Does anyone have a Power Rack Cage, recommendations?

stoomc

Hi all,

The title pretty much sums it all up really!

I have been lifting weights for a few years but have gotten more into it over the past year.
I only workout (cardio and weights) at home, please dont recommend going to a gym!

The more weight that goes on the bar for things like squats, bench press etc. the more I am seeing a need for a rack, safety first!

Does anyone have one? What/ where would you recommend?
When I say that price doesnt matter, preferably under a grand... more preferable would be around the £500 mark, but I'm open to suggestions.

I would like to kill 2 birds with one stone and be able to get a bench under there so I can use it for bench presses as well.

Thanks in advance!

kav

Hi stoomc, might not be exactly what you are looking for, but I was debating a power rack recently before realising I would not have enough space in my garage. Instead I went for this which works really well in the space I have:  Bodymax CF415 Squat and Dip Rack with Spotter Catchers: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors. I use this bench with it: York Fitness Bench: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

It's only rated to 250kg so depending on how heavy you're lifting it might not be any use, but for my purposes it's fine. The spotter catchers are nice and broad which was one of my main criteria, as a lot of inferior ones have narrow catchers which really limits your range of motion.

stoomc

Thanks Kav, that actually may be a good idea as well. I like that it has the catchers.
Does it go to a good enough height that you can get underneath it to squat?

Thanks again!

kav

It does indeed, I have mine set up for squatting as my first exercise for most sessions. If you want I can pop out and check how high the bar holder can be set.

stoomc

Thanks Kav, I found someone had already asked the same question on the Amazon page and someone mentioned that it goes as high as 150cm, so that's more than enough.
I'm only 5'9

stoomc

Hi again @kav thank you very much for recommending the York bench. I got it this week and it is brilliant, simple to use and takes a good amount of weight!

I'm now looking into the squat rack that you linked to. Very close to buying it, however I've noticed a few people on the internet commenting on their elbows hitting the spotters when they are benching and it being useless for benching.
Do you use this rack for benching as well and have you come up against this problem?

I can't see how they are hitting off the spotters though, unless I'm missing something obvious.
I have found a YouTube video of this rack and the guy is benching from the spotters and I can't see why someone would be catching there elbows... do you think they're trying to bench from the squat holders?

rb5201

I have just sold my body max cf475. Great rack, very strong and sturdy, no wobble.
If you buy from bodymax don't order online, phone them up you can normally haggle an extra 10-15% off their online price.

Mine came with the cable attachment which I thought was quite smooth and was great for a few extra excercises, push down, seated rows etc.

kav

Glad you're enjoying it the bench! I use that rack for a 5x5 routine, which includes benches, can't say I've had issues hitting my elbows. You can set the gap between the spotters fairly wide, but perhaps if you're very long-limbed it might be an issue. I can have a look tomorrow and measure the widest gap I can set them to if that will help.

stoomc

Thanks Kav. No that's no problem, I'm going to go ahead and order it. I'm not long-limbed or tall (5'9)
Just to clarify, do you use the spotters to bench?

Thanks again.

rb5201

I'd go for power rack over squat rack, you can't do pull ups on a squat rack and it's one excercise which is great for strength and size.

Plus with a rack you can bench with the spotters which is safer if you training on your own.