Gymless squat rack

mickwat155

So gymless have this squat rack on their adverts page for €130 I'm just wondering has anyone any experience using that squat rack or similar? Would it be worth getting?

http://www.adverts.ie/23757132

Black Sheep

Personally I could not recommend someone to buy this.

Gymless offers good availability of a lot of equipment, and at decent prices, but this is not very useful as squat stands go.

The main thing that puts me off it is that it's 14kg in weight. That is lighter than the unloaded olympic barbell you will rack on it!

The maximum recommended load weight is 100kg. I would suggest that's too light, for starters, for the purposes of most men unless they really want to limit themselves to higher reps. But for the sake of argument, if you did put 100kg on that rack, I think you'd need to be weighing it down on the plate storage to avoid calamity.

Another concern is the shortness of the safety arms (Can't call them catcher arms). They are so short I could only see someone using them to do rows off or similar, can't imagine squatting down and depending on these.

Do they adjust low enough to allow you to use them when benching? Maybe, maybe not- hard to tell from the pictures.

To be honest even at 130 euro this thing is not a good buy.

If want a rack or a half rack you probably want to budget more.

If you are set on squat stands I would still buy a heavier option.

mickwat155

Black Sheep wrote: »

Personally I could not recommend someone to buy this.

Gymless offers good availability of a lot of equipment, and at decent prices, but this is not very useful as squat stands go.

The main thing that puts me off it is that it's 14kg in weight. That is lighter than the unloaded olympic barbell you will rack on it!

The maximum recommended load weight is 100kg. I would suggest that's too light, for starters, for the purposes of most men unless they really want to limit themselves to higher reps. But for the sake of argument, if you did put 100kg on that rack, I think you'd need to be weighing it down on the plate storage to avoid calamity.

Another concern is the shortness of the safety arms (Can't call them catcher arms). They are so short I could only see someone using them to do rows off or similar, can't imagine squatting down and depending on these.

Do they adjust low enough to allow you to use them when benching? Maybe, maybe not- hard to tell from the pictures.

To be honest even at 130 euro this thing is not a good buy.

If want a rack or a half rack you probably want to budget more.

If you are set on squat stands I would still buy a heavier option.

Thanks very much for that reply I'm definitely not someone that can say they know much about squat racks only how much they cost I think I only seen the price and that's it really.. I invested good money in a barbell and bumper plates so it definitely would have been an insult to pair them with this going by what you've just said.. I have a cheap pair of stands I picked up years ago that I got for using with a much lighter bar but I'm getting rid because they are prone to moving on me and I don't feel safe using them especially when I go to put on heavier weights.. so if I was to dig deeper in the piggy bank what would you recommend? I'd love a foldable one but they aren't cheap

Black Sheep

Something like this would be a good option:-

https://www.blkboxfitness.com/products/blk-box-blackout-squat-stand

I saw one set up at the weekend, a neighbour bought one. It's good build quality, made in Belfast. You can buy the catcher arms separately.

Something like this is cheaper, because it is imported, but should also be OK if you have the room. It does have more functionality in some ways, with the plate storage on the sides.
https://irishlifting.ie/gym-equipment/heavy-duty-half-rack/

mickwat155

Black Sheep wrote: »

Something like this would be a good option:-

https://www.blkboxfitness.com/products/blk-box-blackout-squat-stand

I saw one set up at the weekend, a neighbour bought one. It's good build quality, made in Belfast. You can buy the catcher arms separately.

Something like this is cheaper, because it is imported, but should also be OK if you have the room. It does have more functionality in some ways, with the plate storage on the sides.
https://irishlifting.ie/gym-equipment/heavy-duty-half-rack/

I like that one on the Irishlifting site more functionality as you said.

What would be the main things to look for when buying a squat rack? The overall weight been the main thing?

Mellor

It's absolutely awful. Poorly designed, and poorly made.
Looks like it was knocked un in a factory in a single photograph by a guy who has never been in a gym or used a rack.

Where to started.

• Rated for 100kg, unless it's weighted down. Nope.
• "Safeties" are way too light and only 12cm. I actually thought they were awful J-hooks at first.
• The entire barbell is support by a skinny clip.
• Width adjustable from slight too small to way too small. What's the point other than making the thing weak in in the middle.
• It weights 14kg. lol. You could bicep curl the entire thing for a warmup.

Run a mile imo

mickwat155

Mellor wrote: »

• Rated for 100kg unless you weight in down. Nope.

It's absolutely awful. Poorly designed, and poorly made.
Looks like it was knocked un in a factory in a single photograph by a guy who has never been in a gym or used a rack.

Where to started.

• Rated for 100kg, unless it's weighted down. Nope.
• "Safeties" are way too light and only 12cm. I actually thought they were awful J-hooks at first.
• The entire barbell is support by a skinny clip.
• Width adjustable from slight too small to way too small. What's the point other than making the thing weak in in the middle.
• It weights 14kg. lol. You could bicep curl the entire thing for a warmup.

Run a mile imo

The last point you made actually made me laugh ffs how can they make something like that so light.. I was only looking at the price and I clearly didn't read the small print lol

I use something very similar for the last 6 or 7 months which was supposed to be a temporary thing but I'll prob use it for a good while yet. It's not stable and I will probably kill myself using it. It will fall over if you look at it funny. The arms might catch a bit for bench but would never rely on them fully for safeties.
If it's an option to get a decent rack go for that.

Black Sheep

mickwat155 wrote: »

I like that one on the Irishlifting site more functionality as you said.

What would be the main things to look for when buying a squat rack? The overall weight been the main thing?

Personally speaking the main thing for me is overall build quality, which means:-

- Where is fabricated? I'm not totally against stuff imported from China but personally I'd opt for something fabricated in the UK / Ireland / EU / US if possible.
- How thick are the box sections?
- What does it weight?
- What's the recommended max load, and does it sound credible?
- How thick are the safeties, are they thin pipes etc.
- Does it need to be bolted down / is it stable for pull-ups?

I would personally prefer solidly-made squat stands or a quarter rack where I know it's good quality over a poor-quality full rack, but I know others feel different.

There is a compromise which is inevitably necessary between build quality and price. You can get a very good quality made in Ireland quarter rack or squat stands for 500 euro, and they don't really get much more expensive because there's not much else you can add to them, but if you buy a really high quality half rack or full rack made in Ireland / EU / UK you could easily spend 800-1500 euro. Inevitably there comes a point where a lot of people have to compromise and buy an imported half rack or full rack rather than shelling out that much.

In terms of functionality and little details, I would also look for the following:-

- Overall height is worth keeping an eye on, make sure it'll fit your space
- Width... Check it will rack the bar and any speciality bars you have
- Plate storage is nice if it's there
- Pull-up attachment on the top is a must.
- Catcher arms are ideally quite long and deep.
- Hole spacing is ideally 'Westside hole spacing' to allow for a lot of adjustments, but this is not a must.
- If I was spending big money on a full rack I'd want a dip attachment option too.

After that remember you want to have enough money for a decent adjustable bench to go with your nice rack.

new2tri19

Black Sheep wrote: »

The maximum recommended load weight is 100kg. I would suggest that's too light, for starters, for the purposes of most men unless they really want to limit themselves to higher reps.

I've never felt less manly than reading this statement

I have the same but without the joint in the middle , tbh they have been grand and done me for whatever I've needed . For bench that spotter arms are very short so I often miss them or only manage to hook one side on at a time.
For squats I have 2 sawhorses set up there's no way you could drop a squat onto the catcher arms the whole thing would fall forward . I've been meaning to buy a half rack myself I'll probably buy one in next couple of days because I noticed the spotter arms don't move smoothly anymore I think what's happened is the downward weight has caused the tubes to warp a bit off square .

http://www.adverts.ie/22836715 this is what's tempting me

Black Sheep

new2tri19 wrote: »

I've never felt less manly than reading this statement

Apologies dude. Of course there is a variation and maybe someone at a lighter weight, or who is an older trainee is not going to be repping out squats at 100kg.

But I do think most adult men that run a linear progress with squats will break 100kg for 5 within a year, or sooner, no bother.

With this rack, the only option after that would be to up reps, or start pausing reps, go to front squats, or do clusters, or barbell lunges... I guess there would be a few things you could do, but honestly it's still just a bad rack.

new2tri19

Black Sheep wrote: »

Apologies dude. Of course there is a variation and maybe someone at a lighter weight, or who is an older trainee is not going to be repping out squats at 100kg.

But I do think most adult men that run a linear progress with squats will break 100kg for 5 within a year, or sooner no bother.

With this rack, the only option after that would be to up reps, or start pausing reps, go to front squats, or do clusters, or barbell lunges... I guess there would be a few things you could do, but honestly it's still just a bad rack.

Just joking im passed the days of caring about what amount I can lift , always someone that can lift more . Incidentally I can front squat more than I can back squat would that mean I'm likely doing something wrong on back squat ?

Black Sheep

new2tri19 wrote: »

Just joking im passed the days of caring about what amount I can lift , always someone that can lift more . Incidentally I can front squat more than I can back squat would that mean I'm likely doing something wrong on back squat ?

There's almost certainly something up there, yes.

The front squat calls for quite a bit of mobility (knees, ankles, let alone the rack position) and it can be hard to keep the upright torso necessary to prevent failing forward when the weight gets heavy. I think fair to say almost everyone will back squat significantly more weight.

My front squat 1RM is 77% of my back squat. I think the normal range is a 10-30% difference.

The gap between a high bar back squat (as opposed to more of a low bar back squat position) is going to be less, but there should still be a gap.

mickwat155

Looking for a few more suggestions on good portable rack for about €500-600 and a bench to go with it if anyone could help thanks

grassylawn

https://irishlifting.ie/gym-equipment/power-rack/

That looks like my one. It's grand. Not portable. Not sure if that rules it out for you.

I also got a bench from there but it no longer seems to be listed. I remember they sent me something different to what I ordered for the bench. It was a higher spec and cost more. They told me to keep it as collecting and replacing it was not a better option for them financially iirc.