Power Racks & Squat Racks

Power racks give you a steel frame to squat, bench and press a loaded barbell when there is nobody around to spot you. This collection covers full cages, half racks, squat stands and multi-press racks from Body-Solid, Muscle D Fitness and Paradigm, sized for garages, basements and training facilities. To find the best power rack for your home gym, sort them by frame style, height and how you plan to load the bar.

How to choose the best power rack, half rack or squat stand

Pick the frame style first. A full cage puts four uprights around you, so the safeties sit on both sides of the bar. The Body-Solid GPR400 walk-in cage uses an 11-gauge steel frame, stands just under 80 inches tall and comes with J-cup lift-offs, pipe-and-pin safeties and an integrated pull-up bar. The Powerline PPR1000 cage is 83 inches tall, lists a 700 lb capacity and accepts a bolt-on lat attachment later. For a lighter-duty starter frame, the Best Fitness BFPR100 offers 23 adjustment positions spaced 3 inches apart and a 500 lb rating.

Half racks trade the enclosed box for an open front, which makes loading and walking out a bar quicker. Muscle D Fitness offers the Compact Half Cage with dip station and plate storage and the Deluxe Half Rack with adjustable safety bars, both with vertical bar storage built in. If the room is short or narrow, look at the Muscle D Compact Squat Stand, which is designed for tight spaces, or a multi-press rack. The Powerline PMP150 multi-press rack is 71 inches tall with a 7-degree reverse pitch and a 600 lb capacity, and the GPR370B applies the same reverse pitch to an extra-wide four-point base.

Use level matters too. Muscle D labels its full Power Cage and Commercial Squat Rack for commercial floors, while Body-Solid pitches the Powerline models at basements and garage gyms.

Trainer's take: measure the room before the rack

Speaking as a certified personal trainer, the first number I want is ceiling height. Measure from the floor up to the first joist, light or duct you could hit, subtract the rack height, and make sure there is still room for a pull-up and a standing overhead press. Then tape out the floor: you need space behind the uprights to step back from a squat and space on each side to load plates.

Set the safeties just below the bottom of your squat and just above your chest when you lie on the bench, then rehearse a missed rep with an empty bar. Change one thing at a time as you progress, whether that is load, depth or grip. A cage also earns its footprint with chin-ups, rack pulls and band work, so choose attachments for the lifts you will actually do.

Power Racks FAQ

What is the difference between a power cage and a squat rack?

A power cage has four uprights with safeties running inside the frame. A squat rack or stand uses two uprights with spotter arms in front, which takes less floor space but leaves more of the bar unprotected.

How tall should a home squat rack be?

Measure your ceiling first. Heights here run from about 71 inches on the PMP150 to 97 inches on the Muscle D Power Cage, and you need clearance above the frame for pull-ups and overhead pressing.

Can I add a lat pulldown to my cage later?

Several Body-Solid cages accept lat attachments, including the PPR1000, GPR400 and GPR378. Each product page lists the matching attachment model.

Is a Body-Solid squat rack suitable for a gym?

It depends on the line. Body-Solid describes the GPR400 as fit for everything from garage gyms to commercial strength facilities, while the Powerline racks are aimed at home use.

Finish the setup with workout benches that roll into the cage, weight plates to load the bar and rack attachments such as dip handles and weight horns. For a side-by-side look at racks, smith machines and leg presses, read our strength equipment buying guide.

Not sure which to choose? Read our Power Rack vs Squat Rack guide.