Most gym goers believe they are using the correct technique for picking up weights but are actually putting strain on their lower back due to the height of the dumbbell rack.
Why Height Affects Your Back
By bending to lift weights from low shelves you are loading your lower back, possibly to extreme levels when you are tired. Protecting your back when lifting means using safe lifting postures, keeping weight close to the body and avoiding stooping. This is made so much easier when the top tier of your dumbbell rack is set to a sensible height for you.
Match The Top Tier To Your Reach
The heaviest weights should be stored on the top of the rack, at hip or mid-thigh height. Anything stored above this will require you to strain to reach for the weight when lifting.
Tiered Racks Versus Flat Racks
A-frame rack stands dumbbells up, allowing you to easily view them, even at the very back of the unit. Flat rack stands hold all of your dumbbells at one height, so are perfect for very small ranges of weights. However, the total height of the weights on a flat rack can sometimes be greater than on a corresponding A-frame rack, leading to more straining to retrieve lower down weights.
Check The Gaps Between Shelves
Leave sufficient space between the shelves to allow for the diameter of your dumbbells. If the space between the shelves is too small, the dumbbells will rub against each other when you pull them out of the rack. On the other hand, if the space is too large, the additional height could support another tier of racks.
Taller Stands Save Space, Lower Stands Save Your Back.
A tall dumbbell stand can store lots of weights in a small space but every additional tier increases the height of the stand that you will need to reach to put away weights. However, a lower stand of wider profile can be more friendly to your back.
Test Before You Buy
Measure from the floor up to your hip or mid-thigh in relaxed posture.
Dumbbell Stands is covered in more detail at https://uk.repfitness.com/collections/dumbbell-stands/.
Use a Dumbbell Stand Height that makes loading weights up easy and means no bad backs.
