Ripptoe Power Rack

[Kodokan]

Somebody recently posted this rack in the rack thread and got me thinking about this rack. I actually recently saw two of these for sale used here in Raleigh, NC, although they were already spoken for by the time I set eyes on them. There was also a rack similar to this my football team used way back in the day when I was in high school.

I'm curious if anybody out there has actually had one of these made before. Other than Rip, of course. If you have one, please share your pics and if you don't mind how much did it set you back to get it made?

I recently contacted a couple of welding/fabrication shops in Raleigh to ask about this project, because I'm curious just how much it would really be and I've been on the lookout for a second rack anyway because one just isn't enough for crazy people like me. I'll post back with what I find out regarding costs, because I'm sure others would be interested out there.

Here are the images from the starting strength site.

[cassas00]

Why do you need more than one rack? Just Curious

[AttyGuy]

Why do you need more than one rack? Just Curious

Because he can. . . .

[Cleveland33]

how do you bench in one without j-hooks?

[keyboardworkout]

What will these racks do that a Rogue R3 or something similar will not?

I understand that at the time Rip had these made there wasn't a whole lot available. But now, there are lots of options.

[rthawker]

how do you bench in one without j-hooks?

The large bolt in the second pic is your "j-hook"

What will these racks do that a Rogue R3 or something similar will not?

I understand that at the time Rip had these made there wasn't a whole lot available. But now, there are lots of options.

Depending on who you know, your own skills, or how much a local fabricator will charge these racks can have the ability to leave more money in your pocket.

[Cleveland33]

The large bolt in the second pic is your "j-hook"

Ah, the bar is in the way - I thought it went all the way through.

[rthawker]

Ah, the bar is in the way - I thought it went all the way through.

You can actually see it better in the third pic above the safeties.

[Kodokan]

Why do you need more than one rack? Just Curious

I don't need to even workout but I just want to. Same with more than one rack. The reason for the want is to have a space dedicated for squat/dl and another for benching/pressing. My workouts are normally structured with one of each as being a major component for the day, and for me time is always a big issue. It's even more so if there are a couple of guys over lifting.

I have a really nice rack already, and it does everything. I love it. But tell me if you wouldn't take your wife or girlfriend and duplicate her.

[Kodokan]

What will these racks do that a Rogue R3 or something similar will not?

I understand that at the time Rip had these made there wasn't a whole lot available. But now, there are lots of options.

My only interest at all in these specifically is that they would be sufficient, rock solid, and potentially be dirt cheap (relatively speaking). Well, plus I'm somewhat nostalgic from seeing these recently and my high school days. If it really only costs $200 bucks to have one made that would be worth knowing. If the cost is on par with other commercially available racks then well...

[keyboardworkout]

I think drilling the holes will get expensive quick. Lots of machine time involved.

I do see the old York racks on Craigslist from time to time cheap.

[animalfan]

My only interest at all in these specifically is that they would be sufficient, rock solid, and potentially be dirt cheap (relatively speaking). Well, plus I'm somewhat nostalgic from seeing these recently and my high school days. If it really only costs $200 bucks to have one made that would be worth knowing. If the cost is on par with other commercially available racks then well...

if you can get one of these made for the price (or close) to another rack, i'd do it. this thing looks pretty awesome.

the only thing i'd even think about changing is making the pullup bar bolt on. this wouldn't be an issue either, i suppose, if you didn't need it to come apart for transport or to get into your gym.

[Cleveland33]

You can actually see it better in the third pic above the safeties.

I was actually looking at the third pic...

...today was a rough day.

[Keetman]

I don't need to even workout but I just want to. Same with more than one rack. The reason for the want is to have a space dedicated for squat/dl and another for benching/pressing. ..................

.....and this right here is why Kodokan is a proud member of the crew.....brings a tear to my eye to see a slut progress to the point where he's so serious about buying a second rack, he makes his own investigatory thread about it.

[Cleveland33]

.....and this right here is why Kodokan is a proud member of the crew.....brings a tear to my eye to see a slut progress to the point where he's so serious about buying a second rack, he makes his own investigatory thread about it.

can I get a little love for not even having my first rack assembled and thinking about buying a second rack and so much other stuff I'd have to get a storage locker?

[daniel327]

I recently contacted a couple of welding/fabrication shops in Raleigh to ask about this project, because I'm curious just how much it would really be ....

This project would be considerably cheaper if you were to forego some of the safety / j-hook holes.

Given the limited number of users in a home gym situation, you will use very few of them. Therefore, you would just need to determine the height you need them located (i.e. perhaps three low position holes for rack pulls, three in the bench press region, and three higher for squats) and have holes placed there.

The rack in the picture has 100 holes bored in it (25 per upright), some of which are so high, they would be of very limited value. In reality, you could get away with only 36 (i.e. 3 holes x 3 exercise positions x 4 uprights). This would greatly reduced the amount of labour required to complete this rack.

[animalfan]

This project would be considerably cheaper if you were to forego some of the safety / j-hook holes.

Given the limited number of users in a home gym situation, you will use very few of them. Therefore, you would just need to determine the height you need them located (i.e. perhaps three low position holes for rack pulls, three in the bench press region, and three higher for squats) and have holes placed there.

The rack in the picture has 100 holes bored in it (25 per upright), some of which are so high, they would be of very limited value. In reality, you could get away with only 36 (i.e. 3 holes x 3 exercise positions x 4 uprights). This would greatly reduced the amount of labour required to complete this rack.

this is a really good idea- if it's going to be used for benching, there really isn't a need for the high holes. i'd probably just get them all drilled, but if the extra holes meant the difference between getting it and not getting it, i'd consider leaving some out.

[Kodokan]

I think drilling the holes will get expensive quick. Lots of machine time involved.

I could see how this might be true, but Rip on his boards did recently say he got three racks for 600 made and bolted to the floor. Now it could be he meant each one was 600, but that's really what this thread is about to find that out. If it were really that reasonable to make such a rack I could see people being interested doing this on their own.

Granted, it's a very shallow rack. I think it'd be great for benching and rack pulls...but I'm more skeptical about squatting. Hitting posts with 300+ (or anything really) is not fun. But really even a quality stand-alone pull-up station is over a hundred, so if it's possible this thing could be in the ballpark of $200 from a local fab shop that would worth pursuing for me.

What will these racks do that a Rogue R3 or something similar will not?

One more thing about that...I think the Rogue R3 would be way better to own, but I'm very curious how the cost will compare. I have actually been seriously considering the Rogue S1 stand with the spotters and that comes out to about 500 bucks shipped. The EFS bench rack is about a grand shipped, and that's a bit hard to stomach considering even their full 2x2 is less.

if you can get one of these made for the price (or close) to another rack, i'd do it. this thing looks pretty awesome.

the only thing i'd even think about changing is making the pullup bar bolt on. this wouldn't be an issue either, i suppose, if you didn't need it to come apart for transport or to get into your gym.

I completely agree. Considering my actual space, based on what sort of reaction I get from the shops I talk with I may actually consider a modification to make this a 1/2 rack...that would only be suitable for benching/rack pulls, but I partly suspect the cost wouldn't be impacted that greatly.

.....brings a tear to my eye to see a slut progress to the point...

It's true, I have a gym-equipment-acquiring disease. I can't remotely consider myself as accomplished as many of you guys as you really do quite well on your CL deals, but I did end up funding a Legend rack with such profits. Now with two little kids in the house the CL deal time is on somewhat of a hiatus. Maybe when they are older I can try to develop to my full CL-mastery potential. But when I move to a new house in order to fit in more equipment that would be the penultimate progression for me. I'd love to have a home gym in the garage and a full basement full of grappling mats to workout with my judo buddies.

[keyboardworkout]

FYI,

Rip's racks have all those holes and two sets of safeties for each rack to allow them to be used for isometric/isotonic movements.

Shown in this video.

http://startingstrength.com/index.ph..._olympic_press

[twodog]

My only interest at all in these specifically is that they would be sufficient, rock solid, and potentially be dirt cheap (relatively speaking). Well, plus I'm somewhat nostalgic from seeing these recently and my high school days. If it really only costs $200 bucks to have one made that would be worth knowing. If the cost is on par with other commercially available racks then well...

I seriously thought about building one of these racks, The metal is heavy duty and I got a price for just the materials (Fayetteville, NC shop) that came out to almost $400. I waited around and bought something on CL for $200.

[jormone]

FYI,

Rip's racks have all those holes and two sets of safeties for each rack to allow them to be used for isometric/isotonic movements.

Shown in this video.

http://startingstrength.com/index.ph..._olympic_press

Around 11:30+ it shows a safety being pulled out due to friction with the bar? maybe not so safe safeties..

[KBKB]

FYI,

Rip's racks have all those holes and two sets of safeties for each rack to allow them to be used for isometric/isotonic movements.

Shown in this video.

http://startingstrength.com/index.ph..._olympic_press

Interesting stuff. (Rep'd.)

I started off watching this video to see the safety slippage noted by jormone. I watched a bit more of it and wondered what in the heck they were doing. Well, it turns out to be a demonstration of isometric / isotonic training techniques.

There's a couple of interesting articles linked at that page. (To be honest, I found the articles more compelling than the video.) They are Bill Starr's The Ultimate Strength Exercise: Isotonic-Isometric Contraction, part 1 and part 2. In part 1, Starr provides an interesting history lesson in early power racks (which are very different than today's power racks). He talks some about the history of isometric and isotonic movements, and how an early performance enhancing drug ended up discrediting isometric / isotonic training techniques. (Improved performance was attributed to the drug, not the training techniques.) In part 2, he talks more about isometric / isotonic training. It seems that this type of training has largely been forgotten, but Starr thinks that it's still very worthwhile.

Has anyone here used the isometric / isotonic training techniques shown in that video?

[Kodokan]

I've read about them, but honestly I'm still gaining from lifting straight weight so I haven't messed around with it myself.

Speaking of isometric stuff...that makes me think of this image. I'm not 100% how this rack works, but this is one shallow rack for sure:

[keyboardworkout]

I think this is the same rack just at an angle where you can see the pin holes.

[KBKB]

I've read about them, but honestly I'm still gaining from lifting straight weight so I haven't messed around with it myself.

Speaking of isometric stuff...that makes me think of this image. I'm not 100% how this rack works, but this is one shallow rack for sure:

I think this is the same rack just at an angle where you can see the pin holes.

Yes, I think that these are some of the "power racks" that Bill Starr writes about in his articles. (It may even be different views of the same type of rack.) As I understand it though, not all of them used weight plates. Some would have just a bar that you pushed (or pulled) against the limiting stop. Apparently, the addition of weights was a refinement made by Dr. Ziegler. By loading the bar with some weight and then moving it about an inch against the stop and then holding for 8-12 seconds, the trainee could be certain that he was putting forth the requisite amount of effort.

[JiP]

Those racks aren't made anymore for a reason.... they suck.

[Kodokan]

I seriously thought about building one of these racks, The metal is heavy duty and I got a price for just the materials (Fayetteville, NC shop) that came out to almost $400. I waited around and bought something on CL for $200.

Well, I got the quote back from the first shop after discussing it with them and giving them the plans to review...$1200. Ouch. There are a couple other shops in my area I'll pursue but obviously it wouldn't make sense to pursue the project in that ballpark with what's commercially available.

[animalfan]

Well, I got the quote back from the first shop after discussing it with them and giving them the plans to review...$1200. Ouch. There are a couple other shops in my area I'll pursue but obviously it wouldn't make sense to pursue the project in that ballpark with what's commercially available.

wow.

[Cleveland33]

Rip is in the middle of the county, Iowa or Kansas if I recall. Not sure where you guys are but costs are gonna be higher elsewhere.

If you're looking for a bench only rack, then not only can you take the machining costs down with less holes, but the rack doesn't need to nearly that tall, even less if you don't do inclines. This will bring material costs down, and make the fully welded rack a lot easier to move around.

[keyboardworkout]

Rip is in the middle of the county, Iowa or Kansas if I recall.

I think there are some Texans pretty pissed off right now.