How do you perform pin squats?

Set the Spotters at either a quarter, half or full squat depth. Step under the barbell, placing the bar across your traps before securing it tightly. Stand up tall and step away with the bar to un-rack it. Place your feet roughly shoulder width apart, facing slightly outwards (‘10 and 2 on a clock face’). Sit between your knees until the bar rests on the spotters and after a brief pause (1-3 seconds), stand back up.

Power Rack vs Half Rack

Q: What is the Difference Between a Power Rack and a Half Rack?

The Power Rack is more heavy duty for safety during heavy lifts because the safety spotters are supported by all four of the vertical uprights. This provides a more centrally balanced position for the weight to drop, should you fail your lift, and the safety spotters catch the bar. The Half Rack is open and smaller, so it provides more training options but maybe not as well suited to the maximal lifts. A Half rack can still utilise safety spotters, however they are positioned on the outside of the rack.

An essential training tool for popular exercises like the back squat, rack pull or military press is the humble rack, often a Power Rack or a Half Rack. Getting your hands on one is essential for any gym set-up.

What’s the difference? One you perform exercises inside the rack and the other outside the rack… but why would you use one over the other? Learn more about the power rack vs half rack below...

What is the Difference Between a Power Rack vs a Half Rack?

The power rack is more heavy duty for safety during heavy lifts because the safety spotters are supported by all four of the vertical uprights. This provides a more centrally balanced position for the weight to drop, should you fail your lift, and the safety spotters catch the bar. There are other unique benefits, like the ability to perform pin squats.
However, the half rack is open and thus smaller so provides more training options but maybe not as well suited to the maximal lifts. A half rack can still utilise safety spotters, however they are positioned on the outside of the rack.

Power Rack Exercises

Pin Squats

Man doing a pin squat in a Mirafit M3 Power Rack

• Set the spotters at either a quarter, half or full squat depth.

• Step under the barbell, placing the bar across your traps before securing it tightly.

• Stand up tall and step away with the bar to un-rack it.

• Feet roughly shoulder width apart, facing slightly outwards (‘10 and 2 on a clock face’).

• Sit between your knees until the bar rests on the spotters.

• After a brief pause (1-3 seconds), stand back up.

Why is This Suited to a Power Rack?

The safety spotters being attached to all four uprights allow you to safely lower to bar to the spotters, without fear of missing the spotter, unlike the half rack which would require more accuracy.

Rack Pulls

Man doing a rack pull in a Mirafit M3 Power Rack

• Set the pins to knee height with the bar on them from the start.

• Stand with your feet shoulder width, with your thighs up against the bar.

• Pull your shoulders back and down.

• Push the floor away to stand up tall.

• Push your bum back to the wall behind you, keeping the bar close to your legs, to return to the start position.

Why is This Suited to a Power Rack?

This is more suited to a power rack due to the huge amounts of load people may use for rack pulls; often more than they may deadlift or squat since it is targeting a concentrated range of motion.

Half Rack Exercises

Barbell Forward Lunges

Man doing a forward lunge in a Mirafit M3 Half Rack

• Step under the barbell, facing outwards, placing the bar across your traps before securing it tightly.

• Stand up and step away to un-rack the bar.

• Step forward to drop into a lunge, with a vertical front shin and feet facing forwards.

• Stand back up to the rear leg to complete a rep.

• Imagine ‘balancing a pint of water on your head’ to keep your shoulders and hips level throughout.

• Alternate between legs for the desired number of reps.

Why is This Suited to a Half Rack?

The barbell forward lunge requires space to lunge into, which is why it is best suited to the half rack. To get the best out of the movement you will likely want to load it heavier than the weight you would be advised to lift off the floor, so a rack would be useful.

Barbell Bent Over Row

• Set the safety spotters to mid-thigh height with the barbell on top.

• Stand up against the barbell, hands shoulder width apart, with your shoulders back and down towards you bum and a slight bend in your knees.

• Stand up tall with the Barbell and step away to un-rack the bar.

• Push your bum back to the wall behind you, like an RDL to reach your start position.

• Pull your elbows past your torso and slowly lower them back down to complete a rep.

Why is This Suited to a Half Rack?

The half rack allows you to lift heavy weights up off the safety spotters without having to pick them up off the floor but then walk out away from the rack so you can row with a full range of motion.

Should I Buy a Power Rack or a Half Rack?

If you are an advanced athlete, powerlifter or looking to lift towards your limits but with longer workouts and fewer exercises, choose the power rack.

If you are more of a Jack of all trades lifter that enjoys quick sessions with lots of variety, then choose the half rack.

But one thing is for sure, that to maximise your training, you will want to get your hands on either a power rack or half rack (or both)!

You can read our ultimate guide to power racks here

Written by guest author Ewan Hammond

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Tags: Equipment > Power Racks and Cages ; Equipment > Bars & Weight Plates ; Exercise Type > Strength

Power Rack vs Half Rack

Power Rack vs Half Rack

What is the Difference Between a Power Rack vs a Half Rack?