A squat rack is a piece of gym equipment that will provide you with an opportunity to work your entire body and mold your physique with the greatest success. Still, it is also a potentially dangerous piece of equipment. You see, doing adeadlift off the floor is difficult and not without dangers of its own but if there’s too much weight, chances are that you won’t even be able to lift it off the floor, which means that you’ll be relatively safe. This is not the case with the squat rack. So, in order to avoid it causing a serious injury, there are six tips you need to be aware of.
1. Don’t copy other people’s techniques
The first thing you need to understand is that copying other people’s techniques may seem logical for someone who is just starting out, however, it is not a go-to solution if you want to be safe and efficient. First of all, you have no idea if the person in question is using a proper technique. Just because they haven’t gotten injured in front of your eyes doesn’t mean that what they’re doing is good or safe. Second, every person has a different body alignment. For instance, the ideal feet placement during squats should be the position that you would assume if you were to jump. This is different for every person.
2. The most important thing in a gym
A good squat rack is probably the most important thing in the gym. In fact, it’s a piece of equipment that can help you workfor every muscle group. Sure, you can use it as a squat rack but you can also do pull-ups, chin-ups, dips, and set the bench below so that you can do bench press, as well. Overall, a squat rack is really not that expensive, which is why it’s the first thing you should get when preparing your own home gym. Afterward, you just get a couple of additional pieces of equipment and there you have it.
3. Never round your lower back
These movements are not necessarily natural. After all, humans (as primates) were never genetically designed to walk on two feet, let alone do squats. This is why your body might react in the way that it’s not supposed to. You might instinctively start rounding your lower back during deadlifts or squats, which would both increase the risk of injury and cause some long-term damage to your lower back. So, no matter what you do, avoid rounding your lower back. The best thing you can do is start with a bit lower weight and don’t add more until you’ve absolutely mastered the technique.
4. Learn what to avoid
There’s a list of exercises that ought to be illegal at the squat rack station for one of three reasons. They’re either:
These are the exercises like behind-the-neck presses, seated exercises, overhead triceps extension, etc. Remember, some exercises can be done behind a rack but the power rack is meant for big movements. If you want to work on a smaller muscle, do it someplace else. A rack just poses another obstacle and there are things in your way wherever you turn.
5. Proper setup
In order to use a squat rack safely, you need to know a thing or two about the proper setup. First, you need to know how to adjust the bar and how to choose a proper height (this is relative to your own height). Second, you need to learn how to load the bar and then position the bar across your shoulders. Then, you need to know the proper move to lift the weight off the rack and how far back you should move with it. Finally, after you’re done with squats (proper squats are another thing you need to know) you need to return the weight back to the rack.
6. Common sense
Lastly, it is incredibly important that you are aware of your surroundings, your abilities, and that you use common sense. If you feel pain or a sensation of strange unease, you should stop. Putting too much weight on the barbell is always a bad idea. Moreover, just starting to work out without having someone show you the ropes or, at the very least, checking out the proper squat form is definitely a bad thing. In other words, this is an important part of your workout routine but there’s no denying that it can be quite dangerous. So, be on your guard.
In conclusion
In the end, it’s important that you don’t start fearing your rack or rack exercises. There are always things you can do in order to stay safe. Sure, you can’t be 100% safe from injury but you can’t do this with calisthenic exercises either. The thing is that by learning how to properly utilize a squat rack, you’ll be the one in control. With proper warmup/stretch and a gradual increase of exercise intensity, you will be able to do quite a bit.
About The Author
I am Tim Tyler, a passionate writer who tries to share his best with you. I want to help people with their issues, So, I write about common issues you may face in your daily lives.
