Ceiling height is a true limitation for many that own or want to own a home gym. In a recent survey, 20% of home gym owners said their ceiling height is under 8 feet and only 40% have a ceiling height over 9 feet. 45% also said that they’d be interested in a power rack under 7 feet tall. One more stat… 3 out of 4 prefer a power rack to a squat stand because of its safety benefits and overall versatility.
For those of you that do have limited vertical space and want a heavy-duty power rack, here is an option for you. The Body-Solid GPR400 Power Rack is just 79″ tall, solidly constructed, widely customizable, and will be able to take a beating for a long time.
Dimensions
79 Inches Tall: It’s short. In the pics, you’ll see it slide underneath a garage door that is 86″ when open. Whether it’s in a garage, basement, apartment, or other room in the house, it’ll fit well in those shorter spaces.
53″ L x 52″ W: While it’s not tall, there is plenty of space on the inside to do any of the primary lifts including squat, bench, deadlift, lunges, seated shoulder press, etc. The wide walk-in design makes it easy to get in and out of.
Heavy Duty
The GPR400 made for smaller spaces, but it’s definitely not flimsy. This commercially rated rack is constructed from 11-gauge steel with a 3″ x 3″ mainframe. The overall weight capacity is 1,000 pounds and it weighs 273 pounds. Therefore, it will be able to take a beating and would be a great option for powerlifters who can fill up the barbell. You’ll feel extremely secure and comfortable when lifting in this rack and this seems to be the most durable power rack on the market under 80.”
Attachments
The power rack comes standard with pipe and pin safeties, j-cups, and an integrated 1 1/4″ pull-up bar. You also have the ability to add a number of other accessories/attachments listed out below. These were not tested on.
- Lat Pull Down
- Multi-Grip Pull Up Bar
- Dip Handles
- T-Bar Row
- U-Link
- Weight Horn
Limitations
As expected, there are some limitations that come with this power rack because of its height.
- Pullups are difficult for the taller population. You’ll need to do them with your knees bent.
- The mandatory Body-Solid nameplate on the black looks fantastic, but it cuts off at just under 68.” Therefore you’ll need to use the other end of the rack for squats if you are a taller person.
- The primary tester was 6 feet 2 inches, but what’s mentioned above may not be a problem for others shorter.
Other
- It’s priced at $795 + Free Shipping. This is comparable to other power racks on the market with 11-gauge steel, but not much cheaper.
- 1″ hole spacing for the bottom half of the rack for safeties and 2″ for the upper half
- There are options to bolt down, but it’s very sturdy without doing so.
- A lifetime warranty on the frame & welds is included.
- The overall assembly was simple. It was manageable for one person to put together, but best with two.
Conclusion
In the end, this is a power rack primarily designed for a specific group of people. Those that have short ceilings, but want a heavy-duty power rack are the primary audience. This piece of equipment does a great job of creating something for them so that you don’t have to settle for a squat stand or other “cheap power rack.” With the GPR400, you’ll feel safe and comfortable performing lifts like bench and squat. It’s also a rack that should last a lifetime.
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