Choose a squat rack that fits your needs: “Focus your time and energy researching racks that fit perfectly into your space and for the height of people using the rack,” said Steve Stonehouse, VP of education and programming programming in fit fit. You also want to check the quality of the machine. “There are different quality and criteria for commercial racks compared to personal racks,” he explained. When deciding on the quality of the rack, one thing to consider is the type and thickness of steel used in manufacturing. You should also consider the amount of weight and frequency of use that the squat rack can see.
Decide if you use it for other exercises: You will notice some squat racks are sold as squat racks with two steel beams intended to hold a barbell and its bare bones. On the other hand, many electric cages work as a squat rack, a bench rack, a spotter and more, all more versatile than a major squat rack. Depending on what you use for this, you may want to consider a power cage if you want a rack that can be used for quoting, bench pressing or other exercises.
Use safety bars: Squat racks have “safety weapons” that should help you if you fail a lift. Stonehouse also recommends choosing a squat rack with a wide base or platform that prevents the rack from moving around when used. In addition, he advises to make sure that the thickness or “gauge” of steel is sufficient.
“Gauge can often be an important indicator of price and quality,” he explained. He points out that usually commercial gyms use racks that use 7-gauge steel, while home-friendly racks use 11-gauge steel. “It's strong enough for almost any gym scenario at home and you'll probably last a life,” he said.
Bolt down the squat rack: Ever possible, to add to safety measures, you should aim to drop the rack. If you can't bolt the rack down, you want to make sure the footprint is wide enough to provide appropriate stability, even using heavy weights.
Make sure it can hold a lot of weight: Making sure that the squat rack of your choice can hold a lot of weight is important, especially if there are many people in your home plan using it. Stonehouse said most common home gym squat racks have weight capacities that can handle loads from 300 to 1,000 pounds.
