Power rack in apartment..

[Bubble Bath]

Anyone ever try this or do you think there would be any problems? I've been wanting to do this, but I live upstairs and I think I might lift too heavy for the floor. I plan on using a rubber mat just for barbell work as well and I don't do olympic lifting.

 

[Bayonet]

Anyone ever try this or do you think there would be any problems? I've been wanting to do this, but I live upstairs and I think I might lift too heavy for the floor. I plan on using a rubber mat just for barbell work as well and I don't do olympic lifting.

I think you would get to meet your downstairs neighbor tout suite. Floor might not be able to handle the weight.

Now, I live in a hundred year old apartment with creaky floors, so I may be paranoid. Maybe your place has better bones.

 

[yookfarb]

ask your landlord

 

[Patrick F Carey]

I installed one a few weeks ago. The floor will handle the weight. You should make a ply wood platform for it though to help spread the force.

A king sized water bed can weigh 2000 pounds, and most landlords would just need you for insurance covering leak damage if you wanted one above the first floor.

 

[AtlSteel]

Anyone ever try this or do you think there would be any problems? I've been wanting to do this, but I live upstairs and I think I might lift too heavy for the floor. I plan on using a rubber mat just for barbell work as well and I don't do olympic lifting.

I had one in an upstairs apartment and no issues. Had a rubber mat with pretty thick rug on top of that. I wouldn't drop my deadlifts.

 

[Liquid Smoke]

Just don't drop a 500 lb barbell through the floor.

 

[Ayin]

Like what pretty much everyone else says, make sure you protect the floor well.

I've set up my gear in my first apartment (basement) and where I live now (17th floor of an apartment building). Both had a good cushion between the plates and the floor (plywood + matts). Both were also solid, well constructed buildings. If you're in 50+ year old, slanted house, with creaky wooden floors... I'd likely not, but if I did, I would make sure to set up a good, strong platform area.

Lift at reasonable times. You're very likely to unnecessarily bother your neighbors otherwise.

One other random tip. Cut out corrugated cardboard circles the size of your plates with holes in the center (might need to be more than one piece thick and taped together, will have to be replaced on occasion) and put them between your plates. This will stop your plates from banging together (especially at lockout and for things like Deadlifts) and ringing, and will cut down on the noise. It doesn't add any real weight to the bar, and athough it looks kind of silly and takes a few extra seconds (and some arts and crafts prep time) it's worth it to just add that extra bit of noise reduction and consideration for your neighbors.

 

[Roca]

Floors should be fine. I mean 500 lbs is just like two fat people. Fat people don't fall through floors that much.

 

[Ayin]

That's true, but weight has more force when let down or dropped than when just sitting stationary. That's why climbing rope is rated so much higher than the weight of the person it's supporting.

All that being said, you're not likely to go through the floor into the floor below you. You're more likely to just bust up/dent/scruff the floor up, which matts+padding/wood should prevent.


If we see someone crushed by a dropped deadlift from the 3rd floor in Chicago though, we'll know it went badly...

 

[Freestyler]

When St. Wilhelms was still around, there was a guy that had one his apartment dining room. Just had rubber mats down.

 

[ironwolf]

I did it before. Dont drop weights.

 

[Noblet10]

Deadlifts at 1am are going to be mandatory to annoy your neighbors below you. They wll think they are being bombed or something. I actually am cracking up just at the thought of this.