Doing squats with barbell weight is an ideal way to work the muscle groups in your back and legs. To correctly perform the squat, you may need the help of a special squat rack that will allow you to place the barbell down between repetitions. Instead of buying an expensive gym membership, it's possible to build your own rack out of wood. This rack makes a perfect addition to any home gym.
Step 1
Measure to the center of the 3-foot-long pieces of wood and make a mark. Place the center of the 4-foot pieces of wood on top of the 3-foot pieces at this mark. Make sure they are square with the carpenter's square and screw them together.
Step 2
Measure to the center of the 1-foot 11-inch boards on the top and draw a line on one side to the bottom. Measure 8 inches from either side of that line along the bottom and make a mark on the board at those locations. Then draw a straight line from the marks you made to the top corner of the board. These lines should be at angles.
Step 3
Cut along the lines you made in the 1-foot 11-inch boards. When you are done, you should have two pieces with 45-degree angles in each side and have a longer side of 1-foot 11-inches and a shorter side of 1-foot 4-inches.
Step 4
Place these boards so the angles are flat against the 3-foot and 4-foot boards. These are the braces for the legs. Screw them into place.
Step 5
Find the center of the braces (you should already have a mark in these locations), and place the center of the 3-foot 5-inch board at this position. This will be the piece which will attach the two sides together. Make sure the angles are at 90 degrees with the carpenter square and screw this board into place. The sides of the rack should now be connected.
Step 6
Measure down 1 foot from the top of the 4-foot boards and make marks on the opposite side of the rack from the braces. Place the top of the 6-inch boards at these locations. Make sure they are level and at 90-degree angles to the stand and screw them into place.
Step 7
Put the 9-1/2-inch pieces against the front of the 6-inch pieces so they form a "U" shape with the stand. Level them out and screw them into place. This is where the barbell will sit when not in use.
Tips and Warnings
- Depending on the weight of your bar, you may want to place sandbags on the braces in order to give the rack more weight.
- The wood is strong and should be able to hold a good deal of weight, but it is made out of wood so be careful of cracks when adding weight to the barbell. If you are not careful, the structure could be destroyed.
Things You'll Need
- 2 3-foot-long 4-by-4
- 2 4-foot-long 4-by-4
- 1 3-foot 5-inch-long 4-by-4
- 2 1-foot-11-inch 4-by-4
- 2 6-inch 4-by-4
- 2 pieces of 9-1/2-inch 4-by-4
- Carpenter's square
- Level
- Measuring tape
- Pencil
- Saw
- Drill
- Screwdriver bit
- Wood screws
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