Your brand new power rack has arrived. You've got it set up along with a few power rack attachments, and you are ready to work out. At least, you thought you were. A power rack can be an excellent tool in your fitness journey, as long as you know which exercises you perform on your new rack.
If you don't know what exercises to do on your power rack, it's no better than any other piece of equipment. In the guide below, we will go over a few power rack exercises you can start doing right away.
10 Best Power Rack Exercises: Add To Your Gym Routine!
1. Barbell Squats
Doing a barbell squat without a power rack is next to impossible if you want to lift a heavy weight. There is no safe or practical way to get a loaded barbell into the starting position outside of using a power rack. Barbell squats will help build and strengthen just about every muscle in your lower body.
How To Perform:
2. Barbell Overhead Press
The Barbell Overhead Press is a monster upper-body exercise, and it offers a ton of bang for your buck. The overhead press targets your deltoids, triceps, upper pecs, and shoulder stabilizing muscles. It will also work your core, glutes, and hips.
A good barbell overhead press enhances your ability to reach overhead, improves posture, and builds a more aesthetically-appealing upper body.
How To Perform:
3. Barbell Shrugs
The barbell shrug, or shoulder shrug, is an excellent move to target your traps. Shoulder shrugs are very difficult without a power rack because moving the barbell up and down is uncomfortable. A power rack also lets you lift much heavier weights because you don't have to lift them from the floor.
Always choose a suitable weight that allows you to lift your shoulders to the chin level.
How To Perform:
4. Barbell Row
Pull-Ups and Chin-Ups are excellent exercises, but they can also be difficult to perform. Unassisted Pull-Ups are often nearly impossible for new lifters or anyone who carries a lot of body weight. The Barbell Row is more accessible but still a great relative strength builder.
How To Perform:
Learn More About - T Bar Vs Barbell Rows
5. Barbell Bench Press
The best place to perform a barbell bench press is inside a power rack, especially if you don't have a spotter. Without a spotter, the bench press becomes a hazardous exercise if you want to lift heavy. A power rack makes the bench press much safer because it is there to catch the bar if you fail your rep.
How To Perform:
6. Inverted Rows
An inverted row is an excellent move if you want to build a strong back. Rows are easier to perform than pull-ups, but that doesn't make them less effective. Instead, you can do more reps, so the inverted row is a great move to add muscle to your back. And an inverted row is a great way to prepare yourself to do pull-ups or chin-ups.
How To Perform:
7. Rack Pulls
The rack pull takes away the leg push part from the deadlift, so it focuses 100% on your back. Rack pulls also allow you to lift heavier, so you can really build muscle with this exercise. Because you lift heavy, rack pulls are also excellent for your grip strength.
How To Perform:
8. Pull-Ups/Chin-Ups
Pull-Ups and Chin-Ups are two of the absolute best exercises out there. Virtually every power rack comes equipped with the necessary handles so that you can work your lats, traps, shoulders, and biceps right away. Pull-Ups are done with palms facing away from you, and Chin-Ups are done with palms facing you. They are both excellent measures of relative strength.
How To Perform:
9. Dips
Dips are the squat of the upper body. Dips target a wide range of upper-body muscles, including your shoulders, triceps, and chest muscles. If your power cage doesn't have a dip handle, you could buy one separately or suspend gymnastic rings from the power rack to use as dip handles.
How To Perform:
Power Rack Exercises To Target Specific Muscle Groups
Your power rack allows you to target just about every muscle group without the fear of injury (as long as you use proper form and a suitable weight). If you train without a spotter, this is absolutely essential. With that safety comes added peace of mind, allowing you to add extra weight to the bar or push through that last rep because you know you won't end up under the barbell.
You don't need a power rack to do every exercise known to man, but it will allow you to do the most important ones without fear of injury. Below are exercises that will target each major muscle group:
Weekly Power Rack Workout Program (Ideal Training Split)
The great thing about owning a power rack is that you can get in an excellent workout in a short amount of time. Committing yourself to working out for about an hour, 3-5 days a week will get you outstanding results.
If you chose to work out three days a week, an ideal split would be back and biceps on day one, chest, triceps, and shoulders on day two, and legs and core on day three. Here's what that could look like for you:
Day 1 - Back and Biceps
Day 2 - Chest, Triceps, Shoulders
Day 3 - Legs and Core
The number of rounds and repetitions you perform will vary based on your existing ability and overall fitness goals. Speak to a fitness expert to find out what is right for you. Add in a day of cardio and mobility to the routine above, and you'll be hitting your fitness goals in no time!
Are Power Rack Workouts Essential For Home Gym Training?
If we had to design a home gym from scratch, the first thing we would buy is a power rack. We've reviewed a lot of fantastic equipment, but the power rack gives you the most bang for your buck. In all honesty, a power rack may be the only piece of equipment you need. With a few simple power rack attachments, you can perform all of the exercises listed above and more.
Those exercises are essential to any workout because they will work every part of your body. From barbell squats to pull-ups, your power rack will strengthen and tone every muscle group.
And power racks are for everyone, not just people who want huge muscles and strength gains. The exercises listed above are great for people trying to lose weight and burn fat as well.
Frequently Asked Power Rack Exercise Questions
Can you get big muscles with just a power rack?
Power racks allow you to train nearly every muscle in your body in complete safety. Power racks make up for the lack of a spotter, so you can use your power rack for huge strength and muscle gains.
What's the difference between a squat rack and a power rack?
Power racks are very similar to squat racks, except a power rack has more pieces and attachments. Power racks allow you to execute more exercises and are preferred if you work out without a spotter because of the added safety features.
Which power rack should I get?
There are so many excellent power racks on the market. One of the best is the Rep Fitness PR-4000. It is a heavy-duty, 1,000lb commercial-grade power rack featuring 3x3" 11 gauge steel with 1" hole spacing through the bench zone and 5/8" pinholes. The PR-4000 power rack has excellent features, unlimited expandability, great quality, and endless customizability, all at a very fair price.
Which power rack exercise on our list offers the best full body workout?
If we had to pick only one power rack exercise to do for the rest of our life, it would be the barbell squat. A squat is a movement pattern we engage in daily, so we need to practice the motion.
Squats burn calories, strengthen your quads and glutes, and boost the production of muscle-building hormones. Squats also work the muscles in your upper body, everything from your upper and middle back to your lats, traps, rhomboids, and rear delts.
Conclusion
Once your power rack arrives, you'll want to start working out right away. With the power rack workout plan and exercises listed above, you can do just that. The power rack exercises listed above will hit just about every muscle group in your body, so get started today!
Last Updated on April 16, 2024