When choosing a weightlifting rack for your home gym, consider your strengthening goals and the space available to you. It is important to ask yourself the following questions:

• How much space (floor space width and ceiling height) do you have to comfortably workout with a rack? For larger spaces, you might consider a power rack over a squat rack. Your ceiling should be high enough to accommodate the rack in addition to any space you need to comfortably preform pull ups if there is a pull-up bar attachment. Similarly, even if the barbell/smith rail bar fits comfortably in your space, you should still incorporate additional space for plate loading.
• How many people will be using the equipment? A power rack or half rack with various training functionalities may better serve the varying training goals of multiple people in the home.
• Do you want to perform compound and isolation exercises or focus on compound exercises only? A power rack with multiple exercise functionalities will be more suitable for isolation and compound training.
• Will you be lifting heavy weights?
• Which safety features do you require? Spotter arms come in different sizes and wights meaning they can hold more or less weight depending on your requirements. Smith rail bars are also a good safety feature for home lifting, especially if you have teenagers starting out or you’re training alone.
• Do you require a rack with storage space for multiple bumper plates and barbells?
• Is a free-standing or wall-mounted rack more suitable for your home gym space?

The primary purpose of both squat racks and power racks is to facilitate compound strength exercises using a barbell and weight plates. Squat racks typically feature an open frame, whereas power racks have a larger frame that users step into. This larger frame means power racks can offer more integrated exercise and safety features compared to squat racks. Power racks provide versatility, making them suitable for heavy lifters, while squat racks are more space-efficient due to their smaller structure.

Depending on the type of weightlifting rack you have, there are a vast number of exercises that you can perform:

• Perform squats within the rack to engage your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core muscles, whether executing traditional back squats, front squats, or overhead squats.
• Perform deadlifts from within the power rack by loading the barbell with weight plates and target your posterior chain muscles, including the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings.
• Arrange an adjustable bench inside the rack to execute flat bench presses, (incline or decline), effectively targeting your chest, shoulders, and triceps.
• Use the pull-up bar attachment included with many multi-gym power racks to perform pull-ups and chin-ups, effectively engaging your back, biceps, and shoulders.
• Attach a lateral bar or handles to the rack to perform rows or lateral pull-downs that engage your back, shoulders and arm muscles, including the lats and traps.
• Utilise dip attachments or bars found on some of our home gym racks to perform dips, effectively working your chest, shoulders, and triceps.
• Try core exercises such as hanging leg raises, knee tucks, or plank variations by attaching straps or handles to the pull-up bar.
• Incorporate resistance bands attached to the rack for assisted pull-ups, dips, or other exercises to help build strength and progress towards unassisted movements.
• Perform functional training exercises, such as landmine presses, landmine rows, or landmine twists, using the landmine attachment that comes affixed to or as an accessory for the rack.

Both commercial-grade and semi-commercial-grade racks are suitable for use in home gym setups. If you're a dedicated lifter who plans to use the equipment frequently, it might be worth considering a commercial-grade rack. These exercise machines are exceptionally robust, often equipped with numerous add-ons and training features, and come in a range of price points to accommodate different budgets.

Every RPM Power rack comes with a physical instruction manual and many of our products have detailed step-by-step video guides making assembly easy to follow. Should you run into any difficultly at all when setting up your equipment, please get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to talk you through it.

Regular maintenance of your weightlifting rack is crucial for maintaining its functionality and performance at optimal levels. Equipment manuals typically provide specific maintenance guidelines; however, as a general rule, it's important to inspect the rack before each use to ensure all parts and screws are securely tightened and functioning properly. Cables should be replaced if you notice any fraying. Additionally, make sure to clean the rack regularly by wiping away any dirt or dust with a damp cloth. By consistently upkeeping your rack, you can help ensure it remains in excellent working condition, reducing the risk of accidents or injuries during workouts.

If you’re planning on setting up a complete home gym or would like to purchase multiple pieces of equipment from us, get in touch to see if we can offer you a personalised price quote. You can also call into our showroom in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, Ireland for a free consultation and to try out our full range of equipment.

Products weighing over 45kg are delivered to customers on a pallet. Pallet deliveries consist of kerbside delivery only, meaning the delivery driver cannot bring your item inside.

Our flagship RPM Power Store is located in Thurles, Co. Tipperary. If you wish to stop by and see our selection of home gym fitness equipment, our opening hours are Mon-Fri 9am-5pm / Sat 10am-4pm and we do not close for lunch. We’re happy to chat with you about the various options available and see what will work best with your space, budget and strengthening goals.