I edited out the segment where I recommended 11 gauge steel over 14, but 11 gauge is a MUST! The reason I cut it out is that if you get a 3x3 from ANY good company, it will be 11 gauge without having to ask. I want to add that buying from Sam's, Costco, Walmart, etc, are all the SAME as buying from Amazon. None of them carry reputable brands. Again, just wait a few months and save up a bit more money to buy something from a reputable company. If you gotta go Titan or Bells, that's a great way to save money and a million times better than buying from a big box retailer. It was pointed out that Sorinex does not offer offset holes.
Started with a Rogue monster squat stand and later upgraded it, via good customer service, to a squat rack (24" inside the uprights). My grandkids will get this rack when I am gone. I know many don't care for Rogue now, but I have added attachments over the years and always been very happy with the quality and customer service. If I ever need to sell it, it will go fast. Also, don't forget Oak Club up in Canada. They do nice work and can also do custom orders.
I also forgot to add 1 piece of advice: if you think you need it, you don't. If you have to have it, think twice before buying (other than the basics). Buy the items for the lifts you have already been doing for years. This will save you a lot of $$.
Rogue is still the most popular brand. They price themselves out of a lot of customers, but I think a majority of people would still buy their gear if it's in the budget.
Tim, what a great episode and what a great podcast series. I have listened to them all, and I really enjoyed it. You helped me realize that a separate functional trainer is going to be best for me versus the all in one that Rogue and Rep are coming out with. Thank you for that because either way is a big investment. And to answer your question I think army green and clearcoat would look great together. The clearcoat looks great, but I think breaking it up with another accent color like black or in this case or green really makes the clearcoat pops and not seem too overwhelming. I have the AB - 4100 bench in army green and I think it’s the right shade of Army green in my opinion.
I got by for years with a fitness gear squat/bench. I did tons of research on racks and finally decided on a 3 inch/ 1inch hole style with 30" inside. I couldn't find any Rogue racks fitting these requirements. I decided to go with Rep and I'm glad I waited for them to put holes on all sides of uprights. I'm sure the PR5000 ver2 will be my forever rack. Having a full rack has been a game changer for my workouts and has even inspired my wife to get into strength training.
@@jerseyjim9092 I'm sure this podcast will get a lot of pushback from people who have cheaper racks. The difference really can't be described until you have a better rack and then everyone always looks back and goes, "okay, I guess my Amazon rack wasn't as good as I thought it was." Thanks for posting this!
@@HughLeFitness Gluck and I talk back channel sometimes. Hopefully we can do something together at HOme Gym Con next year. And yeah, I'll for sure do guests eventually. There's a ton of people I'd like to have a conversation with!
Nice video as always. Army green does sound appealing. I recently (beginning of the month) started seeing a chiropractor for tremendous neck, back and shoulder pain and learned as im about to turn 50 soon i have arthritis in my neck so i have been looking into specialty bars so i can still do lifts. The vhs bar is without a doubt my next bar. I have been looking into and others for weeks now. After that will be the Vulcan strength ssb. I cannot hold my arms out wide enough without pain to buy a buffalo bar. Bos is my favorite company even though they are not a usa company. Love there innovation in product development. I have the arch nemesis bar and 5 foot axle bar. Their 6 foot rackable multi purpose bar and the new women's version (juno bar i think) are also on my list for later and possibly their powerbar unless i get the texas "original" Powerbar if i am up to deadlifts. For racks i agree with your choices (rogue, rep, bos, body solid) but i think Deltech Fitness is worth looking into as well. Deltech is another American company and i personally think that matters so i am purposely trying to add more american brands into my mix of gym gear.
Thanks, I'll check them out! Sorry to hear about the pain, I can totally relate. I'm loving having a leg press in the garage, but when I sell it after reviewing it, I"m going with the Fringe lever arm belt squat. Used it at Home Gym Con and it was the most comfortable way to squat ever. No stress on the back at all!
In buying a rack one very important question e need to answer first is.. Will we be moving anytime soon? The rack don't be cooking with us!!! Do unless you know you'll NEVER move...
You know I always thought that until I sold my Titan rack. Took it completely apart myself in under 45 min. Wasn't hard at all. If I move, I'm for sure taking everything with me!
I wish more companies put out a stainless steel option for their racks. Not a big fan of powder coating as I have a light floor and I am tired of seeing tiny pieces of metal / powder coating on the floor. I went cheap the first time but I am now looking for an upgrade as you recommended. What's your experience with the powder coating of the REP 5000 clear coat? Will that solve my problem or do I need to go for stainless steel? Thanks and great content as usual!
@JeyGym I feel like I've seen REP come out with stainless uprights at the expo they had in Germany. I have a PR 4000 and notice paint wearing off, but not flaking off where I insert the J cups. A clear grind would show wear less and be easier to touch up. Rogue has a stainless option, but it's spendy. Getrxd has some galvanized options.
@@weightsnwaves If REP offered stainless steel uprights without the surplus Rogue charges that would be a must have for me! At any rate reassuring to hear that you had a positive experience with the paint
@@weightsnwaves Great feedback, thanks for posting this! And yeah, all stainless uprights would cost a ton if they are using good stainless. A cheaper hack is to only use attachments that avoid metal on metal and use UHMW pads to protect things. Nothing at all wears off then.
The Titan X3 is the rack I always recommend to people on a budget. Some variation has been on it on sale for under $600 on at least three different occasions this year via Titan's website. It is a 3x3 11 gauge rack with Westside hole spacing that you probably will never outlift. If you grab one of those, and a $350.00 Bells of steel cable tower, you have a lot of the function of those all-in-one racks, with much better quality. If you shop sales, you can get all of this for about $1,000 - $1100, with safety straps. it's around the same price as some of the all-in-ones, and it will absolutely blow them away in terms of sturdiness and adaptiblity. Tim is right, the powder coat will scuff but if you're like me and you don't care about that, it's a good choice. If you have a bit more money, I don't think you can go wrong with the rep PR 4000. The number of finishes/the amount of attachments available for that thing is truly insane.
@@Bro-siah That's the rack I owned for about 6 years and I loved it. Started with that instead of a 2x2. The only reason I didn't list it at the end is all the metal on metal, but it's a great starter rack for sure!
For a home gym: Rep Fitness > Rogue > Fringe Sport > Bells of Steel > Titan Fitness. My basic "budget" starter rack would be a 4 post Titan X3 (on sale, lol). I have V1 of the Rep PR5000 and if I were to upgrade it would be to a newer PR5000. Not going to happen though as my original rack is till going strong (6 years) and meets all my needs.
If I were to buy a forever rack again (and esthetics were a main concern) I would buy a clear coat for the uprights and/or at least 2 sets of j cups to cut down on the wear. Even powder coating from a good manufacturer will fail at the high touch points. I think green cross members and clear uprights would rock. I almost went this route before rep discontinued their Kelly green color.
Not everyone are constantly buying new attachments. I got my Rogue Monster Lite and have not felt any need to buy more stuff for it. Its perfect as is. This rack is with 5/8 holes and Westside spacing. The "big brother" rack is exactly the same, but with 1 inch holes and without Westside and more expensive. I would have literally zero advantage from that "upgrade". I think the primary reason we now have two standards for hole size is so they can charge a premium for the 1 inch option. Sure the hardware is bigger, but other than that, you are paying more for less metal :-).
Totally agree on both points. I'm a pretty minimalist lifter and love just a rack and bar. If I can figure out a solution to the Pegasus seat issue so I can buy one seat and have it work on both the 5/8" rack AND the Adonis cable tower, I'll for sure go 5/8". For me, things like jammer arms, etc are a waste. I'd never use them.
I bought a Rogue RML 390BT with 30” crossmembers from the European website. I wanted the Monster rack ecosystem, but the cost difference was massive from the Monster Lite and all the accessories were a premium. At this time late 2022 there was no Rep / Bells or Steel options for us here in Europe. Rep just opened distribution in Europe, and I have heard that Bells is looking for a distribution partner hear also. If Bells do open distribution here it would be amazing as their Hydra series is 100% compatible with the RML from Rogue. This would give me some great options for expanding my original four post rack. I did add on a Surplus Strength UPS so I have the main power lifting lifts covered along with plate loaded single cable workout options. Sometimes I wonder if I should have bought the RM series with the 1” system, but other times I am happy with the RML series and the 5/8” holes. If it was good enough for Westside Barbell crew, it is good enough for the rest of us. I think the 1” is a little overkill and the extra price tag is just hard to stomach.
Sounds like you are on the way to a great set up! And I'm with you on the 1" holes. If I can figure out a solution for switching the Pegasus from the Adonis to the rack, I really want 5/8"
The vast majority of home gym owners don't need to buy an expensive overbuilt rack. If they want one, this is a different issue. What is far more important than expensive and overbuilt exercise equipment are the actual exercises and strength methods (there are many) you use to develop muscular endurance, size, and strength. As the late Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell Club said: "Everything has purpose. Everything works, but nothing works forever. Constantly change. As long as you keep changing something small, you can keep making progress. Once you start doing the same thing over and over, accommodation sets in. You're dead in the water. You don't make any progress." Muscular accommodation is when you stop making muscular endurance, size, and strength gains because doing the same exercises with the same reps and sets on the same exercise equipment no longer induces your body to adapt. Buying a more expensive power rack isn't going to make you stronger. You are far better off changing exercises and using different exercise tools. For instance, instead of doing bench presses in a power rack, do bench press on a stability ball or do them with kettlebells, a heavy slam ball, or with bands, weight releases, or chains. If nothing else, change your hand placements and do wide, regular, and close grip bench presses. I strongly disagree about the recommendation not to buy power racks from Amazon. Unless you are a competitive powerlifter, there is no logical reason not to buy a cheaper rack that can support at least 600 pounds, unless you see owning a expensive, overbuilt power rack as a status symbol. If you want expensive home gym equipment, to each his or her own. However, power racks are just tools, and Tommy Kono, who is acknowledged as America's Greatest Olympic Weightlifter of All-Time" had a very modest basement home gym with a dirt floor and a DIY wood squat stand. It is actually possible to develop muscular endurance, size, and strength without any power rack at all. Tommy Kono didn't own a power rack in his home gym, and he didn't use one to win two Olympic gold and one silver medal in Olympic weightlifting or setting 26 world Olympic weightlifting records.
@@shiwakuseven5859 Louis Simmons would NEVER put anything other than a 3x3, 11 gauge, with Westside spacing in his gym. Not in a million years. Rack construction matters a lot.
@@GymCrafter Tim, Westside always had 2x3 racks in their gym, forever. Louie preferred 2x3 racks as he said 3x3 are too wide when replacing the bar. Just saying 2x3 racks are more than enough but home gym owners want what they think looks the best and I say spend your money however you want
At that point why not build one out of leftover lumber like ole tommy kono and bob peoples? It'd probably be stronger than a cheapo Amazon rack anyways lol.
@@andersonhirt I think for some people that's something they'd like to do, but it kind of defeats the ability of being able to add stuff down the road.
I guess it is only beneficial for the set up for one movement, and with only a 1" difference between the two, it shouldn't be as big a deal as I make it. Thanks for posting this. I've been reluctant to go with 1", but I think I might have to because of the Pegasus.
2x3 for life! 😂 Seriously. If you were considering buying some no name brand power rack from amazon, there is no way you should jump straight into 3x3 with 1 inch holes. Most attachments appeal to a small niche of enthusiasts, and over accessorizing your rack just wastes time and is a catalyst for relationship issues! 11 gauge steel is an essential as a safety consideration. But beyond a few j cups, spotters arms, and maybe a lat pull down, everything else is just gloss.
@@slothy120 I admire the minimalist approach! I've never been a fan of people adding a ton of attachments. You can do so much with just a bar. That said, it is fun to have a lot of variety in your gym and if you can afford it, why not!
@@GymCrafter totally agree with statement “if you can afford it why not?” However, majority of people have a big perception gap of whether they really can afford it.
The thing is most people have a limit they are gonna spend on their home gym and they saved up to reach the limit, $5,000-$6000 is a good limit that is reality. They are not saving up more than that limit to spend on their home gym because they have to save money for other things in life say their kids, emergency fund, travel fund, Christmas present fund, home repair fund, new golf clubs, new hunting rifle or shotgun, nicer car, and on and on. When people are saving to have money in all these categories they cannot just save more money for a home gym unless their home gym is the main part of their life so people have $6000 for a home gym. They want a rack, some form of dumbbells, and a cable system. They need flooring, barbells, weight plates, benches, a rack (to be safe), cable system, dumbbells, collars, cable attachments, wall control (for storage), wrist wraps, straps, maybe gloves, and a heater/AC unit. If they buy a $2,000-$2,500 rack or top tier & mid tier things all down the line they wont be able to buy the rest or maybe not even half of the rest so they have to buy budget stuff. They have their limit and if they can get an all in one rack for $1,000-$1,500 most are gonna go that route. My point is there is no saving extra money as they have already done that and any additional money they save now goes towards their life as mentioned in the above categories. Take Care
I was thinking about this video during my workout tonight, and I think you are right about pretty much everything. I have both types of racks and have wanted to share my thoughts on the subject for a while. I made a follow-up to this. You should know that my camera work and production quality are absolutely WORLD CLASS 🤣 ruclips.net/video/5ioehscryT4/видео.html
SUbscribed. Great point, especially when you are lifting the weight that you are. Watching people rerack squats or even bench on a 2x2 makes me cringe everytime. If they miss the jhook, they are in big trouble.
I wish they had Army Green when I ordered my PR-5000. It would match my AB-4100 and my gym walls. Not enough regret to sell and repurchase at 2024 pricing, though, lol.
@@YourFavoriteLibertarian Isn't that the worst!? It seems like there's always a better version around the corner and the one you'd like better comes out right after you buy something. Either way, you got an awesome rack!
@@GymCrafter I'm used to it being in the firearms industry for a while. Before the wait times were at a few days for silencers, it was a year wait time. By the time you got your silencer, it was already the old version, lol.
@@YourFavoriteLibertarian 1000% agree there! I bought my carry gun, an HK VP9 subcompact like a week before Staccato released their CS. I think about trading the HK at least once a week!
@GymCrafter I've had my CPL for almost 20 years, and I'm still searching for that perfect carry gun. If I find a company that makes a better trigger for my p365x macro comp, I may be able to finally rest. The struggle is real.
The BalqnceFrom Racks are being cleared out from Walmart for $119 (shipped) without safety bars (which is an awful idea for this racks target audience) +$49 for a Lat Pulldown. That’s cheap, but you might be lighting your $170 on fire instead of saving it for something better. On the forum where I saw this deal that is slick, some people were talking about buying Home Depot pipes to use as safety arms and everything about this just seemed like a bad idea.
@@ven412 I'm gonna add to the pinned comment that WalMart, Costco, and Sam's are the same as buying from Amazon. This is one area not to go super cheap and shop by price. Costco is known for saying something is a certain gauge metal and it's not. There is no reason to buy anything for your gym from any of those places.
When I was first looking to buy, I was going to buy an Amazon 2x2 14 gauge and the Amazon reviews had a video review showed the whole damn rack tipping when he re racked his 225 squat. Reviewer didn’t seem to mind. I noped the F out of that and never considered 14 gauge again.
@@ven412 I love that you posted this!!! So many people will fight me on this podcast and they are living like the person you saw. Stuff like that is fine until it's not. Why risk it for a few bucks, especially on a product you should be able to keep forever. Keep your rack for 10 years and an extra $500 is only $50 a year, less than $5 a month. It just doesn't make sense to go cheap on this!
I have a 6 post t2 from titan but i know u said if, 2x2 go with titan or rep. Just wanted to point out that giant lifting has a nice 2x2 with 2 inch spacing and laser cut numbers as well also careful with rep they have 3 racks thar are 2x2 and only 1 is 3 inch hole spacing the other is 3
Why didn't you post this 3 weeks ago? I just ordered Force USA G3 😢😢 Just arrived yesterday and I was so excited to put it together until I watched this video. ☹
@@benjiego22 I've got a G3 review dropping Thursday. I really like it! On a multi-function, the 3x3 isn't as big of a deal as there is a lot of other stuff adding to the stability of the rack. The only thing I didn't really like on it was the jhooks, but it's a solid piece for sure. Force USA is a great company and you really can't go wrong with anything they make!
@@GymCrafter Thank you so much. I can't wait to watch your video this Thursday, I know for sure its going to be very thorough and honest review. Looking forward to it.
At this point I'm gonna skip anything that's only available on Amazon or Walmart.com. You can spend the same money on any other major brand and get better quality.
@@joelmcdaniel2343 Bridge Built is way better between those. Also, fwiw, I won't ever recommend or buy anything from Force 6. Guy steals people's ideas and then has the nerve to say his product is completely different. Not interested in dealing with people like that.
Dude, leave out the suggestive perve stuff....it makes you seem unprofessional . Just keep it clean and informational; you do a great job at that and should keep it up w/o resorting to stupid click-bait catch-phrases. I think you're better than that.
![Quando Rondo - Grow Up [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8zFnCg3BO4Q/mqdefault.jpg)
I edited out the segment where I recommended 11 gauge steel over 14, but 11 gauge is a MUST! The reason I cut it out is that if you get a 3x3 from ANY good company, it will be 11 gauge without having to ask.
I want to add that buying from Sam's, Costco, Walmart, etc, are all the SAME as buying from Amazon. None of them carry reputable brands. Again, just wait a few months and save up a bit more money to buy something from a reputable company. If you gotta go Titan or Bells, that's a great way to save money and a million times better than buying from a big box retailer.
It was pointed out that Sorinex does not offer offset holes.
Started with a Rogue monster squat stand and later upgraded it, via good customer service, to a squat rack (24" inside the uprights). My grandkids will get this rack when I am gone. I know many don't care for Rogue now, but I have added attachments over the years and always been very happy with the quality and customer service. If I ever need to sell it, it will go fast.
Also, don't forget Oak Club up in Canada. They do nice work and can also do custom orders.
I also forgot to add 1 piece of advice: if you think you need it, you don't. If you have to have it, think twice before buying (other than the basics). Buy the items for the lifts you have already been doing for years. This will save you a lot of $$.
Rogue is still the most popular brand. They price themselves out of a lot of customers, but I think a majority of people would still buy their gear if it's in the budget.
Tim, what a great episode and what a great podcast series. I have listened to them all, and I really enjoyed it. You helped me realize that a separate functional trainer is going to be best for me versus the all in one that Rogue and Rep are coming out with. Thank you for that because either way is a big investment. And to answer your question I think army green and clearcoat would look great together. The clearcoat looks great, but I think breaking it up with another accent color like black or in this case or green really makes the clearcoat pops and not seem too overwhelming. I have the AB - 4100 bench in army green and I think it’s the right shade of Army green in my opinion.
Thanks! I really appreciate that. And yeah, clear uprights with green cross members is for sure on the table!
Oh my goodness, clear grind uprights with army green crossmembers and Matte black attachments…YES!!!!
I got by for years with a fitness gear squat/bench. I did tons of research on racks and finally decided on a 3 inch/ 1inch hole style with 30" inside. I couldn't find any Rogue racks fitting these requirements. I decided to go with Rep and I'm glad I waited for them to put holes on all sides of uprights. I'm sure the PR5000 ver2 will be my forever rack. Having a full rack has been a game changer for my workouts and has even inspired my wife to get into strength training.
@@jerseyjim9092 I'm sure this podcast will get a lot of pushback from people who have cheaper racks. The difference really can't be described until you have a better rack and then everyone always looks back and goes, "okay, I guess my Amazon rack wasn't as good as I thought it was." Thanks for posting this!
You should invite guest speakers to your podcast like Gluck.
@@HughLeFitness Gluck and I talk back channel sometimes. Hopefully we can do something together at HOme Gym Con next year. And yeah, I'll for sure do guests eventually. There's a ton of people I'd like to have a conversation with!
Nice video as always. Army green does sound appealing. I recently (beginning of the month) started seeing a chiropractor for tremendous neck, back and shoulder pain and learned as im about to turn 50 soon i have arthritis in my neck so i have been looking into specialty bars so i can still do lifts. The vhs bar is without a doubt my next bar. I have been looking into and others for weeks now. After that will be the Vulcan strength ssb. I cannot hold my arms out wide enough without pain to buy a buffalo bar.
Bos is my favorite company even though they are not a usa company. Love there innovation in product development. I have the arch nemesis bar and 5 foot axle bar. Their 6 foot rackable multi purpose bar and the new women's version (juno bar i think) are also on my list for later and possibly their powerbar unless i get the texas "original" Powerbar if i am up to deadlifts.
For racks i agree with your choices (rogue, rep, bos, body solid) but i think Deltech Fitness is worth looking into as well. Deltech is another American company and i personally think that matters so i am purposely trying to add more american brands into my mix of gym gear.
Thanks, I'll check them out! Sorry to hear about the pain, I can totally relate. I'm loving having a leg press in the garage, but when I sell it after reviewing it, I"m going with the Fringe lever arm belt squat. Used it at Home Gym Con and it was the most comfortable way to squat ever. No stress on the back at all!
In buying a rack one very important question e need to answer first is.. Will we be moving anytime soon? The rack don't be cooking with us!!!
Do unless you know you'll NEVER move...
You know I always thought that until I sold my Titan rack. Took it completely apart myself in under 45 min. Wasn't hard at all. If I move, I'm for sure taking everything with me!
I wish more companies put out a stainless steel option for their racks. Not a big fan of powder coating as I have a light floor and I am tired of seeing tiny pieces of metal / powder coating on the floor. I went cheap the first time but I am now looking for an upgrade as you recommended. What's your experience with the powder coating of the REP 5000 clear coat? Will that solve my problem or do I need to go for stainless steel? Thanks and great content as usual!
Better company's powder coat won't flake off. Especially if you stick with accessories that are lined with UHMW. Loving my clear coat benches too.
@JeyGym I feel like I've seen REP come out with stainless uprights at the expo they had in Germany. I have a PR 4000 and notice paint wearing off, but not flaking off where I insert the J cups. A clear grind would show wear less and be easier to touch up. Rogue has a stainless option, but it's spendy. Getrxd has some galvanized options.
@@weightsnwaves If REP offered stainless steel uprights without the surplus Rogue charges that would be a must have for me! At any rate reassuring to hear that you had a positive experience with the paint
@@weightsnwaves Great feedback, thanks for posting this! And yeah, all stainless uprights would cost a ton if they are using good stainless. A cheaper hack is to only use attachments that avoid metal on metal and use UHMW pads to protect things. Nothing at all wears off then.
Stainless steel is the only way...
Lucky day to find your video
Nice!
The Titan X3 is the rack I always recommend to people on a budget. Some variation has been on it on sale for under $600 on at least three different occasions this year via Titan's website.
It is a 3x3 11 gauge rack with Westside hole spacing that you probably will never outlift.
If you grab one of those, and a $350.00 Bells of steel cable tower, you have a lot of the function of those all-in-one racks, with much better quality. If you shop sales, you can get all of this for about $1,000 - $1100, with safety straps. it's around the same price as some of the all-in-ones, and it will absolutely blow them away in terms of sturdiness and adaptiblity. Tim is right, the powder coat will scuff but if you're like me and you don't care about that, it's a good choice.
If you have a bit more money, I don't think you can go wrong with the rep PR 4000. The number of finishes/the amount of attachments available for that thing is truly insane.
@@Bro-siah That's the rack I owned for about 6 years and I loved it. Started with that instead of a 2x2. The only reason I didn't list it at the end is all the metal on metal, but it's a great starter rack for sure!
@@GymCrafterYour X3 review was video was that exposed me to your channel! It's also the reason I own one 😁.
For a home gym: Rep Fitness > Rogue > Fringe Sport > Bells of Steel > Titan Fitness. My basic "budget" starter rack would be a 4 post Titan X3 (on sale, lol). I have V1 of the Rep PR5000 and if I were to upgrade it would be to a newer PR5000. Not going to happen though as my original rack is till going strong (6 years) and meets all my needs.
Glad you posted that! I had a Titan for 6 years and loved it. I plan on keeping my next rack for at least 10 if not longer.
If I were to buy a forever rack again (and esthetics were a main concern) I would buy a clear coat for the uprights and/or at least 2 sets of j cups to cut down on the wear. Even powder coating from a good manufacturer will fail at the high touch points.
I think green cross members and clear uprights would rock. I almost went this route before rep discontinued their Kelly green color.
Thanks, that's what i've been looking at. AS good as their rack builder is, it's hard to know what it will look like IRL.
Not everyone are constantly buying new attachments. I got my Rogue Monster Lite and have not felt any need to buy more stuff for it. Its perfect as is. This rack is with 5/8 holes and Westside spacing. The "big brother" rack is exactly the same, but with 1 inch holes and without Westside and more expensive. I would have literally zero advantage from that "upgrade".
I think the primary reason we now have two standards for hole size is so they can charge a premium for the 1 inch option. Sure the hardware is bigger, but other than that, you are paying more for less metal :-).
Totally agree on both points. I'm a pretty minimalist lifter and love just a rack and bar. If I can figure out a solution to the Pegasus seat issue so I can buy one seat and have it work on both the 5/8" rack AND the Adonis cable tower, I'll for sure go 5/8". For me, things like jammer arms, etc are a waste. I'd never use them.
I bought a Rogue RML 390BT with 30” crossmembers from the European website. I wanted the Monster rack ecosystem, but the cost difference was massive from the Monster Lite and all the accessories were a premium. At this time late 2022 there was no Rep / Bells or Steel options for us here in Europe. Rep just opened distribution in Europe, and I have heard that Bells is looking for a distribution partner hear also. If Bells do open distribution here it would be amazing as their Hydra series is 100% compatible with the RML from Rogue. This would give me some great options for expanding my original four post rack. I did add on a Surplus Strength UPS so I have the main power lifting lifts covered along with plate loaded single cable workout options. Sometimes I wonder if I should have bought the RM series with the 1” system, but other times I am happy with the RML series and the 5/8” holes. If it was good enough for Westside Barbell crew, it is good enough for the rest of us. I think the 1” is a little overkill and the extra price tag is just hard to stomach.
Sounds like you are on the way to a great set up! And I'm with you on the 1" holes. If I can figure out a solution for switching the Pegasus from the Adonis to the rack, I really want 5/8"
The vast majority of home gym owners don't need to buy an expensive overbuilt rack. If they want one, this is a different issue. What is far more important than expensive and overbuilt exercise equipment are the actual exercises and strength methods (there are many) you use to develop muscular endurance, size, and strength.
As the late Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell Club said:
"Everything has purpose. Everything works, but nothing works forever. Constantly change. As long as you keep changing something small, you can keep making progress. Once you start doing the same thing over and over, accommodation sets in. You're dead in the water. You don't make any progress."
Muscular accommodation is when you stop making muscular endurance, size, and strength gains because doing the same exercises with the same reps and sets on the same exercise equipment no longer induces your body to adapt.
Buying a more expensive power rack isn't going to make you stronger.
You are far better off changing exercises and using different exercise tools. For instance, instead of doing bench presses in a power rack, do bench press on a stability ball or do them with kettlebells, a heavy slam ball, or with bands, weight releases, or chains. If nothing else, change your hand placements and do wide, regular, and close grip bench presses.
I strongly disagree about the recommendation not to buy power racks from Amazon. Unless you are a competitive powerlifter, there is no logical reason not to buy a cheaper rack that can support at least 600 pounds, unless you see owning a expensive, overbuilt power rack as a status symbol.
If you want expensive home gym equipment, to each his or her own. However, power racks are just tools, and Tommy Kono, who is acknowledged as America's Greatest Olympic Weightlifter of All-Time" had a very modest basement home gym with a dirt floor and a DIY wood squat stand.
It is actually possible to develop muscular endurance, size, and strength without any power rack at all. Tommy Kono didn't own a power rack in his home gym, and he didn't use one to win two Olympic gold and one silver medal in Olympic weightlifting or setting 26 world Olympic weightlifting records.
@@shiwakuseven5859 Louis Simmons would NEVER put anything other than a 3x3, 11 gauge, with Westside spacing in his gym. Not in a million years. Rack construction matters a lot.
@@GymCrafter
Tim, Westside always had 2x3 racks in their gym, forever. Louie preferred
2x3 racks as he said 3x3 are too wide when replacing the bar.
Just saying
2x3 racks are more than enough but home gym owners want what they think looks the best and I say spend your money however you want
At that point why not build one out of leftover lumber like ole tommy kono and bob peoples? It'd probably be stronger than a cheapo Amazon rack anyways lol.
@@andersonhirt I think for some people that's something they'd like to do, but it kind of defeats the ability of being able to add stuff down the road.
My hot take has consistently been 3x3" with 1" holes and that Westside spacing is wildly overrated
I guess it is only beneficial for the set up for one movement, and with only a 1" difference between the two, it shouldn't be as big a deal as I make it. Thanks for posting this. I've been reluctant to go with 1", but I think I might have to because of the Pegasus.
Just get the Rep 5000 v2 and never worry that you will miss out ever again
@@NPow94 There's a 90% chance that's what I'll end up with. I've already built the one I want on their site like 50+ times!😂
Yeah at one point the Titan T2 was 12 gauge steel. At that time it was really the best budget 2x2 rack made. They are all 14 gauge now just like rep.
2x3 for life! 😂
Seriously. If you were considering buying some no name brand power rack from amazon, there is no way you should jump straight into 3x3 with 1 inch holes. Most attachments appeal to a small niche of enthusiasts, and over accessorizing your rack just wastes time and is a catalyst for relationship issues!
11 gauge steel is an essential as a safety consideration. But beyond a few j cups, spotters arms, and maybe a lat pull down, everything else is just gloss.
@@slothy120 I admire the minimalist approach! I've never been a fan of people adding a ton of attachments. You can do so much with just a bar. That said, it is fun to have a lot of variety in your gym and if you can afford it, why not!
@@GymCrafter totally agree with statement “if you can afford it why not?” However, majority of people have a big perception gap of whether they really can afford it.
@@slothy120 Totally agree. Most of the time it's that they don't want to spend the money, not that they can't afford it.
There are major companies like Sorinex that still don't do offset holes
Thanks, I'll add that in the pinned comment. I can't afford their stuff, so never really looked close.
The thing is most people have a limit they are gonna spend on their home gym and they saved up to reach the limit, $5,000-$6000 is a good limit that is reality. They are not saving up more than that limit to spend on their home gym because they have to save money for other things in life say their kids, emergency fund, travel fund, Christmas present fund, home repair fund, new golf clubs, new hunting rifle or shotgun, nicer car, and on and on.
When people are saving to have money in all these categories they cannot just save more money for a home gym unless their home gym is the main part of their life so people have $6000 for a home gym. They want a rack, some form of dumbbells, and a cable system. They need flooring, barbells, weight plates, benches, a rack (to be safe), cable system, dumbbells, collars, cable attachments, wall control (for storage), wrist wraps, straps, maybe gloves, and a heater/AC unit.
If they buy a $2,000-$2,500 rack or top tier & mid tier things all down the line they wont be able to buy the rest or maybe not even half of the rest so they have to buy budget stuff.
They have their limit and if they can get an all in one rack for $1,000-$1,500 most are gonna go that route.
My point is there is no saving extra money as they have already done that and any additional money they save now goes towards their life as mentioned in the above categories.
Take Care
I was thinking about this video during my workout tonight, and I think you are right about pretty much everything. I have both types of racks and have wanted to share my thoughts on the subject for a while. I made a follow-up to this. You should know that my camera work and production quality are absolutely WORLD CLASS 🤣 ruclips.net/video/5ioehscryT4/видео.html
SUbscribed. Great point, especially when you are lifting the weight that you are. Watching people rerack squats or even bench on a 2x2 makes me cringe everytime. If they miss the jhook, they are in big trouble.
I wish they had Army Green when I ordered my PR-5000. It would match my AB-4100 and my gym walls. Not enough regret to sell and repurchase at 2024 pricing, though, lol.
@@YourFavoriteLibertarian Isn't that the worst!? It seems like there's always a better version around the corner and the one you'd like better comes out right after you buy something. Either way, you got an awesome rack!
@@GymCrafter I'm used to it being in the firearms industry for a while. Before the wait times were at a few days for silencers, it was a year wait time. By the time you got your silencer, it was already the old version, lol.
@@YourFavoriteLibertarian 1000% agree there! I bought my carry gun, an HK VP9 subcompact like a week before Staccato released their CS. I think about trading the HK at least once a week!
@GymCrafter I've had my CPL for almost 20 years, and I'm still searching for that perfect carry gun. If I find a company that makes a better trigger for my p365x macro comp, I may be able to finally rest. The struggle is real.
The BalqnceFrom Racks are being cleared out from Walmart for $119 (shipped) without safety bars (which is an awful idea for this racks target audience) +$49 for a Lat Pulldown. That’s cheap, but you might be lighting your $170 on fire instead of saving it for something better.
On the forum where I saw this deal that is slick, some people were talking about buying Home Depot pipes to use as safety arms and everything about this just seemed like a bad idea.
@@ven412 I'm gonna add to the pinned comment that WalMart, Costco, and Sam's are the same as buying from Amazon. This is one area not to go super cheap and shop by price. Costco is known for saying something is a certain gauge metal and it's not. There is no reason to buy anything for your gym from any of those places.
When I was first looking to buy, I was going to buy an Amazon 2x2 14 gauge and the Amazon reviews had a video review showed the whole damn rack tipping when he re racked his 225 squat. Reviewer didn’t seem to mind.
I noped the F out of that and never considered 14 gauge again.
@@ven412 I love that you posted this!!! So many people will fight me on this podcast and they are living like the person you saw. Stuff like that is fine until it's not. Why risk it for a few bucks, especially on a product you should be able to keep forever. Keep your rack for 10 years and an extra $500 is only $50 a year, less than $5 a month. It just doesn't make sense to go cheap on this!
I have a 6 post t2 from titan but i know u said if, 2x2 go with titan or rep. Just wanted to point out that giant lifting has a nice 2x2 with 2 inch spacing and laser cut numbers as well also careful with rep they have 3 racks thar are 2x2 and only 1 is 3 inch hole spacing the other is 3
@@baomorph good points, I'll check out that Giant option!
Rogue Monster RM-4 FORTIS?
What ya think?
It checks all the boxes, should be a nice rack for you!
@@GymCrafterThe fortis is welded…saves a few bucks
Why didn't you post this 3 weeks ago? I just ordered Force USA G3 😢😢 Just arrived yesterday and I was so excited to put it together until I watched this video. ☹
@@benjiego22 I've got a G3 review dropping Thursday. I really like it! On a multi-function, the 3x3 isn't as big of a deal as there is a lot of other stuff adding to the stability of the rack. The only thing I didn't really like on it was the jhooks, but it's a solid piece for sure. Force USA is a great company and you really can't go wrong with anything they make!
@@GymCrafter Thank you so much. I can't wait to watch your video this Thursday, I know for sure its going to be very thorough and honest review. Looking forward to it.
What about powertec how good is there stuff
At this point I'm gonna skip anything that's only available on Amazon or Walmart.com. You can spend the same money on any other major brand and get better quality.
@@GymCrafter force 6 or bridge built squat rack?
@@joelmcdaniel2343 Bridge Built is way better between those. Also, fwiw, I won't ever recommend or buy anything from Force 6. Guy steals people's ideas and then has the nerve to say his product is completely different. Not interested in dealing with people like that.
@@GymCrafter thought u promoted the company on your videos
@@joelmcdaniel2343 Nope, that's Force USA, not Force 6.
Dude, leave out the suggestive perve stuff....it makes you seem unprofessional . Just keep it clean and informational; you do a great job at that and should keep it up w/o resorting to stupid click-bait catch-phrases. I think you're better than that.
I suggest you try RUclips for kids. Might be better suited for your foolish complaints.