Reddit mentions of Atlas Power Rack Squat Deadlift Cage with Bench Racks

Cheapest I could find

With some accessories

how much are you looking to pay? If you're on a budget for a squat rack you can do this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2PCS-Duty-Commercial-Olympic-Weights-Barbell-Squat-Stand-Power-Rack-Gym-Fitness-/261596613193?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3ce85f8a49

for 80 bucks shipped.


Preferably this :
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UMM4QC/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687462&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000VLRVSC&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0ZDRYNSBR0NRRFMC8VY2

for 350 shipped.

You are a newbie. Get a cage so you can have adjustable safeties.

This is the rack that I own. http://amzn.com/B004UMM4QC

I have done 400+lb rack pulls on it for reps. I have done 185lb overhead press on it. I have squatted and failed 395lbs on it. It is a good rack and it is cheap.

• Cage -- $360 shipped
  
  
• 2 horse stall mats -- $80 in total
  
  
• Bench -- $10 from Craigslist
  
  
• Weights -- about $.60 per lb from Craigslist
  
  
• Texas Power Bar -- almost $300 shipped (I splurged on this but it's awesome)
  
  Big initial investment but totally worth it. Working out at home is amazing.

Bought this one on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Power-Squat-Deadlift-Bench/dp/B004UMM4QC

Works for me.

Something like this might be a better option. You want something sturdy, adjustable, and that has safeties if you're working without a spotter. It's a bit more expensive, but you could use a rack like this for other SS lifts like BP and OHP, not just squats.

For the one that you linked to, u/kalisaurus mentioned that hers is "a bit wobbly", which would make me nervous to use when lifting heavy.

This "only" supports 800 lbs.

This will good enough until you decide on Texas vs Ohio power bar I don't think it has center knurling, but I'm sure you could find a similar one with it for the same money.

This only supports 300 lbs, but you can always rebuild the framing out of 4x4 wooden posts. I can tell you it doesn't collapse even when you have around 500 lbs on it.

Then you just need weights, Craigslist, or if you want new, walmart has them for a little less than 1$ a lb. Make sure your 45's are the right size, or you'll end up doing deficit deadlifts.

This is a squat rack. This is a power rack

Home gym guy here!

I went to a regular gym for years and after awhile I realized I can buy a gym for what I pay to go there.

I picked this up from Amazon: cage At the time it was $199.

I totally agree with anyone who can get a cage of craigslist, but I live in bum fuck nowhere and I may be the only person up here with a cage.

From Craigslist, I managed to buy a bunch of Olympic weights, by buying bench presses from people. Olympic weights sell for $120-$200 for a 300lb set. But from some reason I can get a bench with the same set for $75, and it has the Olympic bar.

So I pick-up up 3 of those, I had to drive about an hour each way to get them, but I figured it was worth it. This left me with 3 benches 1 for regular one of incline and one for bells. 3 bars one for the cage and 2 for the benches. Along with 900 lbs in weight.

I have 2 Olympic dumbbell handles that I use, but they kinda suck so I'm keeping my eyes peeled for some regular ones, but I need 70-90 lbs and they are rare.

All in all I spent about $400 including gas.

I have a bunch of boxing gear in my basement as well but that from my younger days, I have noticed you can get a full gym worth good boxing gear for under $200 as well. I still keep my roadwork up for cardio, that's free.

I've had my home gym for 3 months now, my biggest concern was if I would slack, but I have managed to add 20lbs to my bench 30 to my dead and 40 to my squat, which to me, just an average dude, was very impressive.

I have one of these. It cost about 1k.

Squat/power rack: very versatile. you can tie up a sub in a number of different ways. mine has a pull up bar built in. it holds up very well to both lifting and kink use. you do NOT need a 1000 dollar power rack. this is the one i have: https://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Power-Squat-Deadlift-Bench/dp/B004UMM4QC/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1465612231&sr=1-3&keywords=power+rack

Bench: doubles as a bondage bench just fine

barbell/weights etc.: this is the bulk of the expense. I use these for powerlifting, not necessarily for kink.

deadlift platform: this is good for both deadlifts AND if you build your own its pretty cheap. with high quality wood it is fine for bare feet.

boxing bag: I have a heavy bag (100lbs) bolted into the ceiling. i reinforced the attic with 2x4 and some 4x4s. it will easily work for suspension or swing with the extra support.

Here's everything you need for $830 plus tax with shipping from amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Squat-Deadlift-Chrome-Safety/dp/B004UMM4QC/ref=sr_1_2?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1415637608&sr=1-2&keywords=power+rack

http://www.amazon.com/adidas-ADI-416-Flat-Bench/dp/B006JJM38S/ref=sr_1_2?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1415637750&sr=1-2&keywords=bench

http://www.amazon.com/USA-Sports-Barbell-Olympic-Weight/dp/B000LJL3SI/ref=sr_1_12?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1415637666&sr=1-12&keywords=barbell+weight+set

how much do you pay per month? Make it about ROI for the gym owner. Tell him you will leave if he doesn't get a squat rack and he will be out the 200 dollars per year that he earns from your membership. A power rack on amazon.com costs only 250 dollars. Tell him you will sign a contract for 1 year if he puts in a power rack

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Squat-Deadlift-Chrome-Safety/dp/B004UMM4QC/ref=sr_1_2?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1412361691&sr=1-2&keywords=power+rack

All this advice applies if you live in the US (don't wanna waste your time).

For a full power rack, I would recommend just waiting for a good deal on craigslist. Even this rack on amazon is pretty good deal

I'm sure if you look long enough you can find a better deal on craigslist. I bought that weight bench a few years ago, but if I had known better I would have just gotten a power rack. As a beginner (less than 300lbs on squat), this solution works for me. Also, try to find one with a pulley system if possible, cause I love some of the exercises that are only possible with a pulley system, especially if you are beginner. Also, remember if you decide to upgrade you can always sell something professionally made and get most of your money back and even make money if bought from a really good deal. Of course, void all this if you love building stuff and have the time.

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Squat-Deadlift-Bench-Racks/dp/B004UMM4QC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452126982&sr=8-1&keywords=atlas+power+rack

Seems a bit expensive with shipping, I am in the market for one right now

Not OP but, the Titan T-2 design is a prevalent design from a number of manufacturers. ex. Atlas Power Rack and RepFitness Power Rack

From the Repfitness website they list the specs of the 2x2 uprights as 14 gauge. That translates to a 5/64" or ~2mm thick steel. Compared to the R-3 (T-3) 11 gauge steel which is 1/8" or ~3.175mm

The 2x2 14 gauge racks are advertised as capable of holding 700lbs on the j-cups. Comparatively the 11 gauge 2x3 racks can hold 1000lbs

For the average home gym user that weight differential is negligible. Realistically the only time someone would approach the maximum weight capacity would be on one exercise, the squat. And for either rack I'd suggest not ever dumping that kind of weight from max height onto the safeties.

So both racks perform their primary function comparably. Why would someone go for the T-3 over the T-2? That's just personal preference on a number of things. But here are the main differences. The T-2 doesn't need to be bolted to the floor or platform. The T-3 (R-3) has the westside hole spacing throughout the benching area. T-3 has both a 1.25" and 2" pull up bar. There are more compatible accessories (thanks to Rogue) for the T-3. Like OP you can buy spotter arms and bench outside the rack on the T-3.

Of course the ability to modify and expand upon the T-3(R-3) comes with the caveat of cost. The rack is more expensive and the accessories will be too.

>you really only need three items

No power rack??

Bruhhh.

Here you go, OP. To walk the halls of Brodin, one must never skip leg day.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UMM4QC/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687762&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000VLRVSC&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=13ZJNF52CP14V3HGC738

I have this one and have had it for about 15 months, using it 3-4 times a week. The quality is great, 14 gauge steel and feels extremely sturdy. The j-hooks and spotter bars are solid steel so nothing's happening to them. I did 90% of the assembly myself and then got my wife to help me hold up the sides to do the last bolts; make sure you follow the directions about not tightening the bolts super tight until you've got the thing together (this is good advice for putting together anything with bolts actually). Heaviest weight I've used with it is 365), and it says the max weight is 800, but really if you're gonna be using any more than four plates on it you're lifting enough that you should be looking into higher quality equipment not something cheap and cheerful. If you're a beginner or intermediate lifter and all your lifts are under 400 (assuming you want to do rack pulls or something with your deadlift weight) this rack will suit you great. I also do pull-ups/chins off the front bar and the thing doesn't wobble even with no weight on the back, and I'm 6'5"/210.

This rack will last because there's not really anything on it to break down. I wouldn't go cheapest on a bench or a bar, especially not a bar because you'll be replacing a crappy one within a year, but you're grand with a cheaper rack as long as the reviews are good, it's made out of sturdy stuff, and you assemble it correctly.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004UMM4QC?cache=62f03dde8c29f90d660f98fa88565d03#ref=mp_s_a_1_3&qid=1393738676&sr=8-3 this is what I have, an actual cage and It's cheaper too. Works great for the amount of weight I'm doing. I guess it all depends on what weight you'll be using.

There are these bumper plates leaning against the rack if you look closely. I have this rack. The quality of the rack is astonishing--the low cost really belies the quality of the rack.

You'll be better off to just buy a cheap bench and use it inside a power rack like this .. that'll open up the exercise possibilities also. (squats, chins, presses) By setting the bottom bars at the appropriate height, it's easier to bail out if you're using too much weight without a spotter.

I had a bench setup like what you're describing (though with wider supports), and I found it to just take up a lot of space for no reason. It's not conducive to most other exercises you might ever decide to do. Even for casual/supportive work for other activities, the rack is still really useful and doesn't take up much more floor space than your bench does.

I bought a power rack from amazon for about $400 (that's with shipping). I can't drop weights where I work out; the bottom safety bar position is about four inches short of full RoM for deadlifts so I built a short platform to stand on for deadlifts. The rack has a pullup bar.

Bought olympic barbell and 255 lbs of plates (not bumper plates) for about $200 on craigslist. There were some small rust spots on a few of the plates, but it's not like that changes their functionality. The annoying part was checking everyday for a couple of weeks until what I wanted showed up for a reasonable price. Maybe you live in a better city.

Bought a bench from amazon as well for $150. I decided to buy new because of similar safety concerns. If I recall, the listed weight limit is just for additional weights, and it assumes something like a 200 lbs person, so this bench is actually rated up to 500 lbs. It's harder to know what a bench is rated at just from looking at a poor cell phone pic from a craigslist add, and if it comes with a dinky 1" diameter barbell I'm going to be skeptical it can hold a lot of weight.

Yesterday.. my power rack came in! I even managed to assemble it all before bedtime. I'm super pumped for this - I've always wanted one in my house (I really don't like going to the gym alone) and now I do :) Time to get my lift on!

Today My goal is to track my food on MFP. Also I decided I really need to cut the "fluff" out of my life - things I do that waste time and really serve no purpose. Like surf the internet/play on my phone for hours on end! Or sit on the couch right when I get home from work. If only I could stay moving, I would get so much more accomplished in the day to day. Also I am on a mission to acquire an Olympic barbell.

Otherwise.. Happy Halloween!

I don't think you've considered a power rack, but I think you should.

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Squat-Deadlift-Bench-Racks/dp/B004UMM4QC

A power rack or cage, olympic barbell, with 200lb of weights (to start) and you're equipped for doing the best exercises out there.

Have a look at...

http://stronglifts.com/5x5/

which is a very popular strength training program for beginners.

Here is an example build I found by googling...

https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/3mls56/home_gym_500/cvg32b1

Shit I've been using an even cheaper one for almost a year now and it has held up great, no problems.

edit: although if you have amazon prime the powerline ships free so there is that to consider. If it is on deep enough sale it can often be cheaper due to this. But either one, add a set of rings to the pullup bar and you've got a stew going. Getting a rack for the garage was one of my best fitness decisions ever. No excuses when its just downstairs.

I don't like how the bench is attached to the rack.

You might like something like this that adds the possibility of doing squats:

http://www.amazon.com/Golds-Gym-XRS-Olympic-Bench/dp/B009PA1KJG/

I have one of these for my home gym:

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Squat-Deadlift-Chrome-Safety/dp/B004UMM4QC/

I like it a lot since I can do pretty much any compound exercise and having the safety pins is a huge plus. Im not sure how I would feel benching heavy weight with the adidas bench when there is no safety mechanism.

"Squat rack supports up to 300 lb" lmao that is final destination waiting to happen. OP just save up for a decent quality power rack. Something like this.

https://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Power-Squat-Deadlift-Bench/dp/B004UMM4QC/ref=sr_1_4?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1475095596&sr=1-4&keywords=power+rack

Mine has a bar that's straight across

sometimes people make a distinction between a power cage (enclosed) and a squat rack (open on one side), or a full rack / half rack.

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Squat-Deadlift-Chrome-Safety/dp/B004UMM4QC/

http://www.amazon.com/Cap-Barbell-Deluxe-Power-Cage/dp/B00I04Z52G

I like the full racks. My gym just put in a row of them and I can do my whole workout in one or two stations. Some day I want to make space in my workshop for one.

The Atlas Power Rack is also great (it is very similar to the Titan Power Rack, but has better reviews). It'll cost you about $400 after shipping and taxes.

Looks just like the Atlas but twice as pricey. I use my Atlas 5-6 times a week. Owned it for over a year now and its fine.

What bench did you get? I'm contemplating between that rack and this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004UMM4QC/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1373255264&sr=8-2&pi=SL75

Trying to decide what to go with budget wise, as I'd also need a decent bench, preferably FID. The IM Superbench looks awesome, but a little pricey for me since I don't want to drop more than $350 for a rack. In the meantime, my CL searches continue...

This guy has treated me very well for the price.

I really couldn't be much happier with it.

Can I ask why you couldn't just use a decent squat rack over a full on powercage?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004UMM4QC/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1456917795&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=squat+rack&dpPl=1&dpID=41s60Tve16L&ref=plSrch

Something like this for a home gym would be perfect. Looking at your design it looks like your gunning for something more commercial sized. But looking at your lifts at around 500lb, that would be overkill.

I'm not trying to shit on your idea mate, just trying to give you another route to go. And one that may very well work out cheaper in the long run.

I bought this one back in March. Came in two boxes. Easy to assemble(did it by myself). More than enough weight capacity for novice lifters. I would definitely buy it again.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UMM4QC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

*edit: I will say I wish the holes were 1" apart instead of 2", but that's my only qualm.

I have the barbell set from Dick's, 300 pound set for around $200. It's been fine so far. The most I've lifted so far is 230 (only 2 months in). I plan on upgrading the bar once I can lift over 300. I also have a nearly identical power rack from amazon. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UMM4QC/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This Power Rack is a better deal - It's exactly the same price shipped, but has 2 inch hole spacing instead of 3 inch. Rated capacity is also higher.

I wouldn't buy that bench. Look at the customer images.

A brand new shitty barbell set is $199 from Academy regular price. It goes on sale quite a bit for $190 and there's usually coupons floating around, too.

The better solution is to buy this stuff from craigslist. You could get the weight set for <$125, power rack for $100, and a quality bench (retails $100-200) for $40 depending on your area.

I just bought this one. It has not yet been used, but /u/ishitconeguns has the same rack

Edit: get some $40 horse stall mats from Tractor Supply Company, and the barbell and weights off craigslist or from a generic sporting goods store.

You can actually get a full rack for around this price. I have and recommend the "Atlas" rack as the best deal around this price range. Amazon Link - Bonanza Link - My post on its variations

• Very similar rack by Titan
  
  I don't like the second rack you linked - Those spotter arms are really short. The first rack is OK - It's essentially a half-rack version of the Atlas/Titan rack.

> ...which I guess is kinda useful for a rack with multiple users

And single users. I imagine most people bench and squat with the safeties at different heights.

You might also want to consider the Atlas:

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Squat-Deadlift-Chrome-Safety/dp/B004UMM4QC

It's a bit between the two you listed. Nicer finish and a little heavier than the Titan. A little lighter than the NYBB. It has weird hooks though.

If you can swing it I'd save a little more for the HD though:

http://www.titandistributorsinc.com/default/hd-titan-power-rack-with-2-x3-tubes.html

Just for the rack, or is that for everything.

if everything, you should be able to get a basic 300lb weight set at your current sporting good store for around $300, but check craigslist, as you can get weight much cheaper

for a basic rack, I like this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UMM4QC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AZW93HRN28RCX

for a bench, I like this http://www.amazon.com/Valor-Athletics-Inc-DA-Bench/dp/B001TJCHES/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

and that should put you around the $800-900 mark depending on if you can get some used weights or not. This pretty much covers the basics, to get you started with Starting Strength


If $800 is just for the rack, then you are probably able to get much better equipment, and I would probably get a package from rogue, as their products are good. So a R3 Rack, weights, bench, and a bar in one package, would come out to about $1500-1700. This would be bumper plates, so would be safe to drop on a platform


other things I would buy

you can get horse stall mat from tractor supply co, and some OSB to make a platform for deadlifting and cleans

A weight tree if conventional weights, or make a weight holder for bumpers, http://board.crossfit.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2060&d=1216003868

$259.99, 700 lbs capacity and 4.8 Stars

I bought a squat rack with my girlfriend, we went halvsies. I'm not some crazy strong guy or anything so I didn't need something super industrial. We settled on this rack and it's served us very well so far.

My only complaints were that the powder coating was poor and the packaging was kinda weak dick. Otherwise, it's held anything I've thrown at it and been a solid addition for me. We bought a nice flat bench and I've been using it faithfully ever since. I love the peace of mind of being able to squat and bail if I need to, as well as being able to lift from the pins for things like static holds, heavy barbell shrugs and the like. It's rated for 700lbs (If I ever get anything over 350 I'll buy you dinner) and I have no reason to doubt it. It's a very simple assembly and being a post college constantly poor guy who moves a lot, I'm thankful.

edit: Downsides of my home gym: only 1 bar, setup time eats up workout time. Cramped space but because I'm short it's not really an issue. For an averaged sized man I doubt you could OHP to full extension or do things like pullups and chinups. Being small sometimes isn't so bad!

Try craigslist, you can sometimes find cheap power racks on there. You don't need anything fancy, something like this would work, but keep in mind it doesn't have safety bars. You may need to upgrade to something like this later on, because it's easier to bail on a squat with the safety bars. You don't need a spotter if you practice safely failing a rep with an empty/lightly loaded bar.

Invest $200 in a power rack and stay safe.

/r/homegym

Power Rack

Build your own bench

Troll Craigslist for weights

Get Jacked!

Oh, and best of all, play the music you want to listen to!

Get a weight set off craigslist. I got an entire set for $90 and it included 2 sets of 45s, 35s, 25s, 10s, and four sets of 5lb plates.

Buy this off amazon

Buy an adjustable bench that goes 0, 45 and 90 degrees off craigslist for $30-50.

And then buy a barbell, don't get a cheap one. Shell out at least like a $100 on a good quality 7ft barbell with a 2 inch diameter.

I would also recommend getting rubber mats to put on the floor, under the squat rack. I use the ones used in kitchens, the rubber mats with holes in them.

I've been doing the same search. If you want something that is 13 gauge or thicker, holes 2 inches or closer, and less than $400, I have only found 3 options:

Atlas

New York Barbells

Titan T-2

You're right, but I got curious at how cheap you could go with new equipment.

I found:

• Power Rack - $249.99 + $99 Shipping - Amazon.com
  
• 300lb Olympic Weight Set With Bar - $199.98 - Dicks Sporting Goods
  
• Flat Weight Bench - $49.22 - Amazon.com
  
  Total: $598.19
  
  None of it is top-of-the-line stuff, but they're all reviewed well. It looks like you could get started with all-new equipment for about $600.
  

Craigslist has failed me as well. I was looking at this Atlas cage on Amazon. I might end up going that route once I have money someday.

That Titan rack appears to only be $289 right now. Looks exactly like the Atlas Power Rack people seem to rave about as the Powerline PPR200X killer. That rack tends to sell out and I'm thinking this might be the same manufacturer by a different name. Atlas -> Titan ...
Atlas Rack
Powerline Rack

This Titan rack sells on Amazon for more.
Titan Rack on Amazon

Seems to be really good reviews by people who put it together correctly. I wish I had personal experience but I'm shopping this right now too.
Main complaints seem to be people having trouble putting safety bars in. If you don't put the vertical posts all the same direction the holes won't line up, according to reviews on Amazon.

I'm planning on making a home gym on a budget and was deciding between these two squat racks: first and second

The first is what seems to always be suggested as a budget option but I think the second one seems to be more practical as well as cheaper and I don't really see any drawbacks in its design vs an open cage. Can anyone tell me what the disadvantages would be compared to the first cage option if I went with the second option?

I would buy a full power rack for safety's sake, if space and money permit (linked a cheap one, but it will do it's job, you can spend a lot more on higher quality ones), rather than the stand that liquidarity listed, but that's really up to your own tolerance for safety. You can use it for benching too (if you have a bench).

I wouldn't list bumper plates (as compared to steel) as an absolute necessity. They are certainly good to have for cleans (and to a certain extent, deadlifts), but again it's kind of up to your tolerance for noise and potential to break stuff (like... floors, or your bar) vs. how much money you want to spend. Obviously it's better to have them than not if you can afford it.

With a rack, a bench, a bar, and some plates, you can do most of any kind of training, and if you can swing some kettlebells (heh) that will add to your versatility.

With those specific programs however, from what I've seen in the past, they like to prescribe a decent amount of kettlebell type stuff (some of which you could do or modifiy to do with a bar, some you can't), so that might be a higher priority than on some other programs.

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Squat-Deadlift-Chrome-Safety/dp/B004UMM4QC

I bought this.

Currently out of stock, but it was a steal of a price. $200 plus shipping came to about $270. It may have been a one off thing but maybe you could track one down?

It is not tall enough to do overhead presses inside it, but you can put the bar holders on the outside of the rack for OHP.

I was looking at this one and this one myself. I haven't looked too closely yet, just saw good reviews so tagged them for a closer look at a later date.


Good luck with Prime Two-Day shipping on an inexpensive power rack. The cheapest Prime eligible power rack (like above, full cage, not half racks) that I saw was just over $650 from Amazon with free Prime. It was available for almost $200 less w/ free shipping from other vendors.