I am looking to kabashe my gym membership and thus want a Power Rack, and a dumbbell set.
So looking for recommendations on Power Racks, ideally around $300.00.
Check the used market. You can get a good quality one for that money. Don’t forget shipping costs.
Craigslist is definitely your friend, especially if you have a big car or a pickup truck and can get stuff home by yourself.
I saw some sites advertising free shipping, hope that is for real. On the used front, do they break down? I only own a car and I can deal with bars coming out the back, but no way a cage can fit on my roof.
The powertec power rack is somewhere around $300 I believe, I have it and it’s great.
you can check elitefts they make decent racks. Top of the line are Sorinex…they will last a liftime, but high cost.
For the money Dave Tate is the man you want to talk to.
Not sure about a rack for $300 that’s of good quality. I bought mine for around $600-700 four years ago from Chicago Home Fitness. It’s 7 ft tall and is made for basements. It was also before I found T-Nation & Elite. Dumbells, I have PowerBlocks that go up to 125lbs. Can’t beat the space you save, but they run over $1000 including the stand. Check the “for sale” ads in your newspaper. Good luck.
Cool, going to look for an in town store to see if they carry the Powertec rack, as in shipping was about $200. That and see if someone on Craigslist gots one for a steal.
The powerblocks are pretty neat, the ones you see at sports stores that go up to fifty are way to limited so that could be a solution. Do you have any issues with it be too in the way?
Also, do racks breakdown, meaning can I take them apart (for transport)?
All racks should break down for transport. I bougth my PowerBlocks from my old boss then I bought the extension set(up to 125lb) from Chicago Home Fitness. I’ve seen Powertec at Dick’s Sporting Goods, but that’s here in Illinois.
I just used an economy power rack the other day. Actually I do not have much experience with racks, so take this as it is.
The rack I used was very narrow. I felt like I could not put my hands where I wanted to because I would crush them when I racked the bar.
I am looking into one of the Yukon Fitness Racks for my home. Their home version rack at $309 is 48" wide, but their light commercial rack is 53" wide at $499.
Is 53" wide enough or should I not bother with it?
Be aware of narrow racks.
Any idea how wide the economy rack you were using was?
I have this rack: http://bestbuyfitness.com/product.asp?intProdID=3083
An 18 wheeler truck came to deliver it. yes, no shipping costs. And it comes with dip bars.
The width of the rack is dependent on the barbell you’re using. The olympic bars I have fit the rack perfectly.
[quote]skw wrote:
I have this rack: http://bestbuyfitness.com/product.asp?intProdID=3083 [/quote]
Is this rack really only 40" wide? Seems really narrow.
If the rack is any wider you can’t rack the barbell. Standard barbell is what, 7 feet? 1.5 feet on each end for the plates leaves 48 inches in the middle. You need a little play to rack the bar so it hits the skinny part and not the fat plate stopper thing.
Any opinions on this power rack (The one without the lat attachment) from New Your Barbells?
http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/92563.html
1" Round Solid Steel Pins
Distance between holes - 2"
28 Holes with numbers for Adjustments
Heavy Duty “J” Hooks
Olympic Plate Holder
CHINNING BAR ON FRONT
Deep Knurled Front Chinning Bar
White Powder Coated
26" Distance between Posts
SIZE: 48.5" X 42" X 82.5"H - 152 lbs.
C-92563 POWER RACK
Reg. $449: Sale: $299.99 Free Freight
[quote]Nick Danger wrote:
Any opinions on this power rack (The one without the lat attachment) from New Your Barbells?
http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/92563.html
1" Round Solid Steel Pins
Distance between holes - 2"
28 Holes with numbers for Adjustments
Heavy Duty “J” Hooks
Olympic Plate Holder
CHINNING BAR ON FRONT
Deep Knurled Front Chinning Bar
White Powder Coated
26" Distance between Posts
SIZE: 48.5" X 42" X 82.5"H - 152 lbs.
C-92563 POWER RACK
Reg. $449: Sale: $299.99 Free Freight
[/quote]
One thing I do not like about these racks is that the pull/chin up bar is bolted in from the side and not from the top. All of your weight is resting on the shear strength of a bolt which is it’s weakest part. I know the added friction is helping, but I would replace the bolts with Grade 8. I cannot help but think about it when I have an extra hundred pounds strapped to my body for some exercise.
Also, the one with the Lat attachment is $399. The $299 is for the version without the lat attachment.
[quote]Nick Danger wrote:
Any opinions on this power rack (The one without the lat attachment) from New Your Barbells?
http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/92563.html
1" Round Solid Steel Pins
Distance between holes - 2"
28 Holes with numbers for Adjustments
Heavy Duty “J” Hooks
Olympic Plate Holder
CHINNING BAR ON FRONT
Deep Knurled Front Chinning Bar
White Powder Coated
26" Distance between Posts
SIZE: 48.5" X 42" X 82.5"H - 152 lbs.
C-92563 POWER RACK
Reg. $449: Sale: $299.99 Free Freight
[/quote]
That is similar to the rack I have from them. POWER RACK SYSTEM
I have loaded it to 785 and it held fine. We have taken multiple squats between 6 and 700 lbs and it is fine. Strong rack that takes abuse very well.
I know some lifters out in WA that have that very same rack and have taken it up to 900lbs and it is still ok, so it should work fine.
One thing I would suggest is picking up some extra J-hooks as the extras come in very handy.
[quote]diputs wrote:
One thing I do not like about these racks is that the pull/chin up bar is bolted in from the side and not from the top. [/quote]
That’s a good point.
And Matt, that cage you linked to is much sturdier (about a hundred pounds heavier, too) than the one I’ve been looking at. I don’t lift near the weights you and your friends do (I’m old and beat up) but still it seems a good point.
Thanks to you both for the input!
Maybe you can make a power rack yourself. Anyone here done that?
Making a power rack for the average person would be difficult. With all the cut holes in the steel it would take a bit of time to drill and a good drill and bits ($$$). The amount of steel would also cost a bit of cash ($$$), since the price of steel keeps going up. You would need a metal cutting saw and a good mig/tig welder. The impulse seen at the power rack can be well over 1000 lbs for a failed lift. Then to protect it from rust would cost $$ to paint or powder-coat it.
If you have access to metal working equipment, like a project to kill your weekend and can get cheap or free materials than go ahead a knock one out. A really nice one could certainly be fabricated, with every option you could imagine.