A monolift is a squat rack with hooks on swing-out arms. You stand up with the bar, a helper pulls a lever to swing the hooks out of the way, and you squat right where you stand, with no walkout. Powerlifters use them for very heavy squats and for equipped lifting, where every step under the bar costs energy.
This is general training information, not medical advice. If you have pain or an injury, see a qualified professional.
How does a monolift work?
A monolift has two upright posts like a normal rack, but the bar sits in hooks mounted on arms that can pivot. The sequence goes like this:
- Set the hook height so you can stand the bar up out of them with a slight knee bend, the same as a normal unrack.
- Get set under the bar, brace and stand it up.
- A helper pulls the release lever and the arms swing away, out of the bar path.
- You squat. Your feet never move.
- At the top, the helper swings the arms back in and you lower the bar into the hooks.
Most monolifts also have safety arms or straps underneath, the same job as safety bars in a power rack. Set them just below the bottom of your squat every time.
What is the difference between a monolift and a walkout?
On a normal rack you unrack the bar, take a few steps back and set your feet before you squat. That is the walkout. On a monolift you skip it.
- Monolift: no steps under a heavy bar, the same foot position every rep, less energy spent before the squat starts. You need a helper on the lever.
- Walkout: no helper needed, works on any rack, and it is what most raw lifters do at meets. Your foot placement can drift a little from rep to rep.
A good walkout is short. Three steps is a common target: one foot back, the other foot back, then a small adjustment. If you find yourself shuffling five or six times, practice it with lighter weights.
Are monolifts allowed in powerlifting meets?
It depends on the federation and on your division. Read your federation's rulebook before you plan a meet around one.
- USPA: the USPA rulebook allows monolift racks, but in section 2.4.4 it says the swing arm pin must stay in for Raw, Classic Raw and Single Ply lifters, who must walk out their squats. Only Multi Ply lifters may use the movable arms.
- IPF and its member federations, including Powerlifting America in the US and Canada Powerlifting: the IPF technical rules say the lifter must move backwards after taking the bar from the racks to set up. In practice that means you walk out.
So if you compete raw in either of those, you will walk the bar out on meet day, even if the meet has a monolift on the platform.
Should you train on a monolift if you compete raw?
Train the way you will compete most of the time. If your meet squat is a walkout, your heavy squats should be walkouts too, so the steps feel automatic under a max.
A monolift still has a place in a raw lifter's week:
- Heavy overload work like supramaximal holds, where walking the bar out would be risky.
- Volume days with lots of sets, when you want to save your legs for the squats themselves.
- Working around an injury, if walking out aggravates it. Ask a professional first.
If you compete multi ply in a federation that allows the swing arms, train on a monolift for your heavy work so meet day feels the same.
What is a monolift attachment?
Some gyms do not have a dedicated monolift but have monolift arms that bolt onto a power rack. Several rack makers sell them. They work the same way: pivoting hooks and a lever. The rack has to be bolted down or heavy enough not to shift. On Chalkproof, DOP Strength in the Seattle area and Fuerza Gym in the Los Angeles area both list a monolift attachment on their own sites.
How do you use a monolift safely?
- Agree on the commands first. Decide with your helper what you will say to swing the arms out and back in, so nobody guesses mid set.
- Set the safeties every time, just below your bottom position.
- Wait for the arms to clear before you start the descent. Do not start squatting while they are still moving.
- Come to a full stop at the top before the arms come back in.
- Use a helper who has done it before. A monolift is not something to run alone.
- Ask the gym how they want it used. Many gyms with a monolift have house rules about who can use it and when.
Where can you find a gym with a monolift?
Monolifts are rare in big commercial chains and common in powerlifting gyms and barbell clubs. On Chalkproof, use the Monolift filter to see gyms that say on their own websites that they have one. Each gym page shows the quote and the link.
A few examples, with what they say on their own sites:
- Big Tex Gym in Austin, TX lists a competition monolift.
- DNA Strength in Atlanta, GA lists a mono lift alongside power cages and combo racks.
- RTS Barbell in Cincinnati, OH lists an EliteFTS monolift.
- The Strength Edge in Calgary, AB lists an EliteFTS monolift.
- Montreal Barbell in Montreal, QC lists monolifts for squatting.
Equipment changes, so call or message the gym before you go if the monolift is the reason you are visiting. Our guide to finding a powerlifting gym covers the other questions worth asking.
Common questions
What is a monolift used for?
Squatting without a walkout. You stand the bar up, the hooks swing out of the way and you squat in place. Powerlifters use it for very heavy and equipped squats.
Can you use a monolift at a raw powerlifting meet?
Usually not in the way it is designed. USPA rules make Raw, Classic Raw and Single Ply lifters keep the swing arm pinned and walk the bar out. IPF rules require the lifter to step back after unracking.
Do you need a spotter for a monolift?
You need a helper on the release lever, and you should set the safety arms just below your bottom position. A helper who knows the equipment makes it much safer.
Is a monolift better than a walkout?
Neither is better for everyone. A monolift saves energy and keeps your feet in the same place. A walkout needs no helper and matches what raw lifters do at most meets.
How do I find a gym with a monolift near me?
Search your city on Chalkproof and turn on the Monolift filter. Each result says on its own site that it has one, with the quote and link on the gym page.