Half rack vs power rack

[Kryptenx]

What is everyone's opinions on half racks vs. power racks? Is there anything that can be done in a power rack that cannot be done with a half rack?

From what I've gathered, half racks are preferred when space is crunched (shouldn't be an issue for me), yet many of you with proper power racks still squat and press outside the rack. Is this just personal preference?

Personally, I'd be more worried about dumping a squat on spotter arms than in a power rack just for the simple fact that it is only supported on one end. Anyone ever have issues or concerns along this line? I don't fail often, but I'm not afraid to push it because I know I can fail if I need to and just don't know if I can have the same confidence in spotter arms.

[BarryF]

I squat in a power rack, and feel safer than if I were in a half rack for exactly what you said...no matter how much you screw up in a power rack...the bar is going to get caught...not only on the safeties going down but on the uprights with forward or backwards motion. I can't press in my rack because it is too low due to 7' ceiling, but that does not concern me at all. I don't think many people who have power racks choose to squat outside of them for no reason.

[Serack]

I'm new to the terminology... Would a "half rack" be adjustable? Otherwise, you don't have the option of partial RoM deadlifts from the rack safety bars.

Not that "the program" allows for partial RoM deadlifts for novice or intermediates.

[Kryptenx]

It would be adjustable. Your concern is similar to mine. I don't do rack pulls yet (only 315x5 DL), but wonder how well spotter arms hold up to 400+lbs setting on them often.

[Serack]

All this will be on my mind when my family moves from our condo to a full sized house a few years from now. The Mrs complains about my spending $150 on a 25lb bucket of Whey now, I'm not looking forward to the stinkeye I'll get the day I drop the green on a power rack.

Of course, my 3yo will be that much closer to his balls dropping by then, so I might be able to bring my desire to mentor him properly into the argument.

[Cody]

Half racks have the same footprint as a full power rack. Go ahead, look up the specs on the Rogue website, I'll wait.


Bolt the thing down and you can do all the rack pulls you want.

[Kryptenx]

Half racks have the same footprint as a full power rack. Go ahead, look up the specs on the Rogue website, I'll wait.


Bolt the thing down and you can do all the rack pulls you want.

Noticed that with the half racks Dick's has on sale today, makes sense given that it needs to be stable enough to support the same amount of weight a full rack would. So that leaves the only advantage to be price?

I just bought a B&R 2.0 today and have plates at the house, so I'm really itching to get the rack so I can start lifting at home. As is not normally my luck, I checked Craigslist and found a short power rack for $100 today, and it's in the same tiny town I am in, so it might be meant to be until I plunk down the cash for the Titan HD!

[iamsmuts]

All this will be on my mind when my family moves from our condo to a full sized house a few years from now. The Mrs complains about my spending $150 on a 25lb bucket of Whey now, I'm not looking forward to the stinkeye I'll get the day I drop the green on a power rack.

The Titan HD is only $400. At your rate, that's just 66.6 pounds of Whey.

[Meshuggah]

I dont believe in doing things half assed, so...

[Roman B.]

I have bought Rogue R-3 rack 2 years ago. This spring I came to conclusion that a squat stand with safety arms would suffice for me. Recently moved from a house to an apartment which has a 2m high basement, so I got an excuse to order the Rogue S-1 squat stand + safeties. Will press in the apartment, and do the rest with a squat stand. I wish the squat stand was my choice from the beginning.