Power Rack Exercises

Power rack is a weight training equipment designed to allow a safe workout. It mainly consists of four vertical posts and a movable horizontal bar, i.e the safety bar. The power rack allows you to execute a range of exercises. The safety bar provided in this equipment plays a very important role. For example, in the bench press, the safety bar is placed right above your chest, which prevents the barbell with heavy weight from crushing your chest in case of sudden muscle failure. Moreover, while performing deadlifts, one can easily limit the range of exercise rather than going full range, which in turn allows you to handle far more weight than in the latter case. It also allows you to target a range of motions to fight your workout weaknesses. It has worked well for many people, provided you admit your weakness and work towards converting them into your strengths. This is the reason why serious trainees make power rack an integral part of their workout regime.

How to do Power Rack Exercises

# Rack Dips

• Place two barbells (empty or with weights) across the power rack, close enough, probably about shoulder width.
• Adjust the safety bar just above your head.
• Stand in between the two barbells and hold them with a grip, such that your thumb is on one side and four fingers on the other side.
• Push yourself off the ground until your chest touches the safety bar (or until your elbows make a 90 degree angle), while you do so cross your legs and tuck in your tummy.
• Once you reach a position where your upper arm is parallel to the ground, hold the peak for a few seconds and return to the original position.

Exercises like power rack dips are great if you are aiming to strengthen your chest, shoulder and triceps muscles.

# Rack Squats

• Set the safety bars to a good height, meaning slightly above your hips, as it gives you full range of squat motion.
• Now, get into the squat position. Grip the barbell, push your hips backwards and bend your knees to not more than 60 degrees.
• Rise to original position, standing fully upright.
• Slightly relax and then drive up and down of the squat position, do not forget to tense your muscles while you perform your squats.

Doing squats without a spotter (the act of supporting another person) can be difficult, however you will overcome this issue while exercising on a power rack. Performing squats with a spotter is specially useful for sprinters to develop strength. The power rack also allows you to perform squats with heavy weights and that too without a spotter.

# Rack Bench Presses

• Lie down on your back on the flat bench, with a barbell over your head in a safe position.
• Beginners can use an empty barbell, whereas others can add weight.
• Arch your back a little, chest out, feet on the floor and your arms perpendicular to the bench holding the bar locked in the safe position.
• Now, unrack the bar and bring it down to your chest, while doing so make sure your elbows are tightly pinned in as opposed to flaring forward.
• Exhale while you push the bar back. When you push the bar back to where it was before lowering it, don't just rely on the shoulders and triceps to do the needful, instead flex your forearms, this will power your reps.

Don't shift your focus from the ceiling, keep looking straight as that will help in keeping your back, neck and head aligned. Also, instead of just lowering the bar, think as if you're pulling the bar down, it will help strengthen your core muscles.

# Rack Deadlift

• Set the safety bar to the lowest possible level in the rack.
• Slide some disc weight onto the outer portion of the barbell, to obtain the desired total weight and place it on the floor.
• Stand in the rack with your feet in shoulder width apart.
• Squat down and grasp the barbells with an overhand shoulder grip. While you do so, make sure you do not hunch your back, as it can cause serious injuries.
• Now, keeping your arms straight pull up the barbells to the safety bar level and continue to pull evenly as hard as possible. Lower the bar and repeat.

Dead lifts is one of the major exercises performed on power racks. It is considered as the purest test of strength, however the power rack makes its execution easy as it involves the use of safety bar. It is important you continuously raise the height of the safety bars to extract maximum gains in strength.

Other than the exercises listed above, the power rack allows you to perform a wide range of exercises combined with weights and bench. It is extremely versatile exercise equipment and an effective setup for muscle and strength gain. Stay healthy. Stay fit!