Lat Bar and Low Row for Power Cage?

[nyguy]

I don't think I will be able to afford buying a power cage with the lat and row bars accessories right now. I'm getting more comfortable doing pullups and chinups now and I don't know if it's really nescessary. I know it's cool to have them but what am I missing if I don't get those accessories?

Thanks.

[Kevin T.]

I use my lat bar when i work out at home (i mostly workout at school) because i don't have a pull up bar, so that's an alternate option. As a baseball player, core strength is very important. Well, it is for everyone, but being able to twist and turn quickly is a necessity in baseball, so we're doing a lot of cable rotation work involving what can be done with a lat tower and low row-high to low wood chops, low to high wood chows, pull and reaches, etc. So, you'd be missing that. But i don't think it's that vital for the everyday guy looking to improve his strength, body, etc. You'll get enough core work from squats, deads, bench, rows, and other exercises you can do.

theres my 2 cents my 10 cents is free

[tGunslinger]

I rarely use cable stuff, so it's not like they're a necessity. A really exotic alternative to the wood-chopper stuff Kevin mentioned would be sledgehammer training. Normally, you'd use a big ol' tire and a sledgehammer, but since you live in NY you'd probably have to find an alternative for the tire (anything big that wouldn't be damaged by getting the hell beat out of it with a sledgehammer).


If you are interested in it, heres a link:

Sledgehammer Articles

[diamondpete]

I know it's cool to have them but what am I missing if I don't get those accessories?

nyguy,

the cool thing is if you buy a power rack from a place that is not likely to go out of business soon, you can always order more accecessories later. See what kind of routines you are doing, how you feel about doing substitutions, and what works or doesn't work for you.

I have a power rack without a pulley sysytem, and a lat pull down attachment with my bench. (Mostly I prefer chins and pullups, so I "think you can easily live without a pulldown option"

I prefer to have extra plates and extra dumbells than a pulley system. But that is what works for me (so far).

Peter

[nyguy]

Thank you all for the replies.

Pete and KT, I just decided not to get a lat pulldown. If anything it would probably be a dipping bar and maybe a chinup bar.

TGS, sounds interesting but the money invested buying sledgehammers would get me broke in a week.

[R]

Lat bars and low rows are nice to have for alternative exercises/variety, but no necessary.

Deads, DB/BB Rows, Chin/Pull Up variations, Chest supported Rows, and Rev. Push ups can do incredible things for your back.

(I do admit tho', that seated rows amongst my favorites for really hitting the traps and rhomboids as well as the lats).

Most cable exercises can be replaced with an even better DB/BB exercise. Cables do come in handy for the occasional tricep pushdown work, standing cable crunches, woodchop variations, seated rows, and lateral raises.

"If anything it would probably be a dipping bar and maybe a chinup bar".

A Roman Chair is relatively inexpensive. Great for both chins and dips...and of course leg raises.

Ron