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The CAP Barbell FM-CB8000F has been designed as an upgraded version of the CS7000F power rack, with a 300-pound capacity.
But the price is similar to the BD-6 from Valor Athletics, so which design represents the best value for money?.
In this power rack review we’ll take a closer look at the design features, exercise options, customer feedback and attachment options.
How the design can benefit your training
With several clear upgrades over their entry level FM-CS7000F power rack, the Cap Barbell FM-CB8000F makes for a much more efficient addition to your home gym.
The most important new feature has to be the safety rails. Whenever you are working out at home, it’s likely that you won’t have access to a spotter like you would when at a commercial gym.
Despite not having someone to ‘spot’ you with the weight, you will still want to perform as many reps or use as heavy a weight as possible to see the best gains in strength and size.
Unless you have the space or budget for a full sized power cage, adding safety rails to the vertical supports of a squat stand is an excellent alternative.
The length of the safety rails makes them ideal for supporting the bar through a range of exercises, including squats and shrugs.
This extra length is important, as it allows you to perform the squat through your natural plane of motion, without worrying too much about where the bar will be at the lowest part of the exercise.
Another new feature is the addition of two weight plate storage pegs, one on each side of the frame. Although the earlier CS7000F frame did offer weight plate storage, this was only on one corner.
By storing the weight evenly on both sides, the Cap Barbell FM-CB8000F prevents any twisting of the frame across the floor when using resistance bands.
Cap Barbell FM-CB8000F – Features Summary
- Assembled specs (D x W x H) 47-Inch x61-Inch x85-Inch
- Steel construction comprised of 12 and 14 steel gauge thickness
- 3 step powder coat finish for exceptional durability
- Maximum weight recommendations: 300-pound on bar catches, 300-pound user capacity on the upper workout bar
- Bands, weights, or other accessories not included
Exercise options
One of the most important numbers to look for when choosing a power rack for your home gym is its weight capacity.
In the case of the Cap Barbell FM-CB8000F, this means how much weight the barbell supports can take, as well as the limit for the pull up bar.
In this case, the weight capacity is 300 lb for each. That means the pull up bar can support up to 300 lb (either bodyweight, or bodyweight + dip belt and weight plates), and the barbell supports can support 300 lb.
Aside from the lower price, the weight capacity is the only real sign that this is a rack designed more for intermediate strength levels, rather than seasoned bodybuilders or powerlifters.
If you don’t think you’ll be using more than 300 lb, then there are still a wide variety of exercises that this rack can support.
When combined with a high quality Olympic barbell, and even a suspension training system, the following list shows a few of the more popular options:
- Overhead barbell presses
- Upright rows
- Back squats
- Front squats
- Shrugs
- Pull ups
- Chin ups
- Push ups
- Lat pulls
- Tricep extensions
- Reverse flys
- Lunges
- Bicep curl
- Calf raise
There’s also plenty of space between the supports to position an adjustable weights bench. If you were to add this to your setup, flat, incline, and even decline bench press variations would be supported.
Training with resistance bands
As the majority of squat racks and commercial gyms don’t offer the ability to use resistance bands, don’t worry if you aren’t too sure about what they’re used for.
Usually associated with the ‘big 3’ exercises (squats, bench press, deadlifts), they can be attached to either the top or bottom of a frame to alter the resistance of the weight being lifted.
They are normally used as an advanced training method when you want to break through a strength plateau.
By attaching the band to the lower anchor points, you create more tension in the bands the higher you move the bar. This has the effect of increasing the resistance through the top portion of the movement.
Although chains are often used instead, resistance bands can also be used with one end attached to a high anchor point, and the other to the collar of the barbell.
If you were squatting, this would have a similar effect of increasing the resistance as you got higher in the movement. As you lowered your body into the squat, some of the weight would then be countered by the tension in the bands being stretched.
Review Overview
Overall Review Rating
4 / 5
CAP's FM-CB8000F Deluxe Power Rack is loaded with a number of features that are both beneficial to your fitness goals and to your safety.
Being constructed from a combination of 12 and 14 gauge steel and with welded tube seams certainly seems to help provide additional strength and stability.
In terms of whether or not this is a better rack than the BD-6 from Valor, it's difficult to say. On one hand the CAP power rack has greater variety in barbell support positions and some innovative resistance band support.
It also has a longer set of safety rails and the option of the pull up bar. On the other hand, the BD-6 offers a much higher weight capacity at 650 lb and the ability for more weight plate storage.
For intermediate lifters that will find 300 lb enough of a challenge into the future, we recommend the CAP power rack. For more advanced lifters who need a higher weight capacity, the Valor Fitness BD-6 has to be a better option.
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We go to great lengths to ensure that our reviews are completely comprehensive, usually covering everything from the design features to the warranty coverage and exercise options. This is all to help guide you towards the home gym equipment that’s best suited to your goals and budget, whilst also being the highest quality option in your chosen price range.
