Ideas for home made safety squad rack?

[utahraptor]

I think I am on week 6 of SS and I am about 10 lbs out from being to squat my own body weight. I have a basic weight bench with the part on top that holds the bar for squat. What I don't have is the bar on each side that catches the weight if you can't go back up.

This far I have been careful in my progression and have never failed to come back up. As the weight goes up however I would like the option if something goes wrong. What can I cheaply rig up for this?

 

[TallBill]

Mmmm you don't want "cheap" when its in regards to your safety. If you're not a pro metalworker, I'd suggest looking for used equipment online.

 

[utahraptor]

I am wondering if I can use cinderblocks to hold up 2x4s or even metal pipe. They might shatter too easy.

 

[TallBill]

Go online and find a used rack before you kill yourself.

 

[guy666]

You could learn to do Zercher and/or Steinborg squats, there is no real danger of getting trapped underneath the weight. I personally worked my way up to doing 2x my BW doing both of these squats with no rack/bench at all.

 

[surfsatwerk]

I am wondering if I can use cinderblocks to hold up 2x4s or even metal pipe. They might shatter too easy.

"Local man dies in what appears to be a home made guillotine, more at eleven."

 

[TallBill]

You could learn to do Zercher and/or Steinborg squats, there is no real danger of getting trapped underneath the weight. I personally worked my way up to doing 2x my BW doing both of these squats with no rack/bench at all.

Those are great moves... to compliment a regular squat...

 

[utahraptor]

It has to beat this:

I wonder what those yellow things are. Those are exactly what I need:

 

[AntonioHG]

It has to beat this:

I wonder what those yellow things are. Those are exactly what I need:

Sawhorses. I just noticed the "rack" -- makes sense, but it might be too tall for some since those horses are typically like 3ft.

 

[Maximilian]

Mmmm you don't want "cheap" when its in regards to your safety. If you're not a pro metalworker, I'd suggest looking for used equipment online.

This

Go online and find a used rack before you kill yourself.

And that.

 

[SP33Demon]

If you're on a budget, get a pair of squat stands. You can get a decent pair for less than $150 shipped. Not the safest thing, however.
http://www.amazon.com/TDS-C-93132-Sq...dp/B00KIOPGE8/

I would just pony up the extra $400 total (shipped) and pick up:
http://www.amazon.com/TDS-C-92565-SP.../dp/B004TMMA26

Not going to get a better and cheaper rack than that with a 800-1000lb capacity.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

You're better off not squatting at all if you can't do it under the proper conditions. Only a complete idiot would use a couple of saw horses,which are made to support 2x4s , for a squat rack.

 

[iluvdeal]

Do you have a mom? If so, do what this guy does:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aMvoaFCMCI

 

[utahraptor]

LMAO! At least now I know what the safety device is called. "Cage"

 

[SP33Demon]

Do you have a mom? If so, do what this guy does:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aMvoaFCMCI

What a moron. Why not just throw the bar off his back? hahaha

 

[AntonioHG]

You're better off not squatting at all if you can't do it under the proper conditions. Only a complete idiot would use a couple of saw horses,which are made to support 2x4s , for a squat rack.

Hey, don't knock the horses. They can support a lot of weight, can't say I've ever seen one break even after loading more than 500lbs. I used to work with them all the time in a carpentry shop. That's not to say I personally would go out and do something like this, lol.

As for squatting without a rack, hey, you need to be sure of your form, be sure that you know how to bail -- again, I can't recommend it because having a rack is infinitely safer if you set it up properly.

How to squat alone safely by Omar Isuf:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=423Ew_DQC40&list=UUaHx0T1LWrVKWF1XfWWLSuw

 

[blackdogdeek]

Stack of 2'x2' plywood squares? Homedepot.com has sheets of 7/16"x4'x8' for $7.75 each. Each sheet yields 8 squares of 2'x2' or 2 stacks of 1.75"x2'x2'. $77.50 gets you 2 stacks of 17.5"x2'x2'.

NOTE: you would be using these under the weights NOT under the bar

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

1) Consider front squats?
2) I was doing something called hack squats till I bought a real cage
3) you should get a cage for benching anyways. It could save your life.

Anyway ... if you really want to do it, there are plenty of examples of people that made cages out of wood on the internet. search for something like home mead gym crew. I know there is a thread dedicated to this on the bodybuilding.com forums. Might even be its own subforum.

Thing is, once you buy the wood and screws and bolts, you might as well get an entry level cage.

Two things are worth the money unless you don't have money:
1) A cage that you trust your life with
2) A good, no BS bench. Flat or flat/incline. Don't bother with one that declines. A good bench should weigh 70+ pounds. And really good ones exceed 100 pounds.

FWIW: I spent $500 on the cage and the cheapest bench I found that I liked was $350 which was much more than I planned on spending. I could have bought a cheaper rack but I was limited on rack selection due to lower basement ceilings.