A portable, impact-absorbing apparatus having a striking portion, an energy-absorbing portion, and a mounting portion. The striking portion may be a padded plate and the mounting portion may be a collar that may mount to the vertical frame member of a squat rack. The energy-absorbing portion may be an insert that slides into the barrel of a hollow sleeve in which a spring is disposed. The sleeve may have slots in the top and bottom for bolts or pins, which are inserted therethrough for attachment to the insert, to define the longitudinal limits of the insert's extension.