Help Me Decided

[ElliotWilliamp]

Ok I think i've finally narrowed the best options I can find in the U.K down to 2!

Please let me know what you think about these...

Also I'd like to know with the lat attachments if you think it's better to have the set plates or the option to add your own round plates??

http://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/...F100Kg%5FStack

http://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/...FRack%5FSystem

Just checking i'm reading the descriptions right, in that it does say you get the lat attatchments with the rack?? I htink thats how it reads...

Look forward to hearing your views

[ElliotWilliamp]

No views???

[jude-o]

you get the lat attatchments with the rack??

Looks like it.

better to have the set plates or the option to add your own round plates?

The permanent stacks are much more convenient. Some stack systems also have a pin you can hang extra plates on for more resistence.

Do you really have any use for a lat pulldown station, though? Judging by your photo, you're probably perfectly capable of doing pullups/chinups on the chinning bar of the rack. (That's what the round top bar is for.) It's pretty much the same exercise (probably a better exercise, actually) and you can use more resistance by adding a weighted dip/chin belt.

The cable row part is nice to have, but again, you can just as easily do bent over barbell rows and have as good or better a workout.

Basically, if the additional cost of having the lat/cable row station and the possible mild nuisance of having it taking up space at the back of the rack don't bother you at all, by all means get it...but it's not that big of an enhancement to functionality. You can also do some things like cable bicep curls and tricep pushdowns with them, of course...but again, those are muscles you can readily work with free weights in the rack. (They make longer EZ-curl bars to go in racks.)

Between the two racks, I'd probably go with the Bodytec; it looks a little more solid (with the traditional saber safety bars), but it can be hard to judge build quality from a photo.

Whichever way you end up going, I'm delighted to see people buying power racks instead of those accursed Smith machines. I think you'll be happy with your decision.

[ElliotWilliamp]

Thanks, you cleared up a few things for me...