We outline what to look for when choosing a barbell storage rack for your home gym.
Vertical or Horizontal Style
Vertical rack configurations hold the bars upright in individual sleeves, typically ranging from 6 to 10 bars in a facility. These types of racks are best suited for narrower facilities where there is plenty of wall space. On the other hand, horizontal configurations lay the bars flat on arms and are generally the easiest configurations to load and unload. They do, however, require more floor space to achieve the same end and are typically around 60 cm plus in depth.
Weight Capacity
This will include the combined weight of all your heaviest bars. Most home gym racks are designed to hold between 200-400kg but there are commercial quality racks available that hold over 600kg.
Floor-Space Planning
Read more on how to plan your facility and choose the right gym equipment for your space using facility design guidelines for gym spaces, including clear circulation routes of 1.5m or greater around individual pieces of equipment.
Material and Finish
Many strength training racks are made out of steel which has been coated with a layer of powder. This ensures that even when your rack is accidentally knocked, it will withstand the collision without sustaining too much damage. Note however that bare mild steel should not be left outside in damp garages. It requires periodic treatment to prevent corrosion.
Barbell Compatibility
Typically, the standard barbell will have a 25mm shaft, and Olympic bars will have a larger shaft diameter (28-32mm). So you will need to check the diameter of the rack’s sleeves to ensure they will hold your knurled bars (aggressively knurled in particular).
For Barbell Storage, see https://uk.repfitness.com/collections/barbell-storage/.
Buy the right rack for your facility after you determine your space, your bars and your load.
