• Keep up to date with Ausbb via Twitter and Facebook. Please add us!
  • Join the Ausbb - Australian BodyBuilding forum

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.

    The Ausbb - Australian BodyBuilding forum is dedicated to no nonsense muscle and strength building. If you need advice that works, you have come to the right place. This forum focuses on building strength and muscle using the basics. You will also find that the Ausbb- Australian Bodybuilding Forum stresses encouragement and respect. Trolls and name calling are not allowed here. No matter what your personal goals are, you will be given effective advice that produces results.

    Please consider registering. It takes 30 seconds, and will allow you to get the most out of the forum.

What is the footprint of a power rack?

1

11th hour

Guest
I'm finally getting around to clearing space in my garage for my gym set up and am wondering what sort of footprint a power rack will have. I'm a bit worried I might come up short on space as I have to keep workbenches and storage space set up.

Also, is it recommended to put down mats over a concrete floor?
 
i got some jigsaw rubber mats from bunnings here in sydney. 5 peices for 15 bux covers the whole power rack.
 
Don't forget, the barbell is generally 2200mm long, you need space to load it.
The minimum to work comfortably would be 3.0m x 3.0m.
You could probably get away with 2.5m x 2.5m, but it would be cramped and you would feel uncomfortable.

You don't need mats, but it makes it more comfortable.
We have a rack on a concrete floor and just put a strip of 3 rubber mats 1m x 1m down the centre, works well.
 
Adrian is right, the barbell is the longest part, not the rack. Even at 2.5m, you only have 15cm either side to load.

If inches are important to you, buy a ladies bar, shorter sleeves, same length collar to collar, weighs 15kg, 25mm diameter.
 
Plus you'll need room outside the rack for deadlifts etc so room required is bigger again.
 
It looks like I can clear about 3m x 3m with the water heater in one corner and will need to stack some boxes in another corner.

I have had some weights a barbell and dumbells donated - the barbell measures 167cm total length.

I'm really not clear on what the layout needs to be like - I asked about the footprint of the rack because I was figuring I also need that extra space for things I want to do outside the rack.
Does anyone happen to have a scale plan drawn up for a home gym?
 
Last edited:
If all you want it for is a squatting rack, you can get smaller ones like this one from Adrian's joint, I was considering that myself. It won't be as steady as a proper cage, but you can't have everything.

Of course then you'll need somewhere to stack plates and so on. They can just be in a pile, but speaking from experience that doesn't make things easy.
 
We're wanting it for bench press, squats, pull ups/chin ups, dips & leg raises - kind of a multi-use station...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top