Power rack workouts for great results

Compound movements

The beauty of weight training, and one of the reasons I preach it like a religion, is that you get the most benefit if you keep it simple. It has been proven time and time again, that if you perform compound movements with increasing intensity you will get stronger and build more muscle. Provided you are getting adequate rest and nutrition.

Compound exercises are movements that recruit multiple muscle groups at once. Exercises like bench press, squats, chin ups, dips, deadlifts etc require many large muscle groups to fire into action. Your body senses this activity, and responds by building muscle and strength.

Exercises like bicep curls only use one small muscle – the bicep – so the signal it sends is minor. Compound movements send the message loud and clear. So if you want big biceps to impress the ladies, do exercises like bench press, squats or deadlifts.

Aside from the cosmetic factor, compound movements are also preferable for their functional strength. By this I mean the strength you will develop from an exercise like squats is transferable to your functioning in everyday life. If you need to lift something heavy, you will bend your knees and drive with your legs – just like a squat.

Most importantly to me, squatting is just like getting off a chair. This is no big deal you might say, but what about when you are 80? There are plenty of old guys and girls lifting well into their senior years, and I bet they bounce out of the chair instead of being pushed around in it.

So what do compound movements have to do with power racks?

Safety

Compound movements are completely safe when performed with correct form and with the right equipment – safer than driving a car – I say this to give some perspective about what I am going to say next.

But some compound movements – namely bench press and squats – can not only lead to injury but even death. Many people have died trapped under a barbell after not being able to complete a bench press whilst training alone.

These people are prime candidates for the Darwin awards, considering that investing in a proper power rack or half rack not only does not cost a lot more, but these days they don’t have to take up more space. Considering the amount of use and the benefits offered by spending that bit extra, it really is a no brainer.

The big appeal of the power rack is that it allows you to perform your bench pressing and squats with safety even if you train alone. The four uprights box the barbell in and restrict movement to the front and the rear. Adjustable spotter or safety bars, restrict downward movement.

So using bench press as an example, safety bars are set just below the bottom of your movement so you still have free range of motion. If you can’t complete your rep, you can just set the bar down and get out. Better quality racks like the Barbarian cage, have hole spaces that are only 50mm apart, which give you the ability to get the spotters in the exact position for your bench press.

The Barbarian cage also has rubber on top of the solid steel safety bars so it won’t damage your barbell in the event of a heavy drop. So you have no excuse not to use them!

Squats

Performing squats in a power rack has the same benefits mentioned with bench press above. The structure of the cage plays a more important role in this exercise. Having the peace of mind that your movement is restricted forward, backward and downward will allow you to better focus on your technique and engaging the correct muscles in the right sequence.

Done properly, this exercise will recruit so many muscles in your body. Naturally your legs and lower back will do most of the lifting, but your upper body will also be stimulated as it supports the bar on your shoulders. Once you get up to handling some taxing weights, the old lungs will be on fire giving a cardio vascular benefit too.

Chin ups

Now I can’t think of any power rack that doesn’t come with some form of chin up bar these days, so chin ups can be considered a standard power rack exercise. Chin ups work your pulling muscles – lats, back and biceps – so the parts of your upper body that aren’t hit with bench press.

If you are just starting out in training or carrying a bit extra bodyweight and don’t have the strength to perform this exercise correctly don’t despair! There are many ways around this. You can use resistance bands. Or get a step and start in the contracted position and hold – this will build the muscles that will pull you up.

Many cages now have multi grip chin up bars – meaning you can grip at different angles and widths. As a market leader, the Barbarian cage has incorporated different grip thickness as well as bomb grips.

Dips

Dip handles are almost like chin up bars these days. If they aren’t included standard like on the Barbarian cage, they normally can be purchased separately. If you can’t get dip handles for your power rack, you can get gymnastic rings and suspend them from your power rack – proving yet again why they are so great. Power racks are great for improvising.

The dip has often been described as the upper body squat, as it recruits so many muscles in the upper body. If you can’t perform this exercise properly at your current bodyweight, you can use resistance bands for assistance.

Alternatively, if you get really strong, you can add weight by using a dip belt or weighted vest.

Inverted rows

While we have the dip handles out, why not try inverted rows. Instead of pushing yourself up with dips, slide underneath your dip handles and pull yourself up. Building your strength on this exercise will help you perform chin ups.

If you don’t have dip handles, you can put your barbell on the j-hooks and row off that. Even if you do have dip handles, using the barbell is a great variation. The dip handles will typically give you a neutral or angled grip. The barbell will give you a horizontal grip.

Shoulder press

The shoulder press is the main exercise to work on if you want build yourself some cannonballs of muscle on your shoulders. Even though this exercise is specifically targeting the shoulders, your arms and in particular triceps will feel the burn too.

Sometimes you might be restricted by your bench in getting in the correct position. The rear leg of some benches can hit the rear cross section of the power rack. This can often be solved by switching to the front uprights.

Hanging ab raises

Your chin up bar is not just for chin ups, it is also great for ab work. You can hang from the bar and perform leg raises. If you don’t have the strength to hang for extended periods, you can get ab slings that you can suspend yourself from.