Those who train without access to a full gym you will know how valuable a power rack is. it allows you to bench, squat, rack pull and press out of one piece of equipment.
How much you can do and how well you can do it depends, however, on the rack you have. I started off in a generic off-the-web $1200 rack and there were two issues: firstly, it was small and restrictive - I could not use bands and pin holes were limited, as was its size; secondly, after a few sessions with 300+kgs I had banged the heck out of it and I continued to train aware of the possibility it would collapse under the strain.
For about 18 months, I have had the pleasure of using the Iron Cage. It is the toughest, most versatile rack I have ever trained in. This rack is practically a gym in itself. The rack itself is large enough for lunges, cleans and can even accommodate two people training at once.
The uprights in the rack can be moved to set up the configuration you’re after. I have mine set up with one large area which is 3/4 of the available length and the remaining 1/4 constitutes a separate section. That way, I have a space big enough to lunge in and another I can use for pressing. The peg holes run all the way down the uprights, base and roof on the inside and out - so you can set up bands from any direction, or set up pegs for pull ups, dips or as plate supports.
For me, the weights will sometimes get up well over 300kg and they can come crashing down, smash into uprights and generally inflict a beating. This rack can take it all with no signs of weakness. You can add in slings and safeties so that you can train alone with confidence, knowing this rack will stand up to the punishment.
The Iron Cage has become my home and it has been the cornerstone of my training for national and world championships. This is the Rolls Royce of racks.
| Steve has been lifting for decades, but began competing at the end of 2004. He now holds multiple Australian, Oceania and Commonwealth records in raw and equipped powerlifting and is the current number-one ranked raw IPF powerlifter in Australia. |