Spotter boxes?

[AdamW]

I'm going build a nice half rack very similar to the Legend 3142 this fall with the help of some trades worker friends. The plan originally was to make it compatible with Rogue accessories and just buy the spotter arms they sell, but now I'm toying around with the idea of building boxes to use for spotting.

My thinking is that with boxes, the plates will hit the box instead of the bar on any failed attempts which will save my bar from bending. I can also position them wherever I want and use them for rack pulls, etc. It will also allow me to keep the foot print on the rack a little less deep as I won't have to worry about extending the front legs past where the spotter arms would stick out for stability.

Has anyone ever seen this done before? I think it could be pretty cool, basically just jerk boxes as spotters...

[Jonathan Vechet]

I would suggest putting a lip on the end so the bar doesn't roll off.

[yorick]

My thinking is that with boxes, the plates will hit the box instead of the bar on any failed attempts which will save my bar from bending.

Just to be clear, you are wanting to set the actual plates down on the boxes instead of the bar?

Definitely put a lip on them somehow.

[AdamW]

Yeah there would be a lip for sure, they would be adjustable boxes based on this design:



...but using 6" and 4" extensions instead of 10". Maybe even one smaller one to hit the in between heights.

Good instructions here:
http://www.catalystathletics.com/blo...hp?blogID=1650

[yorick]

Would those actually keep your bar from bending? I guess I fail to see how setting the weights down on something instead of the bar will prevent the bar from bending, but hey, I'm not a bent-bar expert.

Looks like a good solution regardless of whether it prevents a bent-bar.

[AdamW]

Yeah it will definitely protect the bar from bending vs. using pins. Most bent bars are the result of dropping the bar across pins, a bench or a box. If the plates hit first, the bar can't bend because there's nothing for it to bend against.

The other advantage over pins is that with pins, if you aren't centered correctly there's a chance the plates themselves will bump the pin on the way down and throw you off, especially in a wide rack with not a lot of wiggle room. With boxes, they are going to be lower since they are meant to catch the plates themselves, so there's no chance of interference in the middle of a lift.

I think I'm gonna build a pair over the long weekend and try them out with my current rack, I think it'll turn out pretty cool.