know the gauge or thickness of the metal on your TDS rack?

[robgr]

11 guage

[virtualtime777]

Does anyone know all of difference between a multi-rack and a power rack? From what I can tell, the only difference is the power rack is a full cage, and the multi-rack is open at the top. From anyone with more rack knowledge, what are the pros and cons of both types of racks?

Specifically, if you could get either the Power Lift multi-rack or power rack, which would you get and why?

I can't post links, but if you goto the Power Lift website, you can see the pictures/differences.

[ProudMarineDad]

http://bodybuilding.wikkii.com/wiki/Power_Racks

I was looking at this chart and noticed the Powerline/BodySolid line lists the hole spacing as 3". I measured my old BodySolid rack and it was 2" from the bottom of one hole to the top of the one below it. Have they changed the spacing or am I not measuring it correctly? The reason I ask is I have the BodyCraft F320 bench and impressed with quality. If I ever replaced my rack, I might buy the Bodycraft rack because the place that I got the bench, can get me a rack. The Bodycraft is listed as 2" spacing.

If the spacing is the same, I probably wouldn't buy the Bodycraft rack. I want my next rack to have less space between the holes than I currently have.

[KBKB]

http://bodybuilding.wikkii.com/wiki/Power_Racks

I was looking at this chart and noticed the Powerline/BodySolid line lists the hole spacing as 3". I measured my old BodySolid rack and it was 2" from the bottom of one hole to the top of the one below it. Have they changed the spacing or am I not measuring it correctly?

If the holes are 1" in diameter, the 3" center-to-center hole spacing works out the same as 2" from the top of one hole to the bottom of the next one up. (You need to measure between top-to-top or bottom-to-bottom. Both of these work out to be the same as center-to-center. You can measure center-to-center too if you can - it's just that it's sometimes hard to know precisely where the center is.)

[ProudMarineDad]

If the holes are 1" in diameter, the 3" center-to-center hole spacing works out the same as 2" from the top of one hole to the bottom of the next one up. (You need to measure between top-to-top or bottom-to-bottom. Both of these work out to be the same as center-to-center. You can measure center-to-center too if you can - it's just that it's sometimes hard to know precisely where the center is.)

Ok, thanks will take a look at it. I like the looks of either an EFS, Texas Strength, or Rogue better than the BodyCraft but being able to get one local is the main reason. Will be a while before I get one anyway but was curious about the measurements.

[Kodokan]

http://www.roguefitness.com/westside-bench.php

Rogue just came out with a power-rack bench. Still, a tough price point considering you can have a full rack for this and then some, but a couple hundred cheaper than the 2x2 bench rack from EFS.

[rpark]

I'd like to add another brand to the list... Stray Dog Racks by equipmentguys.com http://www.equipmentguys.com/shop/in...tegory&path=35

I went on some college trips in Ohio this weekend, and saw a huge selection of older power racks made by these guys. The premium rack systems use 7 gauge steel throughout, and I'll add that these things are friggen solid!!!

Also, for those that have height issues, like myself, I've only found two companies that will customize the rack height for customers only ordering one unit.... Texas Strength Equipment and the one posted earlier from Idaho (can't remember the name, it's on my work computer, I'll edit and post later). Amazingly none of the other companies, including sorinex and elite will cut off and make a custom cage even though every cage is made to order.

[vibrantred94gt]

Have you guys seen this rack? amazon.com/Power-Squat-Deadlift-Bench-Racks/dp/B004UMM4QC/ref=pd_sbs_sg2

Any pluses or minuses I'm missing?

I like that they kick the back cross member out to give room for the bench to go back farther allowing incline presses.

ON the downside I see to fully utilize the plate pegs you'd have to be away from the wall..

[abaecp]

Has anyone ever used the parabody 893 half rack? The one with a pec dec machine and lat pull down? Opinions on it?

[DrHolliday]

Have you guys seen this rack? amazon.com/Power-Squat-Deadlift-Bench-Racks/dp/B004UMM4QC/ref=pd_sbs_sg2

Any pluses or minuses I'm missing?

I like that they kick the back cross member out to give room for the bench to go back farther allowing incline presses.

ON the downside I see to fully utilize the plate pegs you'd have to be away from the wall..

Couldn't you just put the J-hooks on the inside of the front uprights and turn your bench around to do inclined presses if the back cross-member wasn't set back?

[vibrantred94gt]

Couldn't you just put the J-hooks on the inside of the front uprights and turn your bench around to do inclined presses if the back cross-member wasn't set back?

Yes, you could most certainly. The slight inconveniences for me and my setup is now my feet are very close to the wall if not just plain cramped and I'd have to take my tuff stuff bench out, turn, and back in. Then getting in and out of the cage would be a PITA. I don't have a lot of space. Add that with I don't like to mess around with moving equipment while lifting and well....

I really like to just slide the bench straight out and straight in.

I have half a full size garage however there's a support post right in the damn center. That support post has been in my way since the day we bought our house.