Here, Sparkes shares five squat rack exercises that can be performed from the safety of this tried-and-tested gym staple. Better still, these creative moves all have the same aim in mind; to allow for the targeting of specific portions of your lift, and to build strength so that each weight can be increased over time.
Lower the safety blocks or poles on the squat rack, or take them out completely depending on the type of rack and the amount of clearance from the floor that they can give. Then, lie down and use the squat rack in a similar way to how you would with the bench press. Concentrate on the powerlifting motion and using good technique. The highest load should be felt at the top of the lift. “Your elbows should be flat on the ground before each lift,”: says Sparkes. “It’s like pause benches, but concentrate on whatever part you want.”
You can also re-position the safety blocks to target different aspects of the movement, to target your triceps, or chest, for example.
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Pin Squats
Notable for starting with the concentric (upward) movement, rather than the eccentric (downward) execution, pin squats are performed with the barbell in a lower position by setting the safety blocks further down, so that you must start with a lift rather than a descent. This squat variation is great for developing explosive strength too. The safety blocks can be positioned to target specific ranges of motion.
“You can do pin squats as an accessory,” says Sparkes. “Let’s say you have a squat day in which you’re doing some high-volume stuff and then, after that, you want to work specific portions of the lifts, you would do this right after.”
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Resistance Band Squats (upper or lower)
“What you can do is set some dumbbells up either side of you, as an anchor point for the bands,” says Sparkes. “These present different variances that you can do.” By using dumbbells, door anchors, or Velcro straps to set the bands up, under the rack’s feet, you can then attach the other end of each band to the barbell, making sure that the weight plate is on first. “Now you can squat,” says the coach.
Don’t forget that each band comes with its own level of resistance weight, so start low and build-up to heavier forces rather than underestimating the power of the bands and overdoing things straight off.
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Rack Deadlift
The safety blocks on the squat rack present a great opportunity for performing the deadlift from different elevations. “So, you can start from two inches above the ground and lift to the knees, and work on any portion of the deadlift that you want to improve,” says Sparkes. “If you’re having trouble with your lockout, bring the blocks up and work on just the lockout portion on the deadlift. So, wherever you are having trouble, start from there.”
The athlete and coach also suggests holding and squeezing the lift to further work on strength.
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Resistance-band Deadlift
“Set your deadlifts up inside of the squat rack, attach one end of each band to the barbell and hook the other ends up over the top of the cage,” says Sparkes. “So, it starts off with more resistance, and then as you go up, it gives you less.”
The Die Hard Gym owner says that these moves are commonly used by powerlifters who want to improve their lifts, because the rack allows them to handle weights that may have otherwise been too great, with the bonus of allowing a focus on specific body parts, and aspects of each lift. Rack’em up!
