Information on how to run faster, lift stronger and think deeper

Power rack for bench press [Article, Video]

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

Dec 7, 2019 9:00:00 AM

Power rack for bench press

Power rack for bench press

 
A good rack for the bench press gives you a lot of options to set up the height of the bench press in the lower ranges. The Rogue Monster Lite series does achieve this.
Click for Instagram
 

Regular squat racks 

 
Most power racks will do for the mere mortal for bench pressing. When you start bench pressing more than 200kg on a regular basis you might want to consider something a little more sturdy for a home gym. In a commercial setup, I would always recommend erring on the side of caution. Equipment gets abused and you don’t want to leave yourself open to getting sued for having faulty equipment / being negligent. Most average gym rats don’t bench more than 100 for reps so take that I to consider when you buy your equipment. 
 

Rogue Monster lite series 

 
The Rogue Monster lite has west side hole spacing in the range of the bench press. This means that the holes for setting up your safety pins are closer together. It enables you to adjust the bench press more precise to your specific needs to progress. Especially if you want to use the west side method, this is a useful feature to have when you buy a power rack for the bench press.
 

What else to consider from Rogue 

 
 
 

Overview and review of the Rogue RML 690C Power Rack

Price: 1.750

This review was originally posted in the longer article "Which strength equipment to buy from rogue" in which you can read about 25 products of Rogue which cost more than 1.000$. The Rogue RML 690C rack is a great option for style and storage to build your home gym. See the details in this article.


Overview of the Rogue RML 690C

 

The Rogue RML690C Rack weighs in at 530LB. It has 76'' of length while being 49'' in width. The height comes in at 90.375''. When you want to place the RML690C into your gym the footprint will be 80''x53''. With this rack, you are getting the little sister of the RM6 rack. It is compatible with the Monster Lite series and gives you a full and half rack to work with. The half rack can either be used for plate storage or have more athletes train in the rack. 
The 690C is available in the following colors:
  • Bright Blue
  • Bright Green
  • Burnt Orange
  • Dark Blue
  • Dark Red
  • Gun Metal
  • Light Gray
  • Rogue Red
  • Satin Black
  • Satin clear
  • White
In a Semi-Gloss Powdercoat. You have Westside hole spacing at the bottom to have more options for bench pressing setups. Another big advantage of this rack is that it does not need to be bolted to the floor. 
The Rogue RML690C is a solid all in one solution for storage and training space for a home gym or in a professional gym to make the best of the space. 

How many clients should the Rogue RML690C bring you?

If you think that the Rogue RML 690C will bring you 6 new clients who pay you 50$ on a 1-year retainer it is worth the investment. This will yield 3.600$ net new revenue against an investment of 1.750$. Adjust the numbers for your own gym accordingly.

Pros of the Rogue RML 690C

The Rogue RML 690C is a bit lighter on the budget than its bigger brother the RM6. It still provides storage options and space to train multiple athletes and hold plates at the same time. It comes in different colors to fit your taste or gym setup depending on how you want to express your branding. 

Cons of the Rogue RML 690C

The Rogue RML690C might be a bit too big for home setups. There are reports of people who purchased it for personal use and came to the conclusion that the 490 would have more than sufficed. Think about how you will use the additional half rack, as otherwise, it will only be a waste of valuable floor space. You can also not use the RML 690C with the Rhino Drop in, which is one of my personal biggest reasons not to get it.

Alternatives to the Rogue RML 690C

Here are some alternatives for you from Rogue for a budget of 1.750$

The RML4 still gives you the option to choose a color of your liking while saving you 700$ USD which can be used towards a barbell and plates on your first purchase for a home gym. For professional uses, you can also fit more 490C into your facilities if you already have solutions for string the plates
If you do not want to compromise on having a full and half rack at your disposal you can go for the R6. The R6 is part of the Infinity series which uses less material to build the racks. It is still more than enough to train heavy in them as the Monster Lite and Monster series bear their names for a reason. With this, you would still be able to sneak in an Ohio Bar while staying under 2.000$. 

Conclusion

The Rogue RML 690C is a great option for home gyms or commercial gyms for mere mortals. Be mindful about the space you have before buying the 690 versions of Rogues racks. If you do not know what to do with the half rack at the back, go for something smaller.

 
 
 

Overview and review of the Rogue RML 490C Power Rack

Price: 1.075

This review was originally posted in the longer article "Which strength equipment to buy from rogue" in which you can read about 25 products of Rogue which cost more than 1.000$. The Rogue RML 490C rack is a stylish and not too expensive Rogue option for your home gym. See the details in this article.


Overview of the RML 490C

The Rogue RML490C weighs 340LB and comes in with a footprint of 53''x53''. This is a solid full rack in the mid-range price area of Rogue. It is 90.375'' high and comes with a free choice of color. The colors to choose from are:
  • Bright Blue
  • Bright Green
  • Burnt Orange
  • Dark BLue
  • Dark Red
  • Gun Metal
  • Light Gray
  • Rogue Red
  • Satin Black
  • Satin Clear
  • White
With this rack, you will be entering the Monster Lite series of Rogue and accessories. You can also have a look at the Monster Lite rigs to built a solid CrossFit gym. This is a good entry point to build from for powerlifters and other heavy lifting needs alike. Rogue provides a long list of accessories for their Monster lite series. 

How many clients should the Rogue RML 490C bring you?

If you think that the RML 490C will bring you 4 new clients who pay you 50$ on a 1-year retainer it is worth the investment. This will yield 2.400$ net new revenue against an investment of 1.075$. Adjust the numbers for your own gym accordingly.

Pros of the RML 490C

The Monster Lite gives you a full rack in which you can train with space. You will be secure and be able to maneuver without feeling cramped

Cons of the RML 490C

The 490C does not leave a lot of room to store any plates. Be prepared to find other solutions to store the plates or upgrade to a 690C rack to get the plates organized.

Conclusion

The Rogue RML 490C is a great option to be nice to your bank account while still getting a solid piece of Rogue into your gym.


Power rack for bench press

 
Look into the Monster Lite series from Rogue as they will have a good resell value and extra accessories to run your power rack in a fully-fledged gym. The special ingredient is the west side hole spacing which makes it easier to adjust the power rack at the right height for you for the bench pres.
 
 

Topics: Rogue