Puny person in upstairs apartment adding barbell to routine

[rob01]

I live in an older 1920s apartment building, and I'm on the 2nd floor. I've been working out with dumbbells and a flat bench on a glorified yoga mat, but am moving on to incorporating a barbell into my routine. I usually work out when my downstairs neighbors aren't home and only in non-quiet hours, but don't make much noise regardless.

I am 5'7" / 170 cm and 140 lbs / 63.5 kg. In my mid-30s. I will not be lifting anything that heavy ever, and certainly not in this apartment - just trying to keep my back from being in too much pain by working out more. I'm getting thicker foam squares to go under the weighlifting area and trying to figure out what rack / cage to get. I'm extremely careful and will not be throwing anything around, and want to try and put something sound-deadening in the j-cups if that's not a safety issue in some way.

My concerns are safety for myself and my apartment floors. I'm having a hard time determining if safety arms will be "enough" or if it's better to just go with a cage. Being inexperienced and lifting alone, maybe a cage is more fool-proof if I were to get off-balance? Or maybe because I'm lifting so little it really doesn't matter? What do you guys think. I'm using a 6ft, 28 lb barbell. Again, very light weights but I have had previous injuries and am wanting to be as safe as needed lifting alone.

1 - Fuel Pureformance Power Squat Rack, $120 + $30 safety spotter arms separately. Spotter arms area is only 14in - worried I could somehow miss the mark.

2 - Fuel Pureformance Deluxe Weight Lifting "Power Cage" (half cage) - on sale $130 - not sure what actual area of spotter arms is but may be exactly the same as lower end model?

3 - Fuel Pureformance 7 Ft. Adjustable Power Rack Full Cage - $200

4 - York Pro Series 204 Squat Rack Barbell Support - $360

Edit: last link was incorrect

Edit 2: first two are out since the spotter arms just don't seem like enough. Added another option I'm looking at

 

[july]

@rob01 What is the size of the barbell?

 

[rob01]

@july 6 ft, 28 lbs

 

[july]

@rob01 Thank you!

 

[winlifeoc]

@rob01 Absolutely recommend just going for a full cage! It really helps with confidence and if you do fail, ensures nothing is going to slam on your apartment floors either.

We built one ourselves, but option 3 is a similar design. This works well for squats, bench, and overhead press for me, but tall people may need to do seated overhead press. I should note: they have it set up oddly, I workout inside the rack not outside like their model.

Also, I wouldn't stress about your weights. Yes, that's pretty light, but any lifting at all is still more than most people do and it is still going to help your rehab or bone density and all that good stuff. And you may well find you can use a little bit heavier over time with the assurance of the rack and particularly with being able to do squats with the bar already in the right spot. I was stuck on squatting only as much as I could safely press for years until we built a proper rack! I still prefer to be somewhat conservative decades, but it made such a giant difference.

 

[rob01]

@winlifeoc Thank you so much! I’m feeling more confident about just going for that simple full cage. I think it will give me a lot more peace of mind with safety and the footprint is still basically the same as the others anyway.

 

[winlifeoc]

@rob01 Exactly! The full cage is really not much more room than a half or a stand when you have the bench inside. I mean if you are actually going to fold the bench away between lifting it saves a little, but c'mon, no way am I going to do that!

Like you, I super prefer a home gym. Way easier to just roll over there and work out whenever and wearing whatever and I never have to wait for a rack/bench.

I also want to give a shoutout for barbells for the nervous. You're going to love them so much more than a dumbbells, especially working in a rack because it is much much easier to bail and not as dependent on wrist strength. They are nice for accessory work, but I always pick barbell for the main session and focus personally.

 

[rob01]

@winlifeoc Hell yeah, you get it! I seriously love my home gym. I’m really excited now to get the barbell incorporated! Appreciate all your thoughts : )

 

[seekingbutnotfinding]

@rob01 why not just join a gym? i'd love a home gym setup if i lived in a house but it's kind of impractical in an apartment for multiple reasons.

i can't imagine this being feasible without like at least one completely empty bedroom. or constantly assembling/disassembling. the gym is so much more efficient/versatile.

 

[rob01]

@seekingbutnotfinding I've already got a room I'm working out in. I'm just asking about equipment to add to it. It's extremely efficient for me to walk 10 feet into my home gym

 

[teatimebabe28]

@rob01 I have the York Pro Series 204 and love it. I take it apart and put it away between uses because I don't have a dedicated space for it, and it's very quick and easy to do so.

A rack is more versatile, but after a decade+ use I highly recommend it.

However if space/disassembly isn't an issue a full rack would be a better choice, you can do more with it.

EDIT: I squat 330 in it and have loaded something like 430 on the uprights for front squat holds, it can handle heavy weight

 

[nicole17]

@rob01 Was in a similar situation and went for a full rack, just because it's versatile. Apart from a pullup bar (also great just for dead hangs and stretching) and storage for plates, you can add attachments like Dip bars, a pulley system (even a DIY one with a cable and wheel) etc. I also use the safety bar for Bulgarien Split Squats and attach bands to the poles for other exercises. I also added wooden gymnastic rings for incline rows and potentially some day ring dips - just a support hold is tricky lol. Plus I feel safe when squatting and benching. The poles are magnetic and I can pin my clipboard or phone to it.

It does take up space though.

I would also recommend the HomeGym sub and/or Garage Gym Reviews YouTube channel. They had some older videos about cheap sturdy racks, DYI options and overall equipment tests.

Edit: Typo

 

[rob01]

@nicole17 Yeah that all sounds pretty awesome. The versatility and simplicity of a simple full cage is appealing. I have a doorway pullup bar and would love to have something higher up (as a lifting cage bar would be) since it gets a little annoying holding my legs up as much as I have to do in a doorway.

 

[nicole17]

@rob01 I feel you. Used to have the same problem I used to have a telescope bar and actually got a concussion once bc I jumped on it while forgetting I had loosened it slightly the day before bc of a random necessity.

The rack is also just really sturdy and I do not regret it. If you do go for it, it might be worth checking for used ones or marketplace deals. But I remember from Garage Gym Reviews there used to be a really good deal for 99$ in the US for a specific brand.

 

[jamie73]

@rob01 A squat stand with the two stands tied together is totally fine as long as it has actual decent-length spotter arms, but I can't find the spotter arms on the walmart website for the first one. The second one is too wide for a 6-foot barbell.

This other cheapo squat stand is only a little more: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Marcy-Squat-Rack-SM-8117/341912201?athcpid=341912201 but will take a 6-foot barbell. (The built-in weight holders are for Olympic plates and won't do you much good with a standard barbell, though.) It looks like it has some deadening material on the cups and safeties from the picture, but it's hard to tell. And Marcy is an inexpensive brand I've heard of, rather than one I haven't.

Also, the home gym resale market has calmed down after the pandemic madness, so you might be able to find something used and much higher quality -- while you're not lifting enough weight to need the higher limits on fancier gear, stuff like the sound deadening material and the feel of everything improves, which is nice.

 

[anon103]

@rob01

Spotter arms area is only 14in - worried I could somehow miss the mark.

These are useless. Do not buy. Same for the half cage, the safeties don't look like they can do their job.

$200 cage

Link leads to the same as the last one but I assume you mean this one? Yeah, looks decent. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fuel-Pureformance-6-Foot-Full-Cage-Power-Rack-Black/55122035?from=/search

I'm getting thicker foam squares to go under the weighlifting area

Highly recommend a pair of crash pads for RDLs etc. Something like this: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Philosop...f-2-Silencer-Drop-Pads/814115605?from=/search

 

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[rob01]

@anon103 Yes, that's the link I meant to include, thank you. The spotter arms on the other one do feel a little useless (I bought them already to see for myself but am leaning towards returning and not getting the rack they're for.) Even for my small lifts, but again...I don't know much. So thanks for confirming that.

Between this cheaper full cage and this nicer squat rack, do you think one is much better than the other for an amateur like me? The squat rack is more expensive than I hoped to spend but if it's going to be more stable and also potentially easier to pack up and move to another apartment in a few years, would be worth it.

ETA: will also look into crash pads.

 

[anon103]

@rob01 Truly no idea about the York rack. I'd want to try it out in person before buying, since there is a fixed bar stopping you at the bottom. If that's lower than where you normally squat to, for example, that would be a non-starter.

 

[rob01]

@anon103 Appreciate the thoughts! Leaning towards the cheap cage setup because I like the simplicity of the design and the idea of it catching the bar no matter how I might fuck up.