not sure if this should be in the gear section, but i figure people here would know more... i was just wondering if anybody has a power rack at home? and is it worth the investment?
ok... ASSUMING you're not trolling (which is a HUGE stretch) I will say this: lots of people here own powerracks and it should be the 2nd thing you buy for your gym (right after you get a plate loaded barbell and some plates). It's THAT important. If you're going to move heavy weight, you need a power rack. end of story.
New YorK Barbell! I got my power rack, weights, 2 olympic bars, plate tree and I plan on buying more stuff from them. I live in CT so shipping wasn't too bad. Overall they are a very good company.
I got mine from Midwest Barbell and I love it. I also got dip handles at the same time. It was like $20 cheaper than NY Barbell, and it got here in a week. (SoCal)
I have 2 poweracks at home; one set for squats, and the other for rack pulls, etc. Do not purchase a multi crap rack from one of the local sports stores such as Dunhams, Sports Authority, etc...Spend a couple of more dollars for a rack starting with a 1500 lb weight tolerance. Despite the fact that Urban already mentioned it, I'll reiterate it for the sake of importance: * Your first purchase should be a 300 lb Olympic weight set. * Your very next purchase should be a power-rack. * Your 3rd purchase should be a bench. * Your 4th purchase should be some more plates.
To answer your question, mine was definitely worth the investment. I tend to agree with much of what has already been said. I'll add that power racks are great also because of their relative safety. Sometimes I have to lift without a buddy and the safety pins in the rack still make heavy lifting a possibility. You might also be amazed at the number of effective exercises one can do with nothing more than a rack, a weighted barbell, and a bench.
I will second newyorkbarbell.com as the place to get a very affordable rack that is still pretty tough. No it's not as nice as a 1200 dollar rack from elitefts, but it's 1/4 of the price, and the quality difference isn't anywhere near that large. midwestbarbells.com carries the same stuff, and is cheaper for some people to order from. I just am always pushing the NYBB because I've gotten a number of items from there and they've always been inexpensive, well made (excpet for the collars that came with my DB's) and the service has been good. I had them screw up on one order (I was missing a few parts) but they had the parts to my house within two days after a single phone call. That's a lot better than most of the online lifting companies.
thanks for all the responses.... couldn't find anything about shipping to canada on newyorkbarbells.com... so i was wondering if any canadian sherdoggers could help me out on a place i could order a power rack from? i'm in toronto... getting one welded sounds like a promising idea as well...
If you can find a good metal shop, having one welded is a fantastic idea. You can usually get the best deal there, since not only will you not pay a ton, but you customize the rack to your needs. Just remember, if they weld it all as one piece, you're gonna need to be able to get it into whatever space it's going to live in.
You could try Wal-Mart. I remember seeing one on their website. Maybe they ship to Canada. I cannot vouch for it's quality, but it sounds like your options are limited. I think it was a Weider, for what that's worth. EDIT: DId a quick search of their site and I don't see it. It was a while ago that I saw it (at least a year), so they've probably discontinued the item.
imo the power rack is the best investment any serious lifter could make,you can do everything and anything inside there as far as building up bodyparts,i spend a good part of my workout in the rack when im at the gym,plus i train alone which makes it even more valuable cause you have the safety issue whick is important
I got a deal on a pretty good rack at the local gym store. It was a floor model rated at 1200 or 1500LBS can't remeber, and came with dip bars and a high/low pulley attachment for 600. Don't go to sports authority or any shit sporting good store though. Go to a legit fitness store or order from one of the trusted online vendors mentioned above.
