Introduction
For those who appreciate the movements accompanying this attachment, the Lat/Low Row accessory is a solid enough option to entice someone to choose a REP rack over many of its competitors. This attachment takes up just a little more space but adds many “commercial gym favorite” movements like the lat pull-down, tricep extensions, low row, and the ability to hit every muscle group. It’s convenient to use and doesn’t hinder the rest of your rack too much.
The Lat/Low Row is displayed in the pics for the 5000 series, but there is also an option for the PR-4000 which appears to be identical.
Installation & Other Requirements
The overall installation took about an hour or so but isn’t too difficult to do with the video instructions from REP. It’s something that one person will likely be able to do, but much of the time would be cut with the help of another.
To attach to the rack, you’ll need a rear base stabilizer, which serves as an anchor point for the pulley system and low row footplates. Therefore, if adding on to your existing rack make sure to choose the option that includes the rear base stabilizer.
Minimal Extra Space Needed
Depending on your rack, it will add some additional depth. For example, on the setup seen in the pictures, an additional 5″ is added. If this were added to the back, it would take up an additional 23.” Therefore, if space is tight, you’ll want to do some measurements to see how much additional space may be needed.
In addition, 3″ of space on the top is needed. For example, this 93″ Omni Rack is actually 96″ at the highest portion of the lat pulldown section.
Functionality
As previously mentioned, this helps bring back some of your favorite commercial gym movements into the rack. There is plenty of space within the rack within the rack for just about any movement you’d want to do. In addition, unless you have monolifts (with a wide lat pulldown bar) in or a barbell loaded up, there aren’t really any adjustments that need to be made. Depending on how you’ve set up the barbell, many supersets can still be done within the rack regardless. Low row/squats and lat pulldown/bench are good examples of possible supersets.
The pulleys are smooth and the overall experience is convenient. Plates are easily changeable and low and high pulleys use the same weight. Compared to using a singular pulley cable, where you need to change the weight from a pin, this is a breeze.
One limitation is that the lat section only supports downward movement. You cannot pull the weight out as you’d do on overhead tricep extensions.
Other Notes
- A basic lat and straight bar are included. These will likely get the job done until you decide to upgrade.
- A 1:1 ratio and 12-inch weight horns ensure that you likely won’t be able to max it out. The PR-4000 option includes a 350 weight limit, but one is not listed on the 5000 option. They are certainly about the same.
- The foot plate is rock solid. It’s very simple to get locked in and obtain a firm grip.
- Depending on your setup, this may take away the ability to use a spotter for bench. If this is important for you, it’s recommended to make sure you have the space to bolt it to the very back posts.
- These will most likely cost you between $400 and $500. This is similar to other standalone “budget-friendly” lat/low row systems (like the one discussed below). In addition, REP now offers free shipping, so it’s much more convenient to purchase after purchasing their racks if you are don’t have the funds yet or it’s not in stock.
Rack Attached vs. Standalone Option
This was asked on a recent IG post, and the comments were dominated by those that wanted it separate. In fact, 70.2% said they’d rather have it as a separate option than it saving space on a rack. Here are some additional notes about the comments:
- Those that voted for the “attached option” mentioned space saved and that it would be sturdier. Nevertheless, it seemed like if space weren’t a concern, the separate option would be chosen by almost all.
- Separate is the better option for those who want to superset and train with multiple people simultaneously.
- Several mentioned that they did not want their rack to feel “tight,” which is a valid concern.
Conclusion
This attachment option is a game-changer for someone who misses these movements that you’d typically do at a commercial gym. If purchased, you may find yourself doing lat pulldowns for a few months straight since you missed it so much. HA! But seriously…
Nevertheless, this is a space-efficient, well-built, smooth, and easy to operate attachment that has the ability to add a ton of versatility to your home gym. You won’t find many complaints about these racks they are compatible with.
