Lateral Bar Clearance

The Crow said:

If you are using a power rack, and olympic bar, do you think it's possible
to work out in a space that is only 95 inches wide, just below eight feet,
or is this not enough sideways clearance? Just wondering if anyone has any
annicdotal evidence for this area. The walls that bracket this space are
wall-papered, as it is a living area at the moment, and as we rent the
property, I wouldn't really want to tear large channels inn the wall paper
with the end of the bar. Any thought welcome. Thanks.

Bar's probably 7' long; you have enough space if you don't screw up.

Quoted message said:

The Crow said:

If you are using a power rack, and olympic bar, do you think it's
possible to work out in a space that is only 95 inches wide, just below
eight feet, or is this not enough sideways clearance? Just wondering if
anyone has any annicdotal evidence for this area. The walls that bracket
this space are wall-papered, as it is a living area at the moment, and as
we rent the property, I wouldn't really want to tear large channels inn
the wall paper with the end of the bar. Any thought welcome. Thanks.

I have had to modify power racks to fit into small spaces. I chopped off the
top of several peices of equipment to make them fit. I once did a whole
modification with a hacksaw and a protable drill once. So this whole thing
of making it fit is a common situation.

OK, here is the basic problem. You have a power rack that is usually about
four feet on each side. It may be a little shallower than that, but figure
on four feet a side as a general size. Your standard olympic bar will stick
out a foot and a half on each side of that. So you have a room width of 95
inches and a bar width of 84 inches. That leaves you 11 inches. split that
in half, you are talking about five and a half inches per side. Houdini
would have problems with that configuration.

I always tell people that they need at least a foot per side clearance. And
a foot and a half is MUCH better.

In a tight space like this, I make two recommendations. One is to find a six
foot bar and use it. And the other idea is not to put a power rack into
that small of a space. Go to a wood step rack. They are easy to build and
much cheaper. Buy a power rack when you get into a situation where you have
a little more room.

If you use standard weights, you can buy some standard fittings and just buy
yoursel some one inch cold rolled steel. You can have them cut it any length
you want.

Another hint. If you are concerned about the wall, cover it with some kind
of protection. I would make up a peice of plywood with some padding on each
side and cover it with vinyl. That way if an accident occurs, both walls and
humans are protected.

The Crow said:

If you are using a power rack, and olympic bar, do you think it's possible
to work out in a space that is only 95 inches wide, just below eight feet,
or is this not enough sideways clearance? Just wondering if anyone has any
annicdotal evidence for this area. The walls that bracket this space are
wall-papered, as it is a living area at the moment, and as we rent the
property, I wouldn't really want to tear large channels inn the wall paper
with the end of the bar. Any thought welcome. Thanks.

You're going to have trouble just loading the bar. Set up on squat
a bit off center with too much lean will mean a damaged wall.

Can you turn the cage 90 deg or something else?

Thanks for all the info.

"Lee Michaels" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The Crow said:

If you are using a power rack, and olympic bar, do you think it's
possible to work out in a space that is only 95 inches wide, just
below eight feet, or is this not enough sideways clearance? Just
wondering if anyone has any annicdotal evidence for this area. The
walls that bracket this space are wall-papered, as it is a living area
at the moment, and as we rent the property, I wouldn't really want to
tear large channels inn the wall paper with the end of the bar. Any
thought welcome. Thanks.

I have had to modify power racks to fit into small spaces. I chopped off
the top of several peices of equipment to make them fit. I once did a
whole modification with a hacksaw and a protable drill once. So this
whole thing of making it fit is a common situation.

OK, here is the basic problem. You have a power rack that is usually
about four feet on each side. It may be a little shallower than that,
but figure on four feet a side as a general size. Your standard olympic
bar will stick out a foot and a half on each side of that. So you have
a room width of 95 inches and a bar width of 84 inches. That leaves you
11 inches. split that in half, you are talking about five and a half
inches per side. Houdini would have problems with that configuration.

I always tell people that they need at least a foot per side clearance.
And a foot and a half is MUCH better.

In a tight space like this, I make two recommendations. One is to find a
six foot bar and use it. And the other idea is not to put a power rack
into that small of a space. Go to a wood step rack. They are easy to
build and much cheaper. Buy a power rack when you get into a situation
where you have a little more room.

If you use standard weights, you can buy some standard fittings and just
buy yoursel some one inch cold rolled steel. You can have them cut it
any length you want.

Another hint. If you are concerned about the wall, cover it with some
kind of protection. I would make up a peice of plywood with some padding
on each side and cover it with vinyl. That way if an accident occurs,
both walls and humans are protected.

My home setup has real tight clearances on one side and it's workable, but
it ain't no 5.5" either. Problem is in scraping the wall loading the
weights and also stepping into the squat--you have to step to the side and
then put your weight on that foot to get the other in position. Lee's
right--without a shorter bar this isn't going to work.

Except for looks, is there any need for padding on the plywood? You just
need something for the weights to scrape that's not wallpaper.

Hugh

--
Exercise is a dirty word. Whenever I hear it, I wash my mouth out with
chocolate. ("Ladi"😉

"Hugh Beyer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Lee Michaels" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The Crow wrote:

> If you are using a power rack, and olympic bar, do you think it's
> possible to work out in a space that is only 95 inches wide, just
> below eight feet, or is this not enough sideways clearance? Just
> wondering if anyone has any annicdotal evidence for this area. The
> walls that bracket this space are wall-papered, as it is a living area
> at the moment, and as we rent the property, I wouldn't really want to
> tear large channels inn the wall paper with the end of the bar. Any
> thought welcome. Thanks.

I have had to modify power racks to fit into small spaces. I chopped off
the top of several peices of equipment to make them fit. I once did a
whole modification with a hacksaw and a protable drill once. So this
whole thing of making it fit is a common situation.

OK, here is the basic problem. You have a power rack that is usually
about four feet on each side. It may be a little shallower than that,
but figure on four feet a side as a general size. Your standard olympic
bar will stick out a foot and a half on each side of that. So you have
a room width of 95 inches and a bar width of 84 inches. That leaves you
11 inches. split that in half, you are talking about five and a half
inches per side. Houdini would have problems with that configuration.

I always tell people that they need at least a foot per side clearance.
And a foot and a half is MUCH better.

In a tight space like this, I make two recommendations. One is to find a
six foot bar and use it. And the other idea is not to put a power rack
into that small of a space. Go to a wood step rack. They are easy to
build and much cheaper. Buy a power rack when you get into a situation
where you have a little more room.

If you use standard weights, you can buy some standard fittings and just
buy yoursel some one inch cold rolled steel. You can have them cut it
any length you want.

Another hint. If you are concerned about the wall, cover it with some
kind of protection. I would make up a peice of plywood with some padding
on each side and cover it with vinyl. That way if an accident occurs,
both walls and humans are protected.

My home setup has real tight clearances on one side and it's workable, but
it ain't no 5.5" either. Problem is in scraping the wall loading the
weights and also stepping into the squat--you have to step to the side and
then put your weight on that foot to get the other in position. Lee's
right--without a shorter bar this isn't going to work.

Except for looks, is there any need for padding on the plywood? You just
need something for the weights to scrape that's not wallpaper.

I always had some high grade quarter inch closed cell foam around. I just
put this on the board (with staples) because it protected the wall (and
trainee) more. By giving the wood a little chance to move around, this
greatly reduced the stress on the wall.

Since this is such a tight space where this is used, there is a tendancy to
smash into the wall. I know, it reduces the space even more. But I can put
up some pretty good protection in about an inch of space. I use 1/4"
plywood.