Benefits of a Using a Powerrack

Maybe you're wondering why you should get a power rack. You're probably thinking it would just be cheaper to get a bench. But what about exercises like squats and chin-ups? You could srping for a bench and a set of squat stands, but if so, you're probably getting close to the cost of a good power rack anyway. And since this whole blog is about building a power rack yourself for $150 or less, there's really no reason not to take the plunge.

So just what are the benefits of a power rack? I'm glad you asked.... Here's the number one:

Safety

Some people like to train with a partner, and some people like to train alone. Even if you've been fortunate enough to find someone to lift with, sooner or later you're going to be in the gym alone because you're partner gets sick, or has an appointment, or simply misses a day. In that case, yopu'll be training alone. 

One of the most important things to keep in mind whether you lift alone or not is safety. You're moving weight, oftentimes in a position that could injure you if it fell. 

A power rack provides a place where you can do you exercises in safety all by yourself. Doesn't matter how much weight you're using. With the right rack and the safety bars set at the right height, you can go all out without having to worry about getting hurt or getting stuck under the weight. 

This mean you'll be able to lift confidently without having to worry. You can throw on that extra 5 or 10 pounds and go for it because you know you won't end up stuck under the bar. 

Range of Motion

By adjusting the height of the safety bars you can target a specific range of motion. Having trouble locking out your bench? You can set the safety bars high and press out from there. Same for squats. Same of rack pulls to target the lockout of you dead lift. A power rack makes it easy to do shrugs or front rows because you can pick the bar up from waist level.  

All the Bigs

Sure, you can do cable rows or lat pull downs, but a power rack, a bar bell, and some plates are all you need to get bigger and stronger. Here's a good list of exercises, some of which don't even need a power rack:

• Bench press
• Squats
• Bent over rows
• Straight leg deadlifts
• Chin-ups
• Pull-ups
• Yates row
• Shrugs
• Power ups
• Bar curl
• Close grip bench press
• Dead lift
• Landmine press

I think a power rack is essential for any home gym. After you've used one for a while, I'm sure you'll agree.

The Power Rack: One Year Later

I thought it would be fun to post a one year update. Here's the rack, still in use, still sturdy:

You can see there's a bar for doing chins; the position is a bit different than it looked on the power rack plans. The easiest solution ended up being to fasten the bar to the top of the posts.

The bar is the same as the safety bars, a 36" length of steel plumbers' pipe. It has a 7/8" interior diameter and a 1 1/8" exterior. It's strong enough to support my 240-pound neighbor doing chins.

We fastened the bar to the top of the posts by drilling a hole through each end and then nailing it in place.

We put a wood screw into each post on the side for an easy place to hang the bar clips. There's also another hook on the front for hanging stuff on as well.

At the front, the two posts started to move inward at the bottom a few inches. We resolved this by placing a loose board between them. It's a 1" x 6", and, as I mentioned, just sits there. A more elegant solution would be to get a 1" x 4" and actually fasten it in place.

One of the 4 x 4s started to warp.

It warped within a couple of months of construction. Not sure how to prevent it. It never got any worse than you see here and doesn't affect the functionality of the rack, so we left it. I imagine if it kept going and got too bad, we'd have to replace the post. Thank goodness that didn't happen!