The 'No Excuses Homemade Equipment Crew'

[ProtienandIron]

sweet thread, subbed. looking to make my own pullup bar/dip station here soon.

Welcome mate, make sure you post up some pics when you finish it. Its a good bunch here and some great stuff has been made by this knowledgeable crew.

[Vermonter]

Well I %@$#ing hate them. Well, not so much now...

Most people do chest flys with dumbbells, on their back, on a bench. They squeeze the rep at the top when their hands are closer together in hopes of activating the middle of the pec more, or something. Anyhow, I always thought this exercise was sh!t, because the most resistance is available at the bottom of the movement (which stresses your shoulders), and honestly I just thought presses were better in general.
However, I've been using the following for a while, in hopes that it would improve my attitude about chest flys. It's simple: Just get some resistance bands and attach them to some ceiling joists or something. I used eye hooks, carabiner clips, some loop straps, and some handles I had from a Total Gym. You could make your own handles a variety of ways, with PVC or whatever. I did it this way because I have everything already and I like to be able to break it down easy in case I want to use the bands elsewhere, and it is also nice to use for stretching without the handles (just looping my hands through the straps).



It's very simple, and super cheap for those of us who either can't afford a wicked nice dual pulley set up (cable cross-over or whatever they are called), or don't have the space, etc.
Also, and what I think is most important about doing flys this way, is it provides accommodating resistance as you do the movement. In other words, you have the most resistance as your hands get closer to each other, making the "top" of the movement the hardest instead of the easiest. I think it makes a big difference and has given me an appreciation for doing flys that I never had before. It is also the best stretch/rehab ever. My shoulders love me since I set this up and started warming up with it frequently.

[ProtienandIron]

Well I %@$#ing hate them. Well, not so much now...

Most people do chest flys with dumbbells, on their back, on a bench. They squeeze the rep at the top when their hands are closer together in hopes of activating the middle of the pec more, or something. Anyhow, I always thought this exercise was sh!t, because the most resistance is available at the bottom of the movement (which stresses your shoulders), and honestly I just thought presses were better in general.
However, I've been using the following for a while, in hopes that it would improve my attitude about chest flys. It's simple: Just get some resistance bands and attach them to some ceiling joists or something. I used eye hooks, carabiner clips, some loop straps, and some handles I had from a Total Gym. You could make your own handles a variety of ways, with PVC or whatever. I did it this way because I have everything already and I like to be able to break it down easy in case I want to use the bands elsewhere, and it is also nice to use for stretching without the handles (just looping my hands through the straps).

[img]http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=5079653&stc=1&d=135292 8326[/im]

It's very simple, and super cheap for those of us who either can't afford a wicked nice dual pulley set up (cable cross-over or whatever they are called), or don't have the space, etc.
Also, and what I think is most important about doing flys this way, is it provides accommodating resistance as you do the movement. In other words, you have the most resistance as your hands get closer to each other, making the "top" of the movement the hardest instead of the easiest. I think it makes a big difference and has given me an appreciation for doing flys that I never had before. It is also the best stretch/rehab ever. My shoulders love me since I set this up and started warming up with it frequently.

Nice job Vermonter, and great to have you back. Where did you go? I reckon if you take that movement and combine it with ring flyes you would be amazed at how intense flyes can be.

[Vermonter]

I didn't really "go" away, I just had lots going on and didn't read up and post on the forum quite so religiously
I continued training actively, but also had a ton of fun over the summertime doing silly outdoor activities. You gotta make the most of the swimming, hiking and biking season when you live in the North East!

I am sure that flyes can be a very intense exercise, I just never really cared for them until I set the bands up. It just seems different when your hands are being actively forced apart, even at the end of the movement. Maybe it's all in my head.
Honestly, I initially hung them up just to do some therapeutic stretching. I'm inspired by Matt Wichlinski and subscribe to his Youtube channel and saw this video he posted:

Simple stuff, but very intuitive and almost Zen like. He just does what works and helps make him more capable. He's also a beast so I respect his ideas a lot.

[djsneak]

Thought I'd put these pics of my power rack up,

I have been using this now for about a year and it is one of the best investments I have ever made, I used construction timber and key clamp fittings and standard steel tube from a metal works.















What do you brahs think?

[Vermonter]

That's excellent.
If I hadn't found the deal I did on Craigslist I was seriously contemplating building one myself, too.
Only addition I probably would have made would be to add some weight horns somehow to weigh it down and have plates easily accessible on both sides.

[jj00ee]

How are you guys doing muscle-ups indoors with a ~10 ft ceiling? Looking for ideas...

[Vermonter]

How are you guys doing muscle-ups indoors with a ~10 ft ceiling? Looking for ideas...

I'm not.

If I were, I'd get some rings and straps (or a makeshift suspension trainer) and start low with knees bent.

[mrme]

You sir are an artist - that is awesome! Would love to have one!

I made a few modifications and built an adjustable handle for my tricep machine. Now it can be used for shrugs too. Here's the video I shot of how to use it.

Sorry, haven't had time to paint anything yet. lol

[Northernmoris]

Another mad creation.

Cliffs:

Bought Rogue flat bench
UPS destroyed box
2 corners on pad rip (small)
Email Rogue blah,blah,blah.
2 days later new pad.. High five.

Buy Yorks on Cl get ****ty standard bench
Brainstorm
Frankenbench
Sturdy, solid welded frame, SCORE..

[rthawker]

I'm on spread NM but way to make lemons into lemonade.

[sherman]

How are you guys doing muscle-ups indoors with a ~10 ft ceiling? Looking for ideas...

Here's an idea I've posted before.



disregard pipe stuff (DIY sub for rings)

[lrd3]

reps given................
i love wood racks

Thought I'd put these pics of my power rack up,

I have been using this now for about a year and it is one of the best investments I have ever made, I used construction timber and key clamp fittings and standard steel tube from a metal works.















What do you brahs think?

[ExtremistPullup]

Not so much need it but I enjoy building stuff This is what I want to build



not 5 sheets of plywood with a stall mat cut in half

I want it to go inside the rack have 3/4 inch hardwood floor two layers of 3/4 stall mats on each end 2 or 3 ft wide.

what can I use or how can I make a wear guard for the edges

should it be 1,2,3,4 pieces

[Vermonter]

Could you just frame it with wood?
Probably the easiest to cut and shape to specs, can always be re-painted as needed, or replaced if it gets really banged up.

[ExtremistPullup]

Could you just frame it with wood?
Probably the easiest to cut and shape to specs, can always be re-painted as needed, or replaced if it gets really banged up.

I could I was thinking maybe a formed plastic

[jlockleOSU]

Not so much need it but I enjoy building stuff This is what I want to build

[img]http://www.fitnessscape.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000002/legend-3223-pro-series-lifting-platform.jpg[/g]

not 5 sheets of plywood with a stall mat cut in half

I want it to go inside the rack have 3/4 inch hardwood floor two layers of 3/4 stall mats on each end 2 or 3 ft wide.

what can I use or how can I make a wear guard for the edges

should it be 1,2,3,4 pieces

The commercial ones that I've seen are framed in a thin, formed sheet metal. If I were to make it myself I would use 2"x1 1/4"x1/8" L-shaped steel. It would be heavy, and if you don't have a welder/chopsaw you would have to pay someone.

[ExtremistPullup]

The commercial ones that I've seen are framed in a thin, formed sheet metal. If I were to make it myself I would use 2"x1 1/4"x1/8" L-shaped steel. It would be heavy, and if you don't have a welder/chopsaw you would have to pay someone.

I was thinking about that. would one one L side be under the wood or over the rubber. If it was under it would raise the edge and not the center. Is odd side L steel common

How many pieces? A long center and push the two bumpers next to it?

I could also use steel drip edge flashing.

[ExtremistPullup]

how many pieces should it be built in,
1. (A,AA) (B) (C) long center two mat ends
2. (A,AA,B,C) all as one
3. (A) (AA) (B) (C) all peices sepreate
4. (A) (AA,B,C) in the rack platform and out of rack platform separate

[jj00ee]

anyone made any "planche" bars or whatever they're called? they're about $35 on amazon and i'm wondering if they can be made for cheaper...

EDIT: "parallettes"

[matrix563]

seems they can be made out of pvc pipe. interesting that google image search brings up pushup bars. those are not stable enough to do what parallettes are for though.

[ExtremistPullup]

anyone made any "planche" bars or whatever they're called? they're about $35 on amazon and i'm wondering if they can be made for cheaper...

EDIT: "parallettes"

steel gas pipe not sure if it would be cheaper.

[ExtremistPullup]

seems they can be made out of pvc pipe. interesting that google image search brings up pushup bars. those are not stable enough to do what parallettes are for though.

thick PVC

[Stasher1]

thick PVC

The grey schedule 80 conduit is fairly cheap, strong, and easy to find.

[jlockleOSU]

how many pieces should it be built in,
1. (A,AA) (B) (C) long center two mat ends
2. (A,AA,B,C) all as one
3. (A) (AA) (B) (C) all peices sepreate
4. (A) (AA,B,C) in the rack platform and out of rack platform separate
[img]http://extremistpullup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121128_092414.jpg[/g]

I just got back from my school's gym and got a closer look at the platform. It is made out of two pieces, (A) and (AA, B, C). The hardwood is running short ways on this platform, unlike the picture above. This creates a slight gap between (A) and (AA, B, C) If you run the hardwood long ways I don't see why you couldn't make it all into one piece, that would eliminate a gap anywhere.

[KBKB]

how many pieces should it be built in,
1. (A,AA) (B) (C) long center two mat ends
2. (A,AA,B,C) all as one
3. (A) (AA) (B) (C) all peices sepreate
4. (A) (AA,B,C) in the rack platform and out of rack platform separate

The problem with separate pieces is that they're, well, separate and will slide apart with use unless you find some way to keep everything together.

I suggest two pieces: (A and some top layer(s) of AA) and (B, C, and bottom layer(s) of AA). This will hold everything together, yet make it easy to take apart and move if you need to.

Edit: Looking over your plan again, I see that it's pretty big. Thinking about it some more, I think I might build it in separate pieces with a small amount of overlap between layers of the various pieces. Interior dowels could be used to ensure that nothing slid apart.

[lrd3]

how many pieces should it be built in,
1. (A,AA) (B) (C) long center two mat ends
2. (A,AA,B,C) all as one
3. (A) (AA) (B) (C) all peices sepreate
4. (A) (AA,B,C) in the rack platform and out of rack platform separate

layer one = a wood 3/4 ply
layer one b.aa.c = 3/4 ply3/4
layer two a. aa wood 3/4 ply
layer two b.c stall matt 3/4
layer thee a . aa hard wood
layer three b.c stall matt

[jj00ee]

made some pvc parallettes today!



cost about $20 total.

[jgood602]

Benching Boards total cost about 3 bucks(had most the stuff laying around) also built a Slosh pipe(ill upload a pic later) 9'ft long 3in SCD 40 PVC $15 bucks total destroys your abs lol

[daniel327]

how many pieces should it be built in,
1. (A,AA) (B) (C) long center two mat ends
2. (A,AA,B,C) all as one
3. (A) (AA) (B) (C) all peices sepreate
4. (A) (AA,B,C) in the rack platform and out of rack platform separate

I would make a base out of 3/4" ply wood in three pieces (A), (B+1/2AA), (C+1/2AA).

The next layer I would use full length 3/4" tongue and groove hardwood flooring (A+AA) (This will tie the base together and eliminate gaps)

Finish the impact zones with 3/4" rubber mats (B) (C)