Squat Rack Curling Tips From Livestrong

DavPul
DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
***Here you all go. You can thank me later.****


http://www.livestrong.com/article/172520-how-to-do-curls-in-a-squat-rack/


HOW TO DO CURLS IN A SQUAT RACK

Aug 11, 2011 | By Matt Stark


The barbell bicep curl is a favorite exercise of many bodybuilders and everyday weightlifters. Robert Kennedy, owner of MuscleMag International, claims that the barbell bicep curl is the best exercise a person can do to develop his biceps. The exercise can be easily performed in a squat rack or free standing--this often depends on which is not being used at your gym.
RACK SETUP
Step 1
Place the rack safeties approximately 2 inches below your hands when your arms are hanging at your sides. Most squat racks have a higher racking mechanism to place the bar on when doing squats, and a lower safety racking mechanism. For bicep curls, use the lower safety racks only.
Step 2
Place the 7-foot Olympic weightlifting barbell on top of the safety racks. The 7-foot Olympic bar is a standard in all gyms, and weighs 45 lbs. Many gyms may also have shorter and lighter bars.
Step 3
Grab the appropriate weight plates that you will be using for the exercise. Make sure that both sides of the bar have equal amounts of weight.
Step 4
Place collars on the barbell to hold the weights in place.
BICEP CURL
Step 1
Firmly grip the barbell at approximately shoulder-width apart. You may prefer a grip that is slightly closer or wider--it depends on the individual.
Step 2
Keep the elbows close to your sides as you pull your wrist towards the shoulders. You should feel the biceps muscle working.
Step 3
Stop once your elbow joint is fully flexed. This means that the elbow joint cannot close any more.
Step 4
Lower the bar back towards the starting position. Keep tension in the biceps while lowering the weight; do not allow gravity to quickly pull it to the ground.
Step 5
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
Pay attention to other weightlifters in the gym. If your gym has only one squat rack, be polite and ask members if they would like to use it to preform squats. Bicep curls do not need to be performed in the squat rack. Using other bars--aside from the 7-foot Olympic barbell--can keep bicep workouts interesting. Try using the 3-foot EZ curl bar. It gets its name from the design, and may be easier on your wrists.
The International Sports Sciences Association recommends keeping your upper body straight and not swinging at the back to get the weight up. This may result in straining of the lower back. Place collars on the bar once the weights are in place. This ensures that the weights will not fall off while you are in the middle of a set.
THINGS YOU'LL NEED
Squat rack
Olympic weightlifting barbell
Assorted weights plates
REFERENCES
"Fitness: The Complete Guide"; Frederick Hatfield, Ph.D.; 2004
"ACE Personal Trainer Manual"; Cedric Bryant, Ph.D.; 2003
"Strength Training Anatomy"; Frederic Delavier; 2006
"Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding"; Robert Kennedy; 2008
Article reviewed by Roman Tsivkin Last updated on: Aug 11, 2011

Replies

  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
    bump for later reading.
  • Lazygal53
    Lazygal53 Posts: 294 Member
    Bump
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
    As long as the same person doesn't do forearm curls and shrugs at the same time, I guess I could let curls in the squat rack go this once...
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
    not effective unless if you do at least 10 sets, right?
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    ahhhh...so that article is single-handedly responsible for all the cage-hogging *kitten* in the last year, huh?:laugh:
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    I'm glad someone has finally realized the true use for a squat rack! Best post evah!
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Word. Same rules for power rack?
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    not effective unless if you do at least 10 sets, right?

    10 supersetted drop-sets
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
    can't tell if serious. but either way, it's lul-worthy :laugh:
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    squatrack.jpg
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
    *doh*
    Pay attention to other weightlifters in the gym. If your gym has only one squat rack, be polite and ask members if they would like to use it to preform squats. Bicep curls do not need to be performed in the squat rack.

    Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/172520-how-to-do-curls-in-a-squat-rack/#ixzz26xtIK0kU
    At least they stuck that in there... at the end...
  • Determinednoob
    Determinednoob Posts: 2,001 Member
    The other day my wife did OHP in the squat rack ;) After using it for squatting...
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    Bump for if I ever wake up and I miraculously became a bad@ss while I slept, I'll remember to track down this DP guy and kick his @ss.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Bump for if I ever wake up and I miraculously became a bad@ss while I slept, I'll remember to track down this DP guy and kick his @ss.

    I don't know man, he's a dangerous minority. And did you see how much weight he can curl?!?!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Bump for if I ever wake up and I miraculously became a bad@ss while I slept, I'll remember to track down this DP guy and kick his @ss.

    I don't know man, he's a dangerous minority. And did you see how much weight he can curl?!?!

    He's got the advantage. He's in the Carolinas, so we know he's packing heat. I'm a liberal Californian, so my only guns are in my picture.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Bump for if I ever wake up and I miraculously became a bad@ss while I slept, I'll remember to track down this DP guy and kick his @ss.

    I don't know man, he's a dangerous minority. And did you see how much weight he can curl?!?!

    He's got the advantage. He's in the Carolinas, so we know he's packing heat. I'm a liberal Californian, so my only guns are in my picture.
    But you still carry when you run, right? Pretty much everybody's doing it.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Bump for if I ever wake up and I miraculously became a bad@ss while I slept, I'll remember to track down this DP guy and kick his @ss.

    I don't know man, he's a dangerous minority. And did you see how much weight he can curl?!?!

    He's got the advantage. He's in the Carolinas, so we know he's packing heat. I'm a liberal Californian, so my only guns are in my picture.
    But you still carry when you run, right? Pretty much everybody's doing it.

    Ah crap, now you've done it. 500 post thread incoming...
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
    The other day my wife did OHP in the squat rack ;) After using it for squatting...

    I do OHP in the squat rack too..but sadly I'm he only person in our entire gym that I've seen do heavy squats, so nobody cares anyway.
  • ThePhoenixRose
    ThePhoenixRose Posts: 1,978 Member
    I do deadlifts, bent over barbell rows, squats all in the squat rack. I'm usually one of about 3 people there at the time i go though (if that), and i make sure no one else needs it. For deadlifts and bent over rows, i just remove the top safety bars and set the bar on the lower ones about ankle high and put the weights on it there. works well for me.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    The other day my wife did OHP in the squat rack ;) After using it for squatting...

    I do OHP in the squat rack too..but sadly I'm he only person in our entire gym that I've seen do heavy squats, so nobody cares anyway.

    That's been the case at every gym I've worked out in for 20 years. The rack just sits there lonely and unloved 85% of the day. At one gym the guys jokingly called it Dave's Rack because I was the only one banging out deep heavy squats in there. But here people act like they are waiting in lines to use the rack. Like they need a reservation for the rack like the racquetball courts. Can I please please please get a 3 day pass to work out in one of these gyms?

    I posted this topic as a joke, but seriously, if you see me curling in the rack, you should be happy about it. Because including warmup, it takes 5-7 minutes from start to finish. I'll be done before you finish stretching. No harm, no foul. OTOH, if you see me or anybody else squatting in the rack, your workout is blown because they are likely to be in there for 30 minutes sometimes.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    The other day my wife did OHP in the squat rack ;) After using it for squatting...

    I do OHP in the squat rack too..but sadly I'm he only person in our entire gym that I've seen do heavy squats, so nobody cares anyway.

    That's been the case at every gym I've worked out in for 20 years. The rack just sits there lonely and unloved 85% of the day. At one gym the guys jokingly called it Dave's Rack because I was the only one banging out deep heavy squats in there. But here people act like they are waiting in lines to use the rack. Like they need a reservation for the rack like the racquetball courts. Can I please please please get a 3 day pass to work out in one of these gyms?

    I posted this topic as a joke, but seriously, if you see me curling in the rack, you should be happy about it. Because including warmup, it takes 5-7 minutes from start to finish. I'll be done before you finish stretching. No harm, no foul. OTOH, if you see me or anybody else squatting in the rack, your workout is blown because they are likely to be in there for 30 minutes sometimes.

    I think it depends somewhat on the kind of gym. When I was at LA fitness, there were so many people there, even at 6 AM that it could be a little tough to get at a rack and they had one full and 2 of those multi purpose ones that were not full power racks but you could use for squats if you needed to. Now we are at a little Anytime Fitness and there is only one rack and rarely is there any competition for it.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    i used the squat rack for dead lifts and over head press all the time, because it's usually free. but if it's occupied i'll find an other area to do those, even if i have to dead lift the barbell and then clean it to do OHP.

    one morning i was dead lifting in it, and a guy asked if he could work in. i said yes, figuring i'd have a dead lift buddy for lyfe, but he came and brought a barbell and laid it down and did curls. le sigh.
  • dane11235813
    dane11235813 Posts: 682 Member




    TIPS AND WARNINGS

    The International Sports Sciences Association recommends keeping your upper body straight and not swinging at the back to get the weight up. This may result in straining of the lower back. Place collars on the bar once the weights are in place. This ensures that the weights will not fall off while you are in the middle of a set.

    how are you supposed to lift any decent amount of weight without swinging and using your back?!?!?
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    It's direly important that your biceps are at least 50% larger than your calves, too
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
    Here are 7 reasons to curl in a squat rack for all those who are annoyed by it.

    http://www.roadtoepic.com/7-reasons-to-curl-in-the-squat-rack/
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Here are 7 reasons to curl in a squat rack for all those who are annoyed by it.

    http://www.roadtoepic.com/7-reasons-to-curl-in-the-squat-rack/

    Beautiful, thank you. I've always wondered what those silly looking racks were for.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Here are 7 reasons to curl in a squat rack for all those who are annoyed by it.

    http://www.roadtoepic.com/7-reasons-to-curl-in-the-squat-rack/

    Loved that!

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