0%
Weightlifting has grown in popularity over the years. Purchasing a power rack is a great place to start your weightlifting journey. We've created this power rack buying guide to help you determine the right one.
As a gym owner or home buyer, you'll need to make sure you have the right power rack to meet your or your members' needs. Here are some things to look out for when next fitting out your weight-lifting space.
Benefits of Power Racks
Power Racks are a favourite with weightlifters worldwide as they have many benefits. Modern power racks are modular in design, enabling custom builds with additional attachments, all contributing to effective strength training.
These strength training tools also enhance safety during workouts, creating a safer way to lift, especially when training solo. Simple attachments like the jammer or spotter arms allow anyone to push during training for a PB.
Power racks are versatile for strength training. They contribute to effective strength training by supporting progressive overload and providing a stable environment for lifting heavy weights. These solid structures are the best tool for perfecting form and technique and pushing training limits.
What Type of Power Rack is Right For You?
We'll cover seven main types of racks for weight lifting. Each might suit your needs differently, but most will allow you to perform a core set of movements similarly (barbell squats and presses being the most important). The differences lie in the extra features or accessories that racks offer. Here's everything you need to know about lifting racks.
Squat Stands
Squat Stands offer the smallest amount of support you can get while still being able to call it a rack. These stands are typically the most portable and can be easily stored when not in use. They are a lightweight method of keeping the bar off the ground at shoulder height.
Adjustable arms are a key feature of these machines, allowing the bar height to be moved easily, or J-hook positioning adjusted. This makes it a great option for simplicity and adjustability. Out of the types we'll cover, these generally come in at the lowest price point.
Half Rack
Half racks are the traditionally recognised racks offering more support and adjustability than squat stands. Many models include integrated pull-up bars, band peg attachment points and safety bar features. It's a great starting point if you're interested in a smaller-footprint solution and will often include additional bar and weight plate storage at the back.
The increments on the front columns allow users to precisely position the J-hooks and safety bars. Being 'open' at the front makes a half rack a good option for lifts performed a couple of steps away from the rack. For example, this is particularly important for overhead lifts and movements like split jerks or overhead squats.
Due to the dual vertical supports and horizontal connections, a standard half-rack should safely support both a novice and an experienced lifter. That being said, due to being lighter and generally less stable in comparison to a power rack, very heavy barbells being dumped onto the safety arms on a half rack (especially if not bolted down) could cause the rack to move.
Power Rack
While it can look slightly intimidating at first glance, a Power Rack serves the same purpose as a half rack. However, it provides more stability and safety due to its "cage" design. The cage has dual columns at the front and back, supported by horizontal bars at the top and bottom, allowing the Power Rack to handle weights heavier than a half rack.
These are the go-to for elite strength and conditioning facilities as they have a strong steel build quality and plenty of increments for precision training and accessory placements. While they do take up additional space on the gym floor, any good gym designer can work with your space to maximise it for your specific goals and requirements.
Custom Racks & Rigs
The popularity of rigs has grown hugely as it allows gym owners to create more bespoke layouts that suit their specific needs. We currently offer two ranges, our Origin Elite and Origin Performance Series Rigs, both fit different needs.
Our Elite Series range consists of storage made to create multi-functional zones for any training, consisting of racks, rigs, and bridges configurable to fit any shape and size of a gym. It's ideal for high-traffic commercial facilities, looking aesthetically pleasing and making optimal use of space on the gym floor.
In contrast, the Performance Series has been specially designed to deliver concepts. These concepts suit facilities catering to Olympic lifters as the reinforced structures are more suited to heavier weightlifting. Bespoke design allows custom design to create a rig suited to exact training needs.
Wall Mounted Racks & Rigs
To maximise gym space, many racks and rigs are wall-mounted at installation. Fixing it as close to a wall as possible is a great way to achieve stability more effortlessly, but use a professional to ensure rack integrity, especially when it's going to be used under heavy loads.
Smith Machine
Some experts would argue that a Smith Machine shouldn't have a place on this list of rack types. However, from our experience, many facilities chose to complement their racks with a Smith Machine because it offers a safer way for beginners or lone trainers to practice free-weight movements.
The Smith Machine looks similar to a half rack or power rack (depending on the model), except that the barbell is fixed on vertical runners. These don't allow the bar to deviate from a vertical (or close to vertical) motion. Some Smith Machines will also allow forward and backward motion and vertical - an example is a 3D Smith.
Power Rack Comparison
So, which type is right for you? We've looked at each type but wanted to put together a quick summary to make your life easier for making an informed purchasing decision. See the below image for a comparison of each type:
Cost Considerations
Price isn't everything when it comes to choosing the right power rack, but it does play a part in what you get. The typical price range for a power rack is anywhere from £850 to well over £3,000. This price gap is due to several factors, including materials, features, attachments, and the brand itself.
When making an informed decision, weigh all aspects fairly when deciding on a power rack. Think about your own needs and what you want to get from this bit of equipment. A lower-priced model could work great if it's for basic workouts. However, serious lifters and commercial sites should consider setting aside a larger budget to invest in a rack with modular capacity, plate storage, or a wall-mounted design.
Customisation Options
The main benefits of power racks are their customisation, reconfigurability and modular capacity. Our Performance Series Racks, for example, are fully customisable, with the ability to create custom-branded plates and personalised inlays that allow anyone to create a bespoke power rack.
Modern racks are modular, meaning various attachments are normally available for any series. This enables everyone to get the most out of their training. Power racks can be tailor-made to suit specific workout preferences, including additional weight plate storage, a landmine attachment for specialised back training, or a funky wall ball target.
Weight Plate Storage
Let's take a look at the different attachment options out there, starting with weight plate storage. Many racks will include storage as standard so that weight plates can be kept close at hand. Look for storage arms that provide enough storage for weight plates and any additional accessories that might be used for training.
Outward-angled plate storage can also be useful if you're looking to place multiple lifting racks in a row. The angle of the storage means users don't have to squeeze in between two racks to load or unload barbells. However, remember that this will increase the floor space required for each rack, which might limit the number of racks that can be placed in one area.
Bar Storage
If you plan on offering a variety of barbells to your users, integrated bar storage will be useful. Short vertical shafts around the back of the rack allow you to store bars away while keeping them nearby for convenience and safety.
Band Pegs
One neat feature of most power racks is they often have small band peg spaces allowing exercise bands to be attached. This adds another level of versatility to training, as they can be used to increase resistance when coming up from a squat, can be used to aid with pull-ups, or, when positioned flush on the floor, allow resistance work to be carried out on the floor.
Pull-Up Bars
Many power racks will include an integrated pull-up bar. When buying a rack, it's important to check that your gym has enough room above the rack to complete a full pull-up motion (and that it doesn't force your head through the ceiling!) and that handles have good texture and enough variety in grip positions for users.
J-Hooks
If the rack you're looking to buy comes with J-Hooks included, it's worth inspecting them keenly. J-Hook should be high enough quality to support the drop of a heavy bar. It will also need to keep your bar intact while loading and racking.
Many J-Hooks come with a plastic insert that is gentler on your bar and knurling, keeping expensive barbells in great condition for the long term.
Safety Bars
Like the J-Hooks, you're looking for sturdy spotter arms that will support a drop of a heavy bar. Check that the steel is thick, and consider a safety bar with a plastic insert on top to protect your bar when dropped.
Extra Attachments
We often see gyms choosing to include attachments on their lifting racks, such as a step platform, landmine, and dip attachment. Make sure that whichever attachments you go for slot smoothly into position and clearly display the number of increments.
Benches
If you're looking to buy a rack, the benches you'll be using with it are worth keeping in mind. If you don't have any benches yet, it is worth considering multi-adjustable benches. These will give you the most versatility in training options inside your rack and on the free-weight floor.
Platforms
As regular gym-goers become more proficient lifters, they may want to explore the worlds of powerlifting or Olympic lifting. Thinking ahead allows you to get exciting-looking lifting platforms that don't necessarily have to be expensive.
Integrated platforms are a great example that slot into a lifting rack independently and can be added at any time after the purchase of the rack. When buying your platform, ensure you have enough floor space in front of the rack to accommodate the shock-absorbent wings. Also, consider the width of the platform so that it can sit flush with the rack.
Our final space-saving solution is the inlaid platform. This is usually installed at the same time as gym flooring and before the rack goes in. Having an inlaid platform removes the height difference between the platforms. It also allows racks to be placed closer together. Most importantly, they look amazing and can be custom-made to match your brand.
Durability and Quality
These machines are not consumable items, when investing in one of these we want it to be fit for purpose and get our moneys worth. Ensure the construction is robust and uses high-grade materials that ensure longevity and safety.
Look for power racks which use 11-grade steel and 70 x 70mm box sections at minimum, as this will provide a robust workout frame. We mention this because it's important that the chosen power rack can withstand high loads comfortably, so using high-grade materials is key.
A final point on this topic is to consider equipment maintenance, which is key for durability. Yearly services at commercial sites should cover any major issues, but regularly clean rack surfaces and keep any additional systems like pulley systems lubricated every few months so they run smoothly.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this guide has helped you make a more informed choice when choosing a new power rack. However, if you have further questions, our team is always on hand to help you make the right decision. If you're looking for inspiration, our case study pages are full of photos and videos of completed projects over the years.
