Homemade Cable Belt Squat (Advice needed from Fabricator, DIYers, Lifters)

[Conquer92]

Picked up this lat pulldown with a 300lb weight stack, and always wanted a belt squat machine. I came up with this idea last night, and drew it up in CAD.

The idea is to just lay this wooden box made of 2x6s down on the floor, run another cable down and feed it through the bottom.

Pulleys are 5 inch in diameter, one closer to the front of the box to guide the cable down, then another cable with an exit point dead center of the box to attach to my Spud Inc belt around my waist.

Gave the box dimensions 3.5ft long by ~2ft wide, plywood on top for a solid surface, then rubber mat on top of that for non-slip surface.

Thoughts? Am I missing anything before I make this? Should I re-adjust pulleys? etc.

Photos:
http://imgur.com/a/iwvnJ

[401Delta]

Picked up this lat pulldown with a 300lb weight stack, and always wanted a belt squat machine. I came up with this idea last night, and drew it up in CAD.

The idea is to just lay this wooden box made of 2x6s down on the floor, run another cable down and feed it through the bottom.

Pulleys are 5 inch in diameter, one closer to the front of the box to guide the cable down, then another cable with an exit point dead center of the box to attach to my Spud Inc belt around my waist.

Gave the box dimensions 3.5ft long by ~2ft wide, plywood on top for a solid surface, then rubber mat on top of that for non-slip surface.

Thoughts? Am I missing anything before I make this? Should I re-adjust pulleys? etc.

Photos:
http://imgur.com/a/iwvnJ

One obvious problem would be that if you exceed your body weight (plus the weight of the box), the two of you will come off the ground. And if the stack isn't that heavy, what would be the benefit in the first place?

On edit: You would also have to raise the weight stack and fabricate some type of lever or release, so that once you got into position you could add the weight of the stack to your belt.

[Conquer92]

One obvious problem would be that if you exceed your body weight (plus the weight of the box), the two of you will come off the ground. And if the stack isn't that heavy, what would be the benefit in the first place?

On edit: You would also have to raise the weight stack and fabricate some type of lever or release, so that once you got into position you could add the weight of the stack to your belt.

Are you sure about the box coming off the ground? I'm pretty sure whatever force I apply to the box is equal and opposite to the force lifted by the stack. Same concept of looping bands underneath your feet in the deadlift

I agree getting the initial weight stack up is something to address. I don't really have a solution for that other than using my hands to help prop myself up

[401Delta]

Are you sure about the box coming off the ground? I'm pretty sure whatever force I apply to the box is equal and opposite to the force lifted by the stack.

If I am understanding your design correctly, yes. It would be like someone weighing 180 lbs trying to pull down 200 lbs on a lat machine without using the knee pads to hold them down. It wouldn't matter how hard you pulled with your lats...your whole body will be lifted off of the ground (assuming you created some momentum to be able to pull the 200 lbs down in the first place with your 180 lb body weight).

You would need to secure the platform to the machine, or to the ground.

[jimbuick]

This would work better if it were a Pulldown/Low Row unit. I suspect that the set up you are considering now will shred your seat.

[Conquer92]

This would work better if it were a Pulldown/Low Row unit. I suspect that the set up you are considering now will shred your seat.

The the seat is removable

[rdsk8ter]

Picked up this lat pulldown with a 300lb weight stack, and always wanted a belt squat machine. I came up with this idea last night, and drew it up in CAD.

The idea is to just lay this wooden box made of 2x6s down on the floor, run another cable down and feed it through the bottom.

Pulleys are 5 inch in diameter, one closer to the front of the box to guide the cable down, then another cable with an exit point dead center of the box to attach to my Spud Inc belt around my waist.

Gave the box dimensions 3.5ft long by ~2ft wide, plywood on top for a solid surface, then rubber mat on top of that for non-slip surface.

Thoughts? Am I missing anything before I make this? Should I re-adjust pulleys? etc.

Photos:

I do mine off a landmine attachment on my cage and a modified step up lol it makes you sit WAY back I really like it

[C123C]

I thought about doing this with a low row pulley and box placed over it. You might calculate the weight out with those pulleys and consider if it's going to be enough for you. I'd also reinforce the HELL out of those pulley's in the box. I'm not sure it's going to work as there's an angle involved from that top pulley.

Assuming you have a rack...this is another solution. Black Widow rack platforms + belt and loading pin. I'd also order some rack handles to help out with on setup/down. I'm going to do this shortly. I'd considered having a custom rack made with a high/low pulley and weight carriage inside but timing didn't work out (I'd have used the platforms along with this).

From the pics they've upgraded the design since the video below was taken: https://www.blackwidowtg.com/J_Cup_P.../platforms.htm
Demo video and review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cDyE0EypOc