Why You Shouldn’t Use the Squat Rack for Barbell Curls

Are you a schmuck who uses the squat rack for barbell curls?

This isn’t very considerate for those who wish to do squats and rack pulls.

Why do people tie up the squatting rack or cage with biceps curls? Usually they use an Olympic bar, but this doesn’t justify tying up the cage.

You can curl an Olympic bar anyplace in the gym; there’s always plenty of room, including before a mirror.

You can also use pre-weighted barbells; usually the amount I see being curled is within the range of those pre-fixed, shorter barbells.

Hogging the squat rack for biceps curls deprives someone from using this equipment for safety reasons.

Biceps curls allow you to be mobile in the gym, while the back squat does not. People need the cage for the stoppers in the event they can’t stand back up with the weight

That’s why it’s called a squat rack.

It’s designed for safety. Squat racks come in two basic styles.

One of them involves bars that you insert at different heights between the posts, making this design inviting for rack pulls.

It’s not possible to do the rack pull (top deadlift) anyplace else in the gym unless you’re using relatively light weight; you need the stopper bars.

What benefit is there to doing biceps curls in the squat rack?

There’s none. None whatsoever. Now, it’s fair to point out that I’ve seen men doing this as a superset to a bent-over barbell row, using two Olympic bars.

But what about the lone soldier who’s doing ONLY biceps curls?

Well, maybe they want the squatting cage because the design enables them to set the bar back down at only hip level instead of onto the floor, saving them some energy expenditure.

But even when you consider this, it’s still not considerate.

I’m the type of person who will ask such a trainee if I can “work in” using the rack for squats.

But many people don’t have the nerve to do this. And for others, it’s not an issue of nerve; it’s an issue of distraction.

The squat rack is also often used for overhead presses, allowing the trainee to set the bar back down at shoulder level rather than to the floor. This is crucial for very heavy lifts.

Where else in the gym can one do this? Once again, it’s clear that the squat rack serves specific purposes—and one of those is NOT the biceps curl.

Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.