Squat Rack Attachments: What to Add to Complete Your Home Gym

A squat rack is the center of a home gym, and attachments are what turn it into the whole gym. The catch is that attachments only fit matching upright sizes. Check yours first, then buy in this order: safeties, dip station, landmine, and storage. This guide covers what each one adds and what it costs. We also cover three cable attachments for gyms with a functional trainer: the Dogbone, the Tricep Board, and the Crown.

The short answer: Match every attachment to your upright size first: 2x2, 2x3, or 3x3. Buy spotter arms before anything else if you lift alone. Then add a dip station or a landmine for more exercises, and plate and barbell storage to keep the floor clear. Running a functional trainer? The Dogbone, Tricep Board, and Crown clip to the cable, so upright size doesn't matter.

Which Attachments Fit Your Rack?

Racks use uprights in a few set sizes, and attachments don't swap between them. A 2x3 attachment is too big for 2x2 uprights, and 3x3 weight storage pegs don't fit our Garage Series rack with pull-up bar. Measure your uprights before you buy.

Own a rack from another brand? Our 3x3 attachments are built for 3-inch square uprights with 1-inch holes, and many fit other brands' racks with the same dimensions. Check the hole size and spacing on your uprights before you order.

Here is what four of the most popular attachments cost for each size, at our current list prices.

Which Attachment Should You Buy First?

Spotter arms. They catch the bar when you miss a rep, which matters most when you train alone. Our 3x3 Safety Spotter Arms are lined with UHMW plastic to protect your bar. Want a lower profile? The Needle Low Profile Spotter Arms start at $249, and you can read about them in our Needle introduction. The Garage Series Squat Cage already includes safety arms.

Which Attachments Add New Exercises?

Dip station. A dip works your chest, shoulders, and triceps in one move. Pick the 2x2, 2x3, or 3x3 version for your rack.

Landmine. A landmine holds one end of an Olympic barbell, so you can press, row, and squat in an arc. The 3x3 version fits any Olympic bar with a 2-inch sleeve. Choose the 2x3 Landmine Attachment or the 3x3 Landmine Attachment.

Pull-up bar. Racks without a built-in bar can add one. The Multi-Grip Pull Up Bar is in our 3x3 collection and starts at $149.

Belt squat. The Mammoth Belt Squat lets you load your legs without a bar on your back. It starts at $299 and shows up in all three attachment collections. Read our belt squat buying guide to see if it fits your setup.

Extra J-cups. A second pair lets you set one bar height for squats and another for bench presses. The 3x3 J-Cups start at $92 a pair.

Which Cable Attachments Round Out a Rack With Pulleys?

Everything above bolts to your uprights. Cable attachments work differently. They clip to the cable on a functional trainer or a rack with pulleys, so upright size doesn't matter. They only help if your gym has a cable system. If it does, these three are worth a look.

Dogbone Cable Connector: Pull Both Stacks at Once

The Dogbone Cable Connector is a 33.5-inch bar that joins both cable ends of a dual-stack functional trainer into one attachment point. You pull both stacks at once, so lat pulldowns, rows, and other cable pulls get a heavier load.

Holes run along the length, with 11 on each side and one in the center, so you can change your grip width. D-handles and most standard cable accessories clip right in. It weighs 2.6 lb, holds up to 300 lb, and carries a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.

The Dogbone alone is $59, and the Dogbone + D-Handles is $89. It fits dual-stack trainers like the Dane 2.0, the Fenrir, and the Slim Gym dual tower. It needs two cable ends to connect, so a single-stack machine can't use it.

Tricep Board: Press Through Your Palms

A straight bar locks your wrists into one position. The Tricep Board is a flat blade that lets you press down through your palms with your wrists in a neutral position. That position can feel easier on your wrists and elbows.

The blade sits at a 15 degree downward angle and measures 17 by 2.5 by 2 inches. It weighs 3.5 lb, has a matte black powder coat, and carries a lifetime warranty. Pushdowns are the main job. You can also use it for overhead extensions, cable curls, and lat pullovers.

It clips to any cable machine with a standard carabiner, which is sold separately. A few reviewers say the palm surface is smooth, so grip tape can help on heavy sets. At $59, it's a low-cost way to change how your triceps work on a machine you already own.

Crown Landmine and Cable Attachment: Back Work and Landmine Rows

The Crown is a back attachment with two bearing-equipped handles that rotate freely, so your wrists move naturally through the whole pull. The handles have medium-aggressive knurling to keep your hands from slipping.

It comes in two lengths. The Short is 17 inches wide and keeps your grip close for lower lats and mid back. The Long is 36.7 inches wide, and the wider grip puts more work on your outer lats. Use either one for lat pulldowns, seated rows, and cable curls. It holds up to 320 lb and carries a lifetime warranty.

The Crown also does landmine work. A center hole on both sizes fits a barbell, so you can row from a landmine position too. The Short is $139, the Long is $159, and the Short + Long set is $285. Carabiners aren't included. Lubricate the handles with a silicone-based lubricant to keep them spinning smoothly.

Want cables and a rack in one footprint? The Fenrir Functional Trainer & Squat Rack combines both. Not sure a functional trainer fits your gym yet? Start with our functional trainer buying guide, then see what to do with it in our functional trainer exercise guide.

Which Attachments Save Space?

A cluttered floor is a tripping hazard, and plates stacked on concrete are a pain to move. Storage attachments put your gear to work on the rack itself.

• Plate storage. The 3x3 Weight Plate Storage Attachment holds bumper or metal plates on a 14-inch peg. 2x2 and 2x3 racks have their own storage posts and pins.
  
  
• Barbell holder. The 3x3 Barbell Holder starts at $69 and keeps spare bars off the floor.
  
  
• Dumbbell storage. The Dumbbell Storage Shelf starts at $149 and is in our 3x3 collection.
  
  
  

Bottom Line

Check your upright size, then buy in order: spotter arms, a dip station or landmine, and storage. That sequence keeps you safe first, then adds exercises, then cleans up the floor. If you haven't picked a rack yet, start with our home gym setup guide and our home gym essentials list.

Running a functional trainer? Add the Dogbone, Tricep Board, or Crown for more pulling and triceps options, starting at $59.

Not sure what fits your rack? Call us at (512) 201-4404. We're lifters too. Lift heavy, lift happy.