Homemade T-Handle

[4MEandThem]

I found this video this morning and had to come home early to make one and try it out. WHOAAA!!!! I'll be feeling it tomorrow.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4WQRYtOU2c

[Essexlad]

Nice cheap alternative to a heavy kettlebell.

Whats securing the weights at the bottom? Is it just a pipe fitting?

Not seen pipe like that in this country but I might try and find some to give this a go.

[4MEandThem]

A flange. You can see it in the vid.

[Essexlad]

yeah didn't know what it was called, thanks!

[cndGuy]

That is cool, clever and affordable! Repped for the post.

When I build mine, I'm going to go with more than just one gear clamp to prevent the plates from sliding and squashing my hands though.

Those pipes and fittings are commonly used throughout North America for natural gas lines and are usually referred to as "black iron pipe" or "gas pipe". You can find them in just about any hardware or home improvement store. If anybody finds or knows of something similar in the UK, please share that info in this thread.

[Keeptryin]

nice find man,ive got tons of that stuff

[4MEandThem]

That is cool, clever and affordable! Repped for the post.

When I build mine, I'm going to go with more than just one gear clamp to prevent the plates from sliding and squashing my hands though.

Those pipes and fittings are commonly used throughout North America for natural gas lines and are usually referred to as "black iron pipe" or "gas pipe". You can find them in just about any hardware or home improvement store. If anybody finds or knows of something similar in the UK, please share that info in this thread.

I think a regular screw on collar would be fine but I only had Olympic ones. I also wanted to find a use for some standard weights I had but wasn't using.

[buffbrown21]

As you can see that is from the Rosstraining.com website.
I am a moderator over there and will tell you that there is a full article, including instructions on how to make one of them there.
Go to the "article" section and click on the T-handle one.

[4MEandThem]

As you can see that is from the Rosstraining.com website.
I am a moderator over there and will tell you that there is a full article, including instructions on how to make one of them there.
Go to the "article" section and click on the T-handle one.

He has some excellent vids. Thanks!

[boxertim]

that thing jsut looks like the threads could stip while in mid swing.....how string is that stuff?


tim

[ironwill2008]

that thing jsut looks like the threads could stip while in mid swing.....how string is that stuff?


tim

That's a very good question; tapered pipe thread was never meant to handle tensile loads like that. It might be okay; it might not. Same with the fittings.

[cndGuy]

that thing jsut looks like the threads could stip while in mid swing.....how string is that stuff?

In the video he states that he's tested his unit up to 155.8 lbs.

[buffbrown21]

In the video he states that he's tested his unit up to 155.8 lbs.

Yeah, many of the Ross training board members have made their own and had a decent amount of weight on them with no issues reported.

[mikieson]

No matter how careful you are , thats a horrible back problem in the making.

[Essexlad]

No matter how careful you are , thats a horrible back problem in the making.

Thats like saying deads are bad for your back.
It's a great exercise for the lower back/glute/ham area.
Generally the only way people hurt themselves on execises like this is using too much weight and/or crap technique.

[Essexlad]

That is cool, clever and affordable! Repped for the post.

When I build mine, I'm going to go with more than just one gear clamp to prevent the plates from sliding and squashing my hands though.

Those pipes and fittings are commonly used throughout North America for natural gas lines and are usually referred to as "black iron pipe" or "gas pipe". You can find them in just about any hardware or home improvement store. If anybody finds or knows of something similar in the UK, please share that info in this thread.

Been looking, the only place online I can find anything like it is galvanised steel pipes with fittings, but they only sell in bulk. Might try a builders merchants.

I've only seen it used for railings in this country, gas mains here are huge great pipes, and internally we use crappy copper pipes.

[Wildtim]

No matter how careful you are , thats a horrible back problem in the making.

I think thats the first thing I have ever fully agreed with you on.

Thats like saying deads are bad for your back.
It's a great exercise for the lower back/glute/ham area.
Generally the only way people hurt themselves on execises like this is using too much weight and/or crap technique.

No its not like deads and it doesn't work anything deads don't. Dynamic quick movements like this are far more stress on you than you would think from the weight involved. All it would take is a tiny slip in your technique and you could blow your back apart. I can understand why you would want the explosive fast twitch muscle for boxing/MMA I just think that doing Olympic lifts would give you exactly the same explosive strength with less stress to the back.

Another thing to remember is that this was used at 155#'s as a low rep building exercise by a guy who can deadlift over 500#'s. It would be pretty easy for someone inexperienced to overload the bar.

[Essexlad]

I think thats the first thing I have ever fully agreed with you on.




No its not like deads and it doesn't work anything deads don't. Dynamic quick movements like this are far more stress on you than you would think from the weight involved. All it would take is a tiny slip in your technique and you could blow your back apart. I can understand why you would want the explosive fast twitch muscle for boxing/MMA I just think that doing Olympic lifts would give you exactly the same explosive strength with less stress to the back.

Another thing to remember is that this was used at 155#'s as a low rep building exercise by a guy who can deadlift over 500#'s. It would be pretty easy for someone inexperienced to overload the bar.

I didn't mean the movement was like a deadlift, Deads are just normally demonised for being bad for your back. They aren't the person just isn't doing them right/use too much weight.

It's not like a deadlift, but it is a great accesory exercise for it.
Things like Speed deadslifts, Dimmel deadlifts, pull throughs and good mornings (which are all excellent deadlift/squat accessory exercises) all work the same area, and are (or can be) done dynamically. Sure you can hurt yourself. But only if you aren't careful or aren't performing them correctly.

Guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

[mikieson]

Thats like saying deads are bad for your back.
It's a great exercise for the lower back/glute/ham area.
Generally the only way people hurt themselves on execises like this is using too much weight and/or crap technique.

According to you and some other diehards out there...EVERY exercise is perfect and not dangerous. So I guess jumping off a building is good too? Its great for your legs..

[4MEandThem]

At 50lbs how is it that much different than swinging a kettlebell? I did 3 sets of 15 swings and my abs felt more worked than my back. It really got the heart going too. I liked doing the excercise and doubt I will hurt myself at 50lbs. I don't think i would try swinging the max I could lift but 50 felt good.

[Essexlad]

According to you and some other diehards out there...EVERY exercise is perfect and not dangerous. So I guess jumping off a building is good too? Its great for your legs..

Every exercise isn't perfect, some people simply aren't built for deadlifting, some people simply can't bench without their RC hurting. Hence 'generally'
I'm hardly a diehard, I did say if you know what you're doing, and stay within your limits, thats all.

2 people in my family have put their backs out just from bending over to pick things up off the floor. Should I stop picking up the morning paper? No.

[Wildtim]

At 50lbs how is it that much different than swinging a kettlebell? I did 3 sets of 15 swings and my abs felt more worked than my back. It really got the heart going too. I liked doing the excercise and doubt I will hurt myself at 50lbs. I don't think i would try swinging the max I could lift but 50 felt good.

At 50 or so its not that much different than a kettlebell swing, at #130 its a bit more.

[KeithTheSnake]

I figured I'd add to this old thread, rather than create another.

I made my own t handle, but with the following modifications: Instead of standard size made of 3/4 inch pipe, I made mine olympic size. I'd gotten rid of just about all of my standard plates, but olympic plates are abundant in my home gym. I used 1 1/2" pipe for the loading pin, and I used a cap at the end instead of a floor flange. I used the cap for two reasons: First, I got it at Habitat for Humanity for a dime instead of paying five or six bucks for a floor flange at the hardware store; and, second, the plates wouldn't rest flat on the floor flange anyway. I bought a short chunk of 1" pipe from Habitat that had fresh threads on both ends, so I cut 4 inches off each side to make use of the threads for the grips. Using the 1" pipe for the grips makes the handles about the same dimensions as on competition kettlebells. I used a 1" t joint, and I added a coupler on the loading pin side to accommodate its larger diameter. I made the loading pin 9" in length so that the project would have similar height to a competition kettlebell and so that I wouldn't bang the thing on the floor when doing swings. Now, I could have used a 1 1/2" t joint and added hex bushings on the handles, but that would have made the handle too bulky and just a bit too wide. Besides, It would have been needlessly more expensive.

Turns out the t hendle makes an excellent grip machine. I hang my olympic bar across my power rack about a foot above the floor. Resting the loaded t handle directly under the olympic bar, I'm able to put my palms on the olympic bar and pull the t handle up with my fingers like you would on a grip machine.

So, anyway, I just thought I'd contribute my experience with this fun little project.

[morebarbell]

Looks like a neat project.

Thats like saying deads are bad for your back.
It's a great exercise for the lower back/glute/ham area.
Generally the only way people hurt themselves on execises like this is using too much weight and/or crap technique.

A deadlift is a controlled voluntary movement. The movement in the video uses the momentum of the weight so there's a big difference. No disrespect intended but the guy in the video even has a caption stating "I started with a mini swing to get the weight moving".