CrossFit cages and street workout rigs: how to choose the right structure

Light In Fitness fabrique des cages CrossFit, des rigs et des cages de street workout pour salles de sport, box, collectivités et espaces extérieurs. Les structures intérieures sont dimensionnées pour un usage intensif en charges libres, les structures extérieures sont traitées contre la corrosion selon l'exposition du site. Configuration, implantation et pose sont établies sur devis.

Cages de crossfit et cages de street workout

CrossFit cages and street workout rigs: how to choose the right structure

The structure you choose is decided by three numbers: the number of athletes training at the same time, the free height under the ceiling, and how much you intend to extend the rig later. Everything else, from steel section to finish, follows from those. Light In Fitness manufactures and supplies power racks, modular rigs, wall mounted cages and outdoor street workout structures for CrossFit boxes, commercial gyms, hotels, armed forces sites and local authorities.

Four families, four very different jobs

The word cage covers hardware that has little in common in practice. A single station rack serves one or two people and fits a studio. A modular rig is a shared training frame that can carry a whole class. A power rack is built around heavy barbell work under a spotter. A wall mounted cage buys floor space back at the cost of some functions.

Structure Suited to Typical capacity Main limitation
Single station cage Personal training studio, small hotel gym, corporate room 1 to 2 athletes No room for class formats
Modular rig, 3 to 6 m CrossFit box, functional training zone 6 to 20 athletes depending on stations Needs clear space on both faces
Power rack Strength room, athletic performance, forces training 1 to 2 athletes, heavy loads Footprint per user is high
Wall mounted cage Narrow rooms, low ceilings, mixed use halls 2 to 6 athletes Load transferred to the wall, which must be verified
Outdoor street workout rig Parks, schools, sports grounds, barracks Open access, several users Requires impact surfacing and inspection regime

Steel section, load rating and finish

Our cages are built from high resistance steel with reinforced tubing in 50 by 50 mm or 70 by 70 mm depending on the model, with rated loads from 250 to 500 kg. Anti corrosion treatment and epoxy paint are applied for intensive commercial use, and the models are built to comply with EN ISO 20957-1 class S for stationary training equipment. On outdoor structures, galvanising and hardware specification matter more than section: a rig in a coastal or de icing salt environment is a different specification from an inland park, and stainless steel 316L hardware is available where the exposure justifies it.

A rated load is a static figure. What actually ages a rig is the number of kipping pull ups and muscle ups per week, so ask about the connection detail and the bolt pattern rather than the headline kilogram figure alone.

Sizing the space around the rig

The most frequent planning error is to reserve only the footprint of the structure. A 6 m rig used by a class needs clear floor on both faces for barbells, boxes and bumper plates, plus a circulation route that does not cross a lifting zone.

Dimension Rule of thumb Why
Free height under ceiling 3.00 m minimum, 3.50 m preferred Pull up bar, kipping, wall ball, rope climb
Clearance in front of each station 1.50 to 2.00 m Barbell path, bench, box jump
Clearance behind the rig 1.00 m minimum Storage access and maintenance
Circulation aisle 1.20 m, never through a lifting zone Safety and class flow
Floor under the rig 30 to 40 mm rubber, 40 mm and above at drop points Protects the slab, the plates and the neighbours

Fixed, free standing or extendable

A bolted down rig is the most rigid solution and the least demanding on footprint, but it commits you to a position and requires a slab in good condition with verified anchor points. A free standing rig with ballast suits leased premises and sites where drilling is not permitted, at the cost of a larger base. An extendable rig is the option to specify when the business plan expects growth: it is far cheaper to buy a compatible frame now and add bays later than to replace a saturated structure in year three.

Accessories decide how many people actually train

The number of usable positions comes from the stations, not the length. Pull up bars, dip stations, monkey bars, wall ball targets, plate storage, barbell holders, rope anchors, landmine posts and band pegs each create or remove a working spot. Storage integrated into the rig is what keeps a class flowing: bumper plates and kettlebells stored at the frame stop athletes from crossing the floor between rounds.

Indoor rig or outdoor street workout structure

Indoor rigs are covered by EN ISO 20957-1. Outdoor structures accessible to the public fall under a different framework: EN 16630 for permanent outdoor fitness equipment, and EN 1176 with EN 1177 impact attenuating surfacing where the installation is used by children or sits in a play area. The surfacing under an outdoor rig is not optional, it is part of the compliance file, and so is a documented periodic inspection regime once the structure is in service.

Delivery, installation and after sales

Stock models ship in five to ten working days. Custom rigs and large structures take longer, typically four to six weeks from order confirmation, and bespoke dimensions, colours or club branding are part of what we manufacture rather than an exception. Installation can be carried out by our technicians or by your own team from the supplied instructions. Warranty runs from two to five years depending on the range, and spare parts are held for the installed base. Delivery covers France, Belgium, Switzerland and Luxembourg, with export priced per project.

Frequently asked questions

Which rig suits a CrossFit box taking 10 to 30 athletes per class?

A modular rig of 3 to 6 m with multiple stations is the usual answer, sized from the class format rather than from the room. Count the working positions you need at peak, add plate and barbell storage on the frame, then check that the clearances above still fit the room.

What load can a professional cage take?

Between 250 and 500 kg depending on the model, which covers everything from beginner classes to competitive lifting. The practical limit in a commercial box is usually set by the anchoring and the floor rather than by the frame itself.

What ceiling height do I need?

Three metres is the working minimum for a rig with a pull up bar. Below that, a wall mounted cage or a low profile rack keeps most functions but removes rope climbs, wall balls and comfortable kipping.

Is flooring included with the structure?

No, it is quoted separately because it depends on the discipline and on the existing subfloor. We quote both together when you ask, and we recommend deciding the floor at the same time as the rig so that thickness changes are designed in rather than added later.

Can you build a rig to our own dimensions?

Yes. Custom lengths, heights, colours and club or authority branding are manufactured to order, and are the normal route for awkward rooms and for public tenders with a written specification.

Get your rig configured and priced

Send the room dimensions, the free height, the class size and the disciplines. We return a station by station configuration with a budget within 24 working hours. See the range on the CrossFit rigs and racks and cages pages, or start with the request a quote form.

Réalisations documentées

Sources et références

  • NF EN 16630 – modules fixes d’entraînement physique de plein air : exigences de sécurité et méthodes d’essai (AFNOR)
  • Code du sport, article L322-2 – garanties d’hygiène et de sécurité des établissements d’activités physiques et sportives (Légifrance)