Why curls on squat rack?

Okay, this has been bothering me enough that I needed to at least ask. Is there a legitimate reason for using the squat rack to do curls? I’ve seen this done quite often at my gym and it annoys me, but I figured before I get mad I should determine whether there is a good reason for it or not. Seems to me there are more ways to do curls than any other exercise…ez-bar, barbell, dumbbell, preacher bench, cable, machines… Today I was resting between squats and jump squats (Limping into Novermber, Pt 1) and some meathead asked if I was almost finished. I hurried up and did my jump squats so he can use the rack. Next thing I know, he’s doing curls with the bar. So is there a good reason, or are these people just clowns?

jzimm9mm…

Just clowns.

Welcome to the Forums. Really.

If they are only using the bar, they are clowns. Kill them.

Just clowns. Most T-people hate this also.

Although, I think if you are curling over ~135 lbs. then you can use the squat rack. Personally, I use the squat rack for standing overhead presses and the like because the fixed BB’s at my gym don’t go past 100 lbs.

I guess because, since most gyms have only E-Z bars and the oly bars on the benches and power racks, it is easier to take a straight bar from the squat rack and put it down between sets than from a bench or incline.

I’m with ya’ bro. I can’t stand seeing people use the power racks for straight bar curls UNLESS they have at least a wheel on each side. I use 135#'s(+) on my curls and only use the rack if the other ones are available.

If you use a wide grip (snatch +) it gives the biceps a good stretch. other than in “Power to the People” I have not seen any do it.

My gym got rid off all there reg benches and stands…now every squat rack in a combo power lifting plat form…squat, bench thing…5 of them and the only place to really do bicep curls is on one of them. I feel like such a chump haha being i hate that myself. Although i do them from the floor alot but there is hardly ever enough room to do that. I think i have an exception to the rule but i still feel like an ass but i do put atleast 25 on each end and some kids are benching that next to me, but atleast they are there doing something.

So maybe there are certain times when using the olympic bar/squat rack for curls is acceptable, but for the most part no. I don’t think I’ve seen anybody curling 135+, most of the time it’s more like 2 tens on each side. There is only one squat rack, so when I need an olympic bar (for something like deadlifts) I usually snag it from one of the many flat benches around.

I have seen a guy using the rack for seated military press. I thought that was a creative use since there is no military press “bench” available.

Thanks for the responses. I’ve been reading the T-forums for a while now. Lots of good information, not to mention hours of entertainment.

They are lazy f#%$in bitches who don’t want to pick the bar up off the ground. I fight my own personal war with a t-shirt i made with a magic marker. The front says
“CURL ELSWHERE…”
back says
“This is my SQUAT rack!”

I wanted to drop the f bomb on there but I didn’t want to piss off the gym owner.

I think they do it for the same reason that, on a perfectly sunny summer day, fatties drive 10 miles to the gym so they can get on a treadmill and jog for 30 minutes.

Everyone is lazy and–sadly–gym patrons are no exception. How many times do you see the average gym guy break a real sweat, or huff and puff like he’s actually working? How many fatties do you see in tank-tops sporting logos like “Ripped to the Bone” or “Workout Animal?” How many guys use a barbell for the majority of their workouts, including prime mover stuff like squats, deads, military press, etc? How many guys spend as much time lifting as they do chatting and stalling and walking to the water fountain?

Oh, man, don’t get me goin’…

apayne - you should sell those T-shirts. That is awesome.

Yeah, wouldn’t want to risk building any lower body strength by picking the bar up off the floor. Might lose that lolly-pop physique they worked so hard to attain!

There’s no reason really to use the squat rack for curls, no matter how heavy you are curling. If you can’t deadlift moret than you curl, there’s something seriously wrong!

I don’t see anything wrong with it though, if I’m curling in the squat rack and someone wants to squat I’ll move. All you’ve got to do is ask.

Not that I actually do curl :slight_smile:

i like the Chris Jericho term “ASS CLOWNS”. laters pk

This is a little unrelated but on the subject of curling, yesterday i saw this guy curling using a barbell, but through the process of doing his ‘reps’, thats if you call swinging the bar violently reps,

He actually…span 360’ degrees while he was curling AND made a few side steps so he ended on the opposite side to where he first began.

This is no shit!!, I could not beleive what i was seeing

Utter bemusement!!

I will ask again. Why do people keep squatting in the curling rack?