Gym Racks

A Power Rack has numerous names: Power Cage, Rig and Weight Cage. It has J hooks, which hold the bar, and spotter (safety) arms that catch the bar in case of a failed rep. These are key for the overall safety of using a Power Rack and make it the best choice for heavy squats and bench presses. Most Power Racks also have a pull-up bar, so they can be used as a full home workout station.

Power Racks include either a plate-loaded pulley system or a weight stack system on each side. If you choose the weight stack system, you can do a handful of exercises, from tricep pushdowns to lat pulldowns and bicep curls.

A Smith Machine has a built-in barbell fixed on guide rails. It moves straight up and down, which is a key safety feature, isolating an exercise for ease and enabling controlled work. The Smith Machine barbell is a standard 7ft Olympic bar. To use it, twist the bar so it comes off the hooks. When you have finished, twist the bar back to re-rack it on the hooks.

Smith Machines are great for beginners all the way up to advanced users, thanks to the extra safety of the bar running straight up and down. Smith Machine options also have the same advantages as a Power Rack, coming with J cups, spotter arms, a pull-up bar and the cable weight stacks, making a Smith Machine the best all-in-one model you can purchase.

This includes the footprint, height and overall planning of the room. First, measure the height to the lowest point in the room. If there are garage door rails or beams, measure to these if the machine is going to sit in that area.

Keep the footprint in mind: you will need 3m of width for a Smith Machine, giving you 40cm on each side to load the plates. A Power Rack can fit into a tighter space and be used in spaces 2m wide.

The height of the room is a key factor in choosing the correct rack for you. If you are limited on height, we always recommend going as high as possible. If you want to do pull-ups, 20 to 30cm of clearance is recommended, but don't lose out on rack height for pull-ups. We would always recommend a higher rack in the first instance. That is why MUSCLEIQ has created low ceiling racks starting at 183cm and going up in 10cm sizes, so they fit in smaller areas.

Not sure what height you need? See our Rack Height Calculator.

Always remember that flooring adds approximately 2cm (20mm), depending on which flooring type you use. Add this in when measuring your room and checking which rack can fit. See our gym flooring.

Buyer's guide: Best Power Rack for Low Ceilings

With the 1:1 ratio, the weight you select on the weight stack, for example 90kg, will be 90kg, meaning you lift the full amount you select. The 1:1 ratio also goes up in 5kg increments. This is best for heavy lifts such as seated rows and lat pulldowns.

With the 2:1 ratio, the weight is half of what you select, so 90kg will actually be 45kg that you lift. This gives a slightly smoother feel and goes up in 2.5kg increments. It is best for isolation work, lighter exercises and drop sets, and works better for lighter lifts like tricep pulldowns and single-arm exercises.

Overall, it's down to personal preference, as there are advantages to both: 1:1 is better for heavier lifts, while 2:1 gives you smaller increments. The cable on a 1:1 ratio is shorter than on a 2:1 ratio.

1:1 is available on the Multi Functional Rack with 80kg or 90kg stacks.

Want to switch later? See our Rack Ratio Change Kit.

Attachments will turn a rack into a full home gym set-up. MUSCLEIQ offer up to 40 attachments for your rack. These attachments help by isolating different exercises, making them easier, and give you more control over the exercises you wish to undertake.

Some of the attachments we offer are a Landmine attachment for rows, Dip Handles for chest and triceps, and a Tricep Rope for triceps. Then there are bigger attachments like Swivel Arms, which upgrade the standard trolley on the rack, allowing sideways as well as up and down movement. These can lock in place to isolate an exercise and give 30cm more height than a standard trolley. Other attachments include the lat pulldown seat and seated row footplate.

You can see our rack attachments here.