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What are the technical characteristics of a Rig?

 There are mainly two types of Rigs :

  • Single storey rig: They can be attached directly to the floor or to freestanding plates. This second method of fixation is generally used for competitions.>
  • Wallmounted: Here, you have a rig panel fixed in a wall and their second panel fixed in the floor. This type of rig is very convenient for affiliated boxs that have a restricted wod space. You have to be careful of the type of wall you have to be able to fix your cage. Indeed, when several athletes perform kipping on a cage, the pressure exerted on the wall and the fasteners is important.

The feet of your rig form the bulk of your structure. They will have a direct impact on the strength and stability of your rig. The technicality and importance of the feet is generally underestimated by future gym owners or future owners of affiliated boxs. In this section, we first explain the importance of the width and thickness of your feet. Then we list the different height of feet and the exercises that you will be able to practice according to the height of your rig. In a third point, we will close this chapter with the different finishes that make your rig functional.

Comment Choisir Cage Rig CrossLiftor





What are the different technical characteristics of a rig foot?

The rigs, whether Single storey or wallmounted, have customizable features (foot height, number of workstations, accessories etc.). How many squat stations would you like? How high under the ceiling do you have? How many people will train on your rig? What budget do you want to invest in your rig? Are you an affiliated box? All his questions are all criteria that you will have to take into account when selecting your rig. And now, let’s discover together the technical characteristics that a rig can have.

  • What are the different technical characteristics of a rig foot ?

The width of the foot is very important because it guarantees the stability and the solidity of your rig. For a personal use, take into account the intensity of your training. Would you like to kipper to perform your gymnastics moves? What load will you carry if your rack includes a squat station? Your budget will also have a significant impact on the quality of the rig you can afford.

For an affiliated box, it will be necessary to take into account the number of people who will find themselves at the same time on the rig. The larger the number of people, the more stable your cage will have to be. The stability of your rig will also affect its longevity. Indeed a rig that is not stable will have more and more game as it gets older and will therefore require to be changed much faster than a stable rig. We strongly advise widths greater than 60 millimetres for spaces receiving the public or rig used for collective training (gym, affiliated box etc.).

The width of the foot can also give an indication of the place of origin of your rig. Indeed, depending on the place of production the standards may be different. RIgs produced in China and America are generally 75x75 millimetres (3 inches by 3 inches). While the rigs produced in Europe are usually thicker and have a foot width of 80x80 millimetres.

Here are some examples of foot width that you will also find regularly on the market: 50x50/ 50x80/ 60x60/ 80x60 (all measurements are in millimeters). All CrossLiftor rigs offer a width of 80x80.

  • Steel thickness of your rig foot:

The thickness of the steel varies considerably from one rig to another. Usually, this information does not appear on the product sheets. It acts mainly on the resistance of your rig. The thickness of the steel of a rig is usually 2 or 3 millimetres. In order to assess this technical characteristic at its fair value, the quality of the steel used for production must also be taken into account. However, virtually no rig supplier provides this information on their product data sheets. It is therefore necessary to compare other elements in order to assess the general quality of a rig.

  • Height of rig foot

Rig suppliers can offer you different foot sizes. Each size allows you to perform different exercises. Over time, a certain form of "standard size" has emerged between the different OEMs. Today Classic feet usually measure between 260 and 280 centimetres. While large feet are between 360 and 380 centimetres.

Rig feet measuring between 260 and 280 centimeters allow you to hang up your pull ups bar or muscle up bar, while allowing you to attach a reinforced bar to the top to stabilize your entire cage. You can practice on this type of feet all the basic movements of gymnastics as Bar muscle ups, toes to bar etc. By fixing several simple bars on your feet you can also create a Stall bar.

The feet of rig measuring between 360 and 380 cm give you the necessary space to practice additional movements. You will be able to attach gymnastics rings. You can then work on your rings muscles up, hand stand push up rings, rope lifts and all the other gymnastic movements that are practiced at the rings. When the ceiling height allows it and as part of an affiliated box opening, the feet of rig with a height of 360 to 380 are a real added value to your box.

Watch out for feet that will exceed these sizes. If the quality of your rig is not excellent quality and does not include reinforced bars, your rig may not be stable and put your safety at risk. Some brands also offer an extension system that attaches to small feet to enlarge them. In the latter case, it is also necessary to be very vigilant to the stability and quality of the fastening system.

  • Finishing  feet of your rig:

Your rig feet can include different finishes. Drill holes and their numbering are all elements that make your cage simple and efficient while bringing a multitude of additional features.

    1. Drilling: Prefer pierced feet with the same diameter along their entire length. This element, which seems to be a detail, is actually very important. Many OEMs offer two different drilling diameters on the same stand. The diameter is therefore different between the elements of your rig (pull bar, reinforced bar etc.) and the accessories (dips bar, supported bar hooks etc.). This difference in drilling does not allow you to set your pull bar at the height you want to adapt it to children for example. We advise you to opt for a rig with a unique drilling diameter, this will allow you to fix your pull bar to the height that suits you to allow each of your members to work in good
    2. The numbering of the piercing: Some rigs are drilled and numbered on all the height of the feet. This numbering is very useful when you regularly change your height accessories. As an example; an affiliate box that gives lessons every hour, members can change the height of the bar brackets rests to adapt the rack to squat to their size. When the feet are numbered the height change is done in a few seconds and avoids errors on the part of your members. This is also asecurity guarantee
    3. Customizing the color of your rig: Some rig suppliers offer you to produce your rig in the color you want. Generally this customization has no impact on the price of your rig. However it will be necessary to allow a longer time to be delivered. Depending on the equipment manufacturer, some may offer you a predefined color palette. Other solution is to provide you with the RAL reference, used in the choice of paint colors in the fields of building, industry etc. The RAL code is universal, it will be enough to transmit it to your rig supplier to customize your color.

  1. Choisir Cage CrossLiftor Soudure Rig Pied





What factors should be taken into account when choosing a rig?

Besides the rig feet, many elements will have an impact on the quality and functionality of your rig. The grip and grain of your traction bars are essential elements of your cage. Then in this section we will see some treatments and their effects on steel. Then we will highlight the differences between a squat station and a pull station. Finally, we will discuss the hardware as well as the different ways to fix your rig.

  • What is the grain and grip of my pull- ups bars?

The grip of your rig will allow you to have more or less grip when you run your movements by clinging to your pull up bar. Some athletes prefer a marked grip to hold the bar firmly. However, this type of grip may "rip off" your hands if you train on series with a large number of repetitions. There are also grips with less depth or different types of grooves. The choice of grip is a very personal, so it is very difficult to give an opinion.

The elements that play on your grip are among others, treatments, paint and finishes. Again, be careful with the grip too marked, it may open your hands quickly if you kip. The quality of your rig comes into account in this parameter because over time your grip will decrease. The better the quality of your rig, the more durable your grip will be over time.

  • What are the different treatments and their effects?

The treatments and finishes of your rig are very important especially when you want to install your rigs outdoors. Below is a non-exhaustive list of some treatments your cage may have to change its appearance or resistance.

Treatments to improve the appearance of your rig:

  1. Polishing: This action consists in removing a thin layer of material to eliminate the scratches present to have a perfectly smooth surface. Micro scratches invisible to the naked eye are formed on the surface. Polishing gives a mirror effect to your rig.
  2. Applying a polymer: Apply a layer of powder paint to your rig. The paint powder is charged electrically and is glued to the steel of your rig. In a second time the paint is baked to finish the fixation.
  3. Paint: Choose well, some are resistant to the outside and some are not.
  4. Hard chrome plating: The chrome plating gives an unalterable gloss appearance.
  1. Treatments to protect your rig against corrosion:
  1. Hard chromium: Diffusion of chromium over a large thickness. Protects against corrosion and hardens the surface superficially. The soft chromization follows the same process as the hard chromization, the only change is the thickness of the chromium layer that is applied. This process should not be confused with chrome plating.
  2. Galvanizing: The steel in your cage is soaked in a bath of liquid zinc to be covered. This process is very effective against atmospheric corrosion.
  3. Zinc plating: Spraying a layer of zinc that makes the cage resistant to corrosion.
  4. Paint: The deposition of a polymer protects against corrosion. It therefore has an aesthetic and protective value.

  • What are the differences between a squat station and a pull up station?

The only difference to remember is the width of the station. The standard width for a pull-up station is 180 centimetres. This feature allows you to perform your movements with different working angles by taking your bar more or less wide. The spacing of a pull station does not allow you to rest your weight bar properly on your hooks rests bar. You will not be able to load your Olympic bar as these sleeves will rest on the hooks. Apart from this difference in width, squat and traction stations have the same characteristics.

A squat station is generally 120 centimetres wide. This spacer allows you to rest your Olympic barbell on its central axis when it is pressed on the brackets rests bar. The sleeves are accessible to load and unload your barbell according to your workouts. The squat stations allow you to practice weightlifting and gymnastics. They must be separated by a pull-up station. This is mandatory to anticipate the sleeves that protrude on either side of your squat stations.

  • Hardware and fastening

It guarantees stability and gives the overall look of your rig.  A hardware kit includes several components at least: the bolt, the nut and two washers. The composition of the hardware varies from one equipment manufacturer to another: brake nut, cap, split washer.

To avoid unpleasant surprises when receiving your rig check if the hardware is sold with the cage. This point is important for several reasons. First, there is no standard dimension for the hardware. Each equipment manufacturer has a significantly different hole diameter. The screws vary from one cage to another and it can be difficult to find the elements that make it up. Secondly, hardware represents a relatively large cost in the price of a rig. Some suppliers may therefore offer cheaper prices but do not supply the hardware. Thirdly, when your supplier sells the hardware with the rig, it will generally not provide you with protective caps to mask the bolt heads.

When it comes to your rig fasteners, you need to distinguish between wall and floor fasteners. For the feet to be fixed in the ground you must use studs. Like the hardware, they may or may not be supplied by your equipment manufacturer. It is necessary to fix them in concrete. When you want to fix your rig on a ground floor, it is essential to dig and cast concrete pads to ensure that your rig is properly fixed and stable.

For wall mounts, it is necessary to do on a case-by-case basis. This is why fasteners are almost never supplied by your supplier. It is necessary to get closer to a store specialized in DIY to provide you with the necessary fasteners according to the materials that make up your wall (brick, concrete etc.). It is strongly not advisable to fix your rig on a wall in placot or platre. Finally, a chemical sealant can be applied to your wall and floor mounts to ensure maximum resistance.

Of course there are other parameters to take into account when buying your rig. One example is the quality of the welds. However, these characteristics are very rarely indicated on the product sheets. That is why we cannot detail them all. However, this fact sheet provides you with a large number of elements to take into account when selecting the rig that will be closest to your needs.

CrossLiftor Kit Visserie Cage Rig





Comparison Board: The CrossLiftor range of rigs




What are the technical characteristics of CrossLiftor rigs?

  • Below you will find tables summarizing the functionality and technical characteristics of our rigs. Feel free to contact us to fully customize your rig.

Characteristics of Tank rigs:

Tank Rig - 1 station Tank Rig - 3 stations Tank Rig - 5 stations Tank Rig - 7 stations
280 foot Yes Yes Yes Yes
380 foot No No No No
Width of feet 80 x 80 80 x 80 80 x 80 80 x 80
Thickness of steel 3 mm 3 mm 3 mm 3 mm
Drilling on the whole height Yes Yes Yes Yes
Holes Numberings
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Color Customization Yes Yes Yes Yes
Grip Classic sandblasting/ non-slip paint Classic sandblasting/ non-slip paint Classic sandblasting/ non-slip paint Classic sandblasting/ non-slip paint
Treatment appearance Outdoor paint Outdoor paint Outdoor paint Outdoor paint
Anti corrosion treatment Zing Zing Zing Zing
Hardware provided Yes Yes Yes Yes
Fasteners provided Yes Yes Yes Yes





Muscle Up Tank Rig- 1 station Muscle Up Tank Rig - 3 stations Muscle Up Tank Rig - 6 stations
280 foot Yes Yes Yes
380 Foot Yes Yes Yes
Width of feet 80 x 80 80 x 80 80 x 80
Thickness of steel 3 mm 3 mm 3 mm
Drilling on the whole height Yes Yes Yes
Holes Numbering Yes Yes Yes
Color Customization Yes Yes Yes
Grip Classic sandblasting/ non-slip paint Classic sandblasting/ non-slip paint Classic sandblasting/ non-slip paint
Treatment appearance Outdoor paint Outdoor Paint Outdoor paint
Anti corrosion treatment Zing Zing Zing
Hardware provided Yes Yes Yes
Fasteners provided Yes Yes Yes

Choisir Caracteristiques Cage Rig Acier CrossLiftor





Tank Wallmount Rig - 1 station Tank Wallmount Rig - 3 stations Tank Wallmount Rig - 5 stations Tank Wallmount Rig - 7 stations
280 foot Yes Yes Yes Yes
380 foot No No No No
Width of feet 80 x 80 80 x 80 80 x 80 80 x 80
Thickness of steel 3 mm 3 mm 3 mm 3 mm
Drilling on the whole height Yes Yes Yes Yes
Holes Numbering Yes Yes Yes Yes
Color Customization Yes Yes Yes Yes
Grip Classic sandblasting/ non-slip paint Classic sandblasting/ non-slip paint Classic sandblasting/ non-slip paint Classic sandblasting/ non-slip paint
Treatment appearance Outdoor paint Outdoor paint Outdoor paint Outdoor paint
Anti corrosion treatment Zing Zing Zing Zing
Hardware provided Yes Yes Yes Yes
Floor mounts provided Yes Yes Yes Yes
Wall brackets provided No No No No





Tank Wallmount Rig Muscle Up - 1 station Tank Wallmount Rig Muscle Up- 2 stations Tank Wallmount Rig Muscle- Up - 3 stations
280 foot Yes Yes Yes
380 foot  Yes Yes Yes
Width of feet 80 x 80 80 x 80 80 x 80
Thickness of steel 3 mm 3 mm 3 mm
Drilling on the whole height Yes Yes Yes
Holes Numbering Yes Yes Yes
Color Customization Yes Yes Yes
Grip Classic sandblasting/ non-slip paint Classic sandblasting/ non-slip paint Classic sandblasting/ non-slip paint
Treatment appearance Outdoor paint Outdoor paint Outdoor paint
Anti corrosion treatment Zing Zing Zing
Hardware provided Yes Yes Yes
Floor mounts provided Yes Yes Yes
Wall brackets provided No No No