Build your own row/dip bars?

[Tyciol]

I keep coming across this thing:


Tempted to get it but realized due to simple design there's probably a way to make this really cheap using piping from a Home Depo or something like that. Probably for like <$40 as opposed to paying $80-120 to buy it when you'd probably have to assemble it out of the box anyway.

I know there are guides out there but lack the technical know-how to evaluate which are reliable. I am wondering if there is anyone who has built paralettes like this themselves.

I've seen basic handles built but these higher-up ones have to be very sturdy since they are higher up (longer tubes) and if I do dips on them they would need to support more weight than ones designed just for push ups or rows which only support a portion (~60% I heard).

Basically I'm using a perfect pull-up right now but can't do the australian/supine rows comfortable because the swing bar won't stay still and it bashes into the frame scratching it and waking people up.

This thing also looks potentially better because you can space it as you like, so not only are you not limited to pulling a single bar as you would say doing them in a smith/power rack, but you could space it widely and angle your hands and stuff.

I do see a downside that you can't get a perfectly parallel grip though, which is probably good if you want to do the wide-grip bodyweight rows to hit the rear delts.
BB RD
BB RD lying
BW RD low bar
BW RD high bar
BW RD low bar hips
Basically can't do that type of thing with them, but having a more hammer-like grip on them seems fine for the elbows-in kind where you'd be hitting the general back and allowing the lats to do more.

The grippable part of the perfect pull-up bar is fixed ~21 inches apart, that doesn't feel wide enough to hit rear delts like in those movements.

I should probably get those ring things and tether those to the bar. Rings can move apart as wide as you want and wouldn't be limited by the doorframe width as long as we're offset right?

[buffbrown21]

[Gazi]

Cool vid.

OP,
If you have something to hang them from, you might want to consider gymnastic rings. You'll be able to do all the exercises those parallettes allow and more. They do require much more core and stability strength though.

Christian's Fitness Factory sells an great pair for $45.
http://www.christiansfitnessfactory....s-Yellow-14-ft

[Tyciol]

The top of the bar is 78 inches from floor so I'd definitely have to keep the rings short to do pull ups with them. Also since it is narrow I couldn't do any of that cool stuff I've seen people do like chest flies (prone) or rear delt flies (supine). Jealous of those guys who hang it from really long bars or the ceiling-mounted ones that don't have pillars on the side. Even the wide rows I don't think I could do because the doorframe only comes about an inch away from the wall so my elbow might hit it. Still worth a try though.

Sounds like a neat vid buff, which that guy split it into smaller vids for each thing, but oh well.

[Tyciol]

(rather than start a new thread, bumping old one since it's related)

The Lebert Equalizer had separate handles, and I noticed this other product where the handles are attached together, which seems more stable but on the other hand, less adjustible.


I'd like to get strong at dips but also progressive row variations which I can't put my full hard into using the perfect pullup thing because it keeps hitting the door and twisting, would feel better from a stable platform:


I'm wondering, if I were to build these things myself with PVC pipe, would it be safer to build a single thing with 2 handles like here before moving on to construct adjustible individual ones like in the first? It looks cool and the padded foam grips are appealing, but it's got to be cheaper than the $80 they charge for it to make this thing.

[KBKB]

I'm wondering, if I were to build these things myself with PVC pipe, would it be safer to build a single thing with 2 handles like here before moving on to construct adjustible individual ones like in the first? It looks cool and the padded foam grips are appealing, but it's got to be cheaper than the $80 they charge for it to make this thing.

Even though they're separate units, the first one looks more stable to me than the second one does. I would expect the tubing on the Lebert to flex. It also looks laterally unstable due to the rounded corners at the bottom.

If you built one similar to the Lebert out of PVC tubing, you could fix the stability problem, by using a T instead of an elbow connector to connect the tubing. That would allow you to extend extend it a few inches to each side.

Actually... I just noticed that the design of the dip station in that video that Buff posted addresses both of my concerns of the Lebert. The base extends to the sides a bit for stability and it has a high horizontal cross member to provide bracing to keep the vertical portions from flexing overly much. Here's that video again:



I suggest you build this one. It looks better than either of ones you posted about here. Post some photos of it when you're done.