When building a gym for free weight training, you will generally choose from one of the following five types of racks.
・Half rack
・Squat stand (integrated)
・Squat stand (separate left and right)
・Power rack
・Combo rack
(It is common to see huge racks of monolifts and rigs in free weight gyms overseas, but they are not yet that common in Japan, so we will not discuss them in this article.)
・Half rack
The open type rack and plate storage are integrated, making it very space efficient.
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・Space efficiency
Although it is compact, it has integrated plate storage, which gives it the advantage of being very space-efficient compared to a power rack.
Its space efficiency is especially useful in powerlifting gyms and home gyms where space is often limited.
With a half rack, it is possible to create a training space sufficient for BIG3 training even in a compact space such as a room of about 6 tatami mats or a 2.5m x 2.5m platform .
Disadvantages
・The comfort of squats is inferior to a power rack
In the event of an accident, such as losing your balance backwards while squatting and falling, a power rack that is completely enclosed provides greater safety and peace of mind.
・Strap safety cannot be used
Due to its shape, a strap-type safety cannot be installed.
・Squat stand (integrated)
This is an open-type rack with a simple shape, and you can basically think of it as a half rack with the plate storage section removed.
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・Lightweight and compact
It has only two vertical posts and few components, and the weight of the main unit is about half to two-thirds that of a half rack or power rack, so it puts less strain on the floor in a home gym.
・Reasonable
It has a simple structure with few components, making it less expensive than other racks.
Disadvantages
・The comfort of squats is inferior to a power rack
In the event of an accident, such as losing your balance backwards while squatting and falling, a power rack that is completely enclosed provides greater safety and peace of mind.
・Strap safety cannot be used
Due to its shape, a strap-type safety cannot be installed.
- Storage is inferior to a half rack
Plate storage can only be installed on the bottom or top of the posts or on the base, so it is not possible to store large numbers of plates like with a half rack.
・Squat stand (separate left and right)
This is a squat stand with independent left and right supports.
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・Lightweight and compact
It has only two vertical posts and few components, and the weight of the main unit is about half to two-thirds that of a half rack or power rack, so it can reduce damage to the floor in a home gym.
・Reasonable
It has a simple structure with few components, making it less expensive than other racks.
-Easy to assemble, disassemble and move
Because it is divided into left and right halves, it is easy to assemble and disassemble, and even when assembled, it can be lifted and moved by one or two people if it is one side at a time.
Disadvantages
・The comfort of squats is inferior to a power rack
In the event of an accident, such as losing your balance backwards while squatting and falling, a power rack that is completely enclosed provides greater safety and peace of mind.
・Strap safety cannot be used
Due to its shape, a strap-type safety cannot be installed.
- Storage is inferior to a half rack
Plate storage can only be installed in limited locations such as the bottom or top of the posts or the base, so it is not possible to store large numbers of plates like with a half rack.
・Low stability
As the left and right sides are not connected, this type of rack is the least stable of the five types of racks explained on this page.
・Power rack
This is a square type rack that is surrounded by supports on all four sides.
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・Squatting is safe and secure
The design is surrounded by supports on all sides, making it very safe and secure when performing squats.
・Strap safety can be used
If you have a power rack, you can install a strap safety. The strap safety has many advantages, such as not losing balance when coming into contact with the barbell, not damaging the knurling, and reducing noise.
Disadvantages
- Poor space efficiency
It is difficult to add plate storage to small types, and large types with plate storage take up a lot of space to install, so they are not very space efficient.
・Combo rack
A combo rack is a rack that combines a bench press stand and a squat stand used in powerlifting competitions, and is the most basic and important equipment in powerlifting training.
While the bench press is the easiest and safest piece of equipment to use, it does have weaknesses in the safety of the squat due to international powerlifting rules, so you must be aware of this before using it.
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-Various mechanisms make bench pressing very easy
It is equipped with all the mechanisms required for bench pressing, such as an integrated seat, a barbell hook with rollers that makes it easy to remove the shaft, a jack mechanism, and a safety with a face guard, so it can be said that it is the easiest and safest rack for bench pressing out of all the racks.
Disadvantages
・Highly reliable products are expensive
Combo racks, which have unique mechanisms built in for competition use, are generally expensive and sell for the same price or more than large power racks.
In recent years, inexpensive combo racks made in Asia have become available, but at present reliable products are limited to those made in Europe, the US, and Japan.
・Squat Safety
According to international powerlifting rules, the safety must be removed when squatting, so the safety of the combo rack is designed for use with bench presses. Therefore, the safety is shorter than that of a half rack, which makes it less safe when squatting.