Fringe Sport

If you use spotter arms to do rack pulls, this might be worth listening to.

Rack pulls are a great exercise for people that want to either work from a specific sticking point in their deadlift, or those that physically can't pull from the floor anymore but still want to perform a deadlift variation.

Here's the problem: spotter arms can sometimes limit the range of motion.

In the age of half rack functional trainers, it's very rare to see racks that allow lifters to do barbell movements on the inside of the uprights (disregarding smith machines), let alone set some spotting mechanism (arms, pipes, straps, etc.). In cases like the Dane 2.0, you'll be doing those movements on the outside which means you'll need to set some spotter arms.

The traditional spotter arms that come with the Dane 2.0 have a minimum bar-to-floor distance of 20". That's okay, but for a lot of people this means rack pulls will be from just below the knees. Low profile spotter arms like the Needles give back 6", which can completely change the feel of the movements for a lot of trainees.

The Needle Spotter Arms give you back real estate for your attachments, but also for your barbell movements 😉

Rack real estate is king when it comes to home gyms, and that's exactly where low profile spotter arms like the Needles come in.

Traditional spotter arms that come with half rack functional trainers are USUALLY bulky by design. In some cases, there's nothing wrong with this because the whole point of spotter arms is to...well...spot you. Now that we've entered a new age of home and garage gyms where that same rack is the centerpiece, most people are going to need that precious upright space.

The Needle Spotter Arms only take up 7" on uprights with standard spacing (this goes for racks with 1" or 5/8" holes). Meanwhile, traditional spotter arms like the ones that come with the Dane 2.0 take up DOUBLE that real estate.

It's pretty safe to say who the winner is here 😅

What's even the point of low profile spotter arms? 🤔

It primarily comes down to something very specific: real estate.

Traditional spotter arms already to a great job at their main function: catch the bar in case you fail on a barbell lift. Cool.

The problem here is that a TON of room usually gets taken up by those same arms, sometimes up to 16" on an upright.

Low profile spotter arms are smaller by design, in both depth and height. In the case of the Needle Spotter Arms, the arm itself extends 20" off the rack (decrease of 5" from traditional arm) and only takes up 7" of vertical space on an upright.

This freeing up of room gives you back space for additional attachments, and can even help increase the range of motion on movements like rack pulls since these low profiles can be set much lower than traditional spotters.

The Needle Spotter Arms drop THIS FRIDAY!

Just because these spotter arms are low profile, that doesn't mean they lack durability 😮‍💨

It's safe to say we're back on a product release streak 🤭

Social facilitation is a real thing and it might be making your home workouts feel unfulfilling.

Whether we want to admit it or not, training at a commercial/private gym has its perks. One of those is people training around you. Even though you might not interact with them, simply being surrounded by people getting after it can indirectly influence your training in a positive way.

When you train at home, that external positive pressure gets removed. However, this is where you can get creative as the trainee by creating your own pressure. This could be something as simple as recording your sets to keep yourself accountable.

Just because you train at home, that doesn't mean your workouts can't be fulfilling.

The Cloverfield is practically the cousin to the Walrus. So what exactly are the differences between the two?

Cable Ratio:
Cloverfield | 1:1 and 2:1, Walrus | 1:1

Weight Stack:
Cloverfield | 220lbs with included weight horns, Walrus | 320lbs

Cable Travel:
Cloverfield | 45in and 90in respectively, Walrus | 55in on lat pulldown, 45in on low row

Modularity:
Cloverfield | Can attach to any 3x3 1in hole tubing (yes, this also means you technically can combine two units), Walrus | Standalone unit, very limited attachment points due to trolley and shrouds

Seat:
Cloverfield | Does not come with an included pulldown seat, Walrus | Pulldown seat built in

Which of these units would work best for you in your home gym?

No, you can't sear a steak on the Gatling Seat. However, these metal rods are still functional.

Most people default to either lat pulldowns or low rows for their primary back movements. However, mid rows are a great alternative if you have the means to perform them. The rods on the Gatling Seat allow for exactly this, making this attachment way more than just a traditional lat pulldown seat.