Last Updated on October 31, 2018 by marcyproiv
Perhaps you’ve just started your weight training program and you’re looking for the most efficient way to build muscle mass fast. Or maybe you’re an experienced lifter who’s looking to raise their workout to the next level. No matter where you are on your weight lifting journey, adding a power rack to your home gym is a smart decision.
Every Home Gym Needs a Power Rack
If you’ve done any research about the benefits of weight lifting, you already know by adding a weight training program to your weekly workout regimen typically results in better muscle tone, accelerates weight loss and torches stubborn fat. Type II muscle fibers, the kind you build during weight training, ignites whole-body metabolism enabling you to reap the benefits of an elevated metabolic rate hours after your workout. In addition to losing fat, weight training is important to increase physical performance. Plus, the improved muscle tone and strength will help you achieve a svelte physique.
Benefits of Using Power Racks
A great benefit of training with your home gym with a power rack is the ability to lift without a spotter. Power racks’ and cages’ integrated safety catches are specifically designed to allow solo training. Adjustable safety catches allow for a multitude of exercises including squats and bench presses. Achieve a complete head-to-toe workout with just the use of this one piece of equipment. Whether you use a power rack with an integrated bench or a rack that requires a separate bench, power racks offer a safer alternative to lifting when you’re training alone.
The next biggest benefit of doing power rack home gym workouts is the versatility. Squats, bench presses, pull-ups, dips, and more can all be accomplished using a power rack. Racks such as the Marcy Deluxe Cage System with Weight Lifting Bench (PM-5108) even come equipped with a pulley for lateral pull-downs. Whether you want to focus on upper or lower body muscle groups, you can truly accomplish a full body workout with a power rack or cage.
Repeating the same exercises day after day is boring. Variety is not only the spice of life but the key to maintaining a workout regimen. No one likes mundane repetitions. The best power racks for home gyms are versatile. The allow you to perform exercises that target all areas of your body. From chest, to arms, to legs, to shoulders, a power rack for home gym workouts is a smart investment.
What Type of Rack is Best for Your Home Gym?
There’s a variety of racks on the market and choosing the best one for you depends on a couple factors.
Space
From the compact footprint of a squat rack to the impressive structure of Marcy’s Monster Rack – SteelBody (STB-98005), having the space to accommodate your new rack should be the first consideration when purchasing your new piece of equipment.
Types of Racks
Squat racks – a squat rack, like the Marcy Squat Rack SM-8117, is a smaller and more compact rack than power racks. Squat racks can include a weight bench, but some require a weight bench be purchased separately. Designed for safety as well as efficiency, squat racks are ideal for exercises like bench presses and squats. Integrated safety features allow lifters to exercise with confidence alone or with a spotter. Many squat racks come with integrated storage for weight plates.
Wall mounts – a wall mounted rack is a space-saving rack that attaches to the wall with bolts. Ideal for lifters with limited floor space, these slim racks are limited in versatility but make up for it in size.
Power Rack – Marcy’s Power Rack MWB-70500 is a small but mighty piece of equipment with a small footprint and features that are designed for versatility as well as safety. With a steel-built frame, multi-grip pull-up bar, anchoring points for bands and straps. The variety of workouts you can accomplish is virtually limitless. Add a separate weightlifting bench for even more workout options.
Power racks and Cage Systems – With a larger footprint, additional options such as pulleys, pull-up bars, dip stations, and kipping stations, Power racks such as the Monster Power Rack by SteelBody (STB-98005), Marcy Cage System (SM-3551), and Marcy Deluxe Cage System with Weight Lifting Bench (PM-5108) are simply the best power racks for home gym workouts on the market. With virtually endless options for upper and lower body exercises, a power rack could be the only equipment you’ll ever need.
Get the Most out of Your Power Rack for Home Gym Workouts with These 9 Powerful Exercises
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Bench Press
Bench Pressing without a spotter can be intimidating. Thankfully, with a power rack in your home gym, you’ll never have to worry about recruiting a friend to spot again. Without a doubt, a bench press is one of the best exercises to improve your shoulders and pectoralis muscle groups as well as subtly working on the traps, triceps, upper back, core, hips and increasing stability in the legs.
To effectively bench press with a power rack, simply set the pins or arms just above your chest level when you’re lying on the bench. This will give you maximum range of motion without forcing you to limit your weight load. Make sure you test the height of the safety pins first, then once you’re sure you’ll be able to safely position yourself under the bar, lift away to your pecs’ content.
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Overhead Press
A standard exercise for professional lifters, overhead presses offer a full body, compound workout. Standing in front of your power rack with your feet closer than shoulder width apart, raise the barbell to your shoulders using an overhand grip. Press the bar over your head until your arms are fully extended, paying careful attention to your balance and contracting your core for additional stabilization. Finally, lock your elbows at your maximum extension, and shrug your shoulders towards the ceiling. With control, lower the bar back to your shoulders and repeat.
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Close Grip Bench Press
Although primarily targeting the triceps, the close grip bench press is an effective exercise for strengthening the deltoids, biceps and pectoralis muscle group. You’ll need a power rack with a flat weight bench to perform this exercise. Like a bench press, you’ll lie face up on the flat bench holding a barbell with an overhand grip. The key difference in this exercise is the position of the hands. Bring your hands in closer together, slightly narrower than shoulder width apart, paying attention not to compromise your wrist. Then as in a bench press, you’ll lower the weight to your chest keeping your elbows tucked in closer to your body. Once you reach the lowest point you can go, raise the bar back towards the ceiling to the start position and repeat.
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Deadlift
A barbell deadlift is one of the most basic exercises for targeting your glutes, hamstrings, and back muscles. Form is critical to injury prevention with this exercise, so remember to keep your back straight! Start with feet hip distance apart. Grip the bar, either an overhand grip or reverse grip (one overhand, one underhand). Pulling your shoulders back and down, move your hips forward as you stand up raising the barbell to hip height. Pull the bar straight up with your torso still bent over, and when it reaches your knees, stand up. Slowly lower to starting position with knees slightly bent, shoulders activated, and repeat.
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Good Mornings
A great exercise for developing back muscles, this also requires focus on maintaining a straight back to prevent injury. Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Rest the barbell with a light weight load on the back of your shoulders, hold the bar and stand upright. Activate your core and brace your shoulders as you hinge forward with a flat back – paying attention to hinge at the waist not the back. Maintain a slight bend to the knees for stability as you lean forward to a practically parallel position activating your hamstrings until you feel a slight pull. Reverse and return to the starting position.
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Front Squats
An excellent lower body exercise, front squats develop your leg and hip muscles along with your glutes. Start by standing feet shoulder width apart. Place the bar on the front of your shoulders and grip with a cross hand grip or grip underhanded. Bend your knees as if you’re sitting in a chair, pushing your rear towards the back and paying attention not to extend your knees past your toes. Lower until your quads are parallel to the floor and raise back to standing. Repeat.
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Shoulder Press
Shoulder presses can be done with either dumbbells or barbells and seated or standing. We’ll discuss the dumbbell version here. Either seated or standing, hold a dumbbell in each hand. Raise your arms to shoulder height so your dumbbells are parallel with the floor and your hands facing forward. Extend your arms towards the ceiling and you press the dumbbells up. Return to starting position and repeat.
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Pull-Ups
This one compound movement delivers a ton of benefits. Working the biceps, triceps, forearms, wrists, grip strength, lats, shoulders and core all at once, you’re not likely to find a better upper body development exercise. Integrated pull-up stations can be found in the best power racks for home gyms such as the Marcy Cage Home Gym (MWM-7041),
Performing a proper pull up isn’t difficult, but it’s critical that you maintain proper form, so you can reap all those incredible upper body benefits. The first step is to grab the bar and hang. That’s it! Easy, right? Now activate your core and pull yourself up so your chest is nearly touching the pull up bar. If you still have it in you, raise your chin above the bar. Now, slowly lower yourself down to the starting position. Repeat until you reached your max reps.
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Dips
If you need another reason to love power racks for home gyms, dips may just be it. A compound exercise, dips exercise your chest, shoulders, and arms simultaneously. To perform dips, hold two parallel bars (make sure they’re no further than shoulder width apart to protect your shoulders) and raise yourself up by your arms. When your arms are fully extended and securely holding your body weight, lower yourself, then press back up to the start position. Keep your elbows close to your body and lean your torso forward.
When shopping for the best power rack for your home gym, make sure you check out all that Marcy has to offer. Whether you’re new to working out at home and are just looking for a smaller rack to accommodate your barbells or want a completely integrative system that offers lateral pull-down options, dipping and pull-up stations plus more, Marcy has a power rack that’s right for your space, your goals and your budget.
Contact us today to learn more about Marcy’s incredible line of high quality and reasonably priced home gym cardio and strength training equipment!