Can I use a smaller bar for squats/bench? How much clearance? What's the smallest width that will work with standard incline/decline bench setup?
2030882
Unless your bench is less than ten inche wide, you should have not problem. Mine is 16-inches wide. That's what is so neat about this set. You can do squats or bench presses simply by moving the arms up or down in the holes, which are about four inches apart. The arms are strong enough so that you can place a barbell on the, load on the plates, and roll the bar back against the stanchions (sp?). Then when you lie down on the bench, you roll the bar forward until it reaches the lip stops at the ends of the arms. This is a great buy, especially if you are cramped for space. Enjoy!
592758
For the weights for the leg curls it is a 1" bar. As for the bench it probably doesn't matter as long as the bar is long enough. I bought a 2" bar but as long as the bar is wide enough a 1" would work. The bar I bought is 7' long and that is what I would reccomend.
1558053
Yes, it'll decline where the bar is. The bench isn't very sturdy if you're a big person. The rack was fine. I had no issues loading up my weights.
666210
I don't think a 60" bar would be usable. I have a 72' olympic bar and there is only about 3.5" of clearance ecah side. The outside distance to the uprights is 46". My 60" exercise bar with fixed collars will not rack up.
535092
This should be only used with Olympic type bar. This will not work with small diameter bar. I also like it because it is cheaper then American steel, rubber is of good quality and I have not have had a problem with any equipment bought from Body-Solid. Do not mix with steel olympic weigthts these are used to keep from marking wood floorsl, .
1007100
It only goes up to 4 .6 feet in height, which is very short but then it is not built for heavy squats. I'm 5'5" and it is too short for me....and won't hold up under the weight I normally use as 315 is only my third warm up set.... If you are going heavier, get a better and more expensive rack. There is no way anyone who is over 6' could use it. They'd have to take the bar from the bottom position and that would no work with heavy weight.
1673745
The small vertical bars are for stacking weights, either for storage or for adding stability for when you want to use the pull-up bar. I find no use at all for this rack for dead lifts, nor would I expect it. As for use in bench presses, with the j-hooks used inside the cage, a bench can be placed inside.Hope this helps.
1922409
Hi Karma. Don't know size of bar although most are same size but it's more important you limit the amount of weight on the bar to about 150 so the bench doesn't tip.
1886290
No, the placement of the handles is narrow enough that there really shouldn't be any issue and since you are shorter, then you would want to use the grip that is in line with the bar and not the raised grip. The raised grip wouldn't allow you to get enough depth, in my opinion. This a great deal on a hex bar though.
592762
For the bench, you can use and size bar, it doesn't matter. For the leg weights, you can also use either size plates. The leg attachment holder comes with an adapter that fits over the bar and allows accommodation of 2" plates. I would point out that the leg attachment is really quite mediocre, and I am not satisfied with that part of the bench. The attachment for arms curls works quite well, and having the back part of the bench to use for a squat rack is one of the main strengths for this bench.
260212
You can actually use the smith bar as a leg press if you lay on the bench. Probably not the safest way to use it but that's the way I use it! :)
116624
Hi Ron, Yes it is. I now own the marcy pro mid-width bench with 2 vertical uprights for benching and squats($179). I connected the cross bar on the outside of the knee (angled) braces to bring the width from greater than 3' (36") to less than 3' to accomidate the smallest olympic 5' bar. This is one problem customers want to overcome for mid-width. The other is the upper attach bracket for this lat tower kit because it was for me a really tight fit. The lower bracket bolted right on to the standard 2" frame, and it fit perfectly into the 2" hole in the bench frame as well. Either option got me up and running immediatly. I replaced their upper bracket with a bolted on wood block that also serves well as a footblock for cable back rows. This lat tower comes with a lat bar and all cables and clips. It is very strong and well made, and completes your equipment for the best deal you will find out there. Happy Iron Pumping! Tim
1673743
I'm not sure what the small vertical bars are for; possibly for counter weight when doing pullups, but I haven't needed any. The rack does not assist with deadlifts. Since deadlifts are done from the floor, they can be done in the rack or outside of it, but deadlifts only require the weights themselves. I suppose you could load the plates onto the bar using the catches at a low setting on the rack, but it is unneccesary. I routinely do 350+ lb deadlift sets but do not use the rack. The rack can be used for bench press as long as you have a bench. The catches and the safety bars are adjustable to settings essentially from the floor all the way to the very top, so it can be used by pretty much anyone for any exercise that isn't done from the floor.
2198457
I'm am 5'10" and it works perfectly for me and will only be accessible for people 5'7" and above. I tested this for you by getting my younger sister to stand at the lowest setting the bar can go. She is 5'4" and is about 3 inches to short to even having her back touch the bar. No you will not be able to use this at 5'3" unless you get an elevated platform you can stand on when attempting to access the weight in squats. Sorry about this bad news but hopefully this gives you insight on this bench.
895958
If you are short you probably don't want to use this as a bench. It is specifically designed to be a squat rack with the plated racks having multiple settings upwards, not downwards. I'm not a short guy so using the rack also as a bench is fine. It is however, the squat rack if you are looking to do squats. The racks adjust upwards and the resting bars do too. Just to give you an idea, the last pin for the rest bars is directly behind the support where the rack bars meet the support bars. This is a squatting rack.
902097
As Kevin Bice said, any bench that fits you pretty much works. I personally have the Bowflex SelectTech Adjustable Bench Series 3.1 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BH7CB2/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&ps;c=1), which is very nice. However, for incline/decline the seat remains in the flat position. I have had no problem so far doing incline with the seat in the flat position, but decline by be a little trickier depending on your height.
2127848
I am currently squating with 315 and it feels solid. I contacted York and they don't think that you should put over 315lb on the safety bars, but I think it would hold more if you needed to drop the load. I live in a condo and highly recommend this to anyone with limited space.