homemade GHR ideas

[boxertim]

anybody have any ideas? i got a lat machine for free and figured it may be a good base (once it is on its side)

[Northernmoris]

http://www.allthingsgym.com/2011/10/...r-options.html
http://board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=55749

[donforeman]

Do a search for skorcher on eBay the middle model really does work well as a ghr for the price for home use. Here's one seller http://www.ebay.com/itm/Skorcher-Ext...-/180741997360
It is very stable if you TIGHTEN up the pop pins after the adjustments (turn clockwise) and is made of decent metal. I downloaded the ghr manual from bigger faster stronger and the adjustments work on the skorcher for difficulty progression just like they say it should. I think people are scared of no toe plate, but there is one. The lower cross bar catches your toes and your heal catches the underside of the pad. Think of how your foot looks at the bottom of the calf raise and you will get the idea. Now its not perfect. It is very stable, compared to the Yukon I tested out, but when using weight under my chin I could feel the rear getting a little light if I was really sloppy with the movement. I was thinking about welding the weight peg on the back like home ghr from Orlando barbell. Then I saw it already had two weight pegs! The same lower cross bar you put the toes on loads up standard plates like it was meant for that. The plates sit in the center and the feet never touch them. The extra weight holds the rear down with the extra weight under my chin and all is good in elcheapo home gym land once again. Its fully adjustable the main pad height, length and rear peg heights all adjust. Its my favorite machine for side bends (the little L bracket in the center of the foot rest). Split squats are much easier on my toes than with my bench. I set my foot on the top padded peg when the foot rest is lowered to the second or third hole. I use it for crunches, etc too. I would think that for smaller home users like me its more than fine, but a 300lbs guy with a lot of weight under his chin will probably put it on its nose without welding a tab on and bolting it to the floor. Not that you would go far its only a little over a foot off the ground.

[Skidmarx]

Do a search for skorcher on eBay the middle model really does work well as a ghr for the price for home use. Here's one seller http://www.ebay.com/itm/Skorcher-Ext...-/180741997360
It is very stable if you TIGHTEN up the pop pins after the adjustments (turn clockwise) and is made of decent metal. I downloaded the ghr manual from bigger faster stronger and the adjustments work on the skorcher for difficulty progression just like they say it should. I think people are scared of no toe plate, but there is one. The lower cross bar catches your toes and your heal catches the underside of the pad. Think of how your foot looks at the bottom of the calf raise and you will get the idea. Now its not perfect. It is very stable, compared to the Yukon I tested out, but when using weight under my chin I could feel the rear getting a little light if I was really sloppy with the movement. I was thinking about welding the weight peg on the back like home ghr from Orlando barbell. Then I saw it already had two weight pegs! The same lower cross bar you put the toes on loads up standard plates like it was meant for that. The plates sit in the center and the feet never touch them. The extra weight holds the rear down with the extra weight under my chin and all is good in elcheapo home gym land once again. Its fully adjustable the main pad height, length and rear peg heights all adjust. Its my favorite machine for side bends (the little L bracket in the center of the foot rest). Split squats are much easier on my toes than with my bench. I set my foot on the top padded peg when the foot rest is lowered to the second or third hole. I use it for crunches, etc too. I would think that for smaller home users like me its more than fine, but a 300lbs guy with a lot of weight under his chin will probably put it on its nose without welding a tab on and bolting it to the floor. Not that you would go far its only a little over a foot off the ground.

That is awesome. I was going to weld up something and order pads, but this is way cheaper and space efficient. I can beef it up if needed with some of the spare steel around here, and make a footplate.

[boxertim]

that does look like a good deal...but it costs more for the bench to be shipped to canada than the cost of the bench...nevermind the brokerage fee.

i found a Yukon GHR for 299 in canada...anybody own this one?

http://www.fitness-superstore.ca/hyp...hine-p-17.html


tim

[thedickus]

I would think one would be easy to make in it's most basic form. Here's a cool article on the history of the GHR. The Russians just used a pommel horse and wall rails.

http://www.legendfitness.com/legend_...developer.aspx

[pumping4life]

that does look like a good deal...but it costs more for the bench to be shipped to canada than the cost of the bench...nevermind the brokerage fee.

i found a Yukon GHR for 299 in canada...anybody own this one?

http://www.fitness-superstore.ca/hyp...hine-p-17.html


tim

I owned that for a while. Honestly, it worked fine, but I read a few accounts of the footplate weld breaking. I really didn't like the idea of doing a face plant into the floor, so I sold it after getting a real GHD.

[boxertim]

I owned that for a while. Honestly, it worked fine, but I read a few accounts of the footplate weld breaking. I really didn't like the idea of doing a face plant into the floor, so I sold it after getting a real GHD.

well i can't get much uglier!

Thanks for the info

[Keetman]

That Yukon really is bad Tim. I wouldn't get one, personally.

I'm not sure what you had in mind with the lat machine either...what do you plan to do with it on its side? You can do GHR's on a lat pulldown and your bench. You probably knew this, but I didn't understand your first post.

I've seen the skorcher, in fact there is one in my garage right now . It is being sold by a guy in my area for $50 and I picked one up for Mensa (member here). The one they had set up at the place I got it at didn't look too bad for the price. I couldn't get the pads to get close enough to the knee pad to do a correct GHR though.....but I imagine you could drill a couple of holes. Its not quite high enought to do a full hyperextension either, but you can do a partial.

[dumb.bell]

http://www.allthingsgym.com/2011/10/...r-options.html
http://board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=55749

I built one similar to the one in the second link. It is much harder to do them on this home made unit than a real GHD.

[sherman]

If your wife allotted you just ten bucks for a GHR, maybe this would get you by.

[KBKB]

I built one similar to the one in the second link. It is much harder to do them on this home made unit than a real GHD.

How does it hold your feet down?

[dumb.bell]

How does it hold your feet down?

The bottom of you feet fit up against the board that is at a 45 degree angle

[KBKB]

The bottom of you feet fit up against the board that is at a 45 degree angle

I see. Any issues with slippage?

If you were to build it again, would you do anything different?

[KBKB]

Sorinex has something they call the Poor Man's Glute Ham. I'm not sure about the name though given that it costs $463.

Anyway, aside from the foot hold-downs, it looks similar to the one that dumb.bell constructed.

After viewing the videos below, it looks likes it's quite a lot harder than the GHDs with the rounded raised pad. Anyone know why this is? Is one inherently better than the other?

[dumb.bell]

I see. Any issues with slippage?

If you were to build it again, would you do anything different?

No issues with slippage. I slide my feet out against the triangular supports and they are wedged in. I'm guessing that a more traditional footplate would probably work a lot better. I went with this design because it was easy, but I would likely try to build a more traditional footplate if I had it to do over again. It is almost impossible for me to do an unassisted GHR on this thing. I use it more for Russian Curls (I assume that is the correct term - fighting the drop) and can usually do 5 in succession. I place a medicine ball on the ground in front of me and drop to it and then lightly push up for an assisted GHR. On an Elite GHD I've been able to do about 5 GHRs in a row. So I don't know if it is the foot angle, the pad angle or something else, but it is definitely more difficult on this contraption. Nevertheless, my hamstrings are fried the next day (I do 5 sets of 5). I also do various types of leg curls after that, but it is this exercise that is the new stimulus to my workouts and what is causing all of the soreness.

[dumb.bell]

Based on those videos I'm thinking it may have more to do with the pad angle rather than the foot angle, but it could be a little of both. I'm quite impressed by the smaller guy in the second video. He made them look easy, and they are in no way easy.

[KBKB]

Based on those videos I'm thinking it may have more to do with the pad angle rather than the foot angle, but it could be a little of both.

Perhaps the pad angle in addition to where the pad hits you on the thigh? Below is a video which darkfact posted a while ago showing proper use of the EliteFTS GHR. Note that the pivot point is fairly high up the leg and that the knee drops down the pad when doing the concentric part of the movement. The fact that the pivot, relative to the pad, is further up the leg as opposed to at the knee means that the weight of your upper body is closer to the pivot. Moving the pivot point further up the body means that there'll be less torque to counteract when doing the movement. (Think of your upper body from your head to the pivot as a lever; the further you move that mass away from the pivot, the more torque there is.)

It may be too that dropping the knees on the pad makes it easier too, I don't know. I also don't know if one of these exercises is superior to the other. Perhaps the ROM is better with the raised/rounded pad GHD?

[donforeman]

http://www.biggerfasterstronger.com/...Ham%20Book.pdf

Explains several variations of difficulty on a Ghr...the short version = the closer the pivot point is moved from the thigh to the knee the harder the move is. The foot placement height has a little to do with it, but nothing like sliding the pivot point down!

[dumb.bell]

Perhaps the pad angle in addition to where the pad hits you on the thigh? Below is a video which darkfact posted a while ago showing proper use of the EliteFTS GHR. Note that the pivot point is fairly high up the leg and that the knee drops down the pad when doing the concentric part of the movement. The fact that the pivot, relative to the pad, is further up the leg as opposed to at the knee means that the weight of your upper body is closer to the pivot. Moving the pivot point further up the body means that there'll be less torque to counteract when doing the movement. (Think of your upper body from your head to the pivot as a lever; the further you move that mass away from the pivot, the more torque there is.)

It may be too that dropping the knees on the pad makes it easier too, I don't know. I also don't know if one of these exercises is superior to the other. Perhaps the ROM is better with the raised/rounded pad GHD?

http://www.biggerfasterstronger.com/...Ham%20Book.pdf

Explains several variations of difficulty on a Ghr...the short version = the closer the pivot point is moved from the thigh to the knee the harder the move is. The foot placement height has a little to do with it, but nothing like sliding the pivot point down!

Well this definitely make sense. When I've been on a GHD, I do my GHRs just like Tate does in the video with the leverage point higher up on my leg, or at least I try to. With this in mind, if I were building a home made unit, would want to use a rounded pad if possible.

[boxertim]

That Yukon really is bad Tim. I wouldn't get one, personally.

I'm not sure what you had in mind with the lat machine either...what do you plan to do with it on its side? You can do GHR's on a lat pulldown and your bench. You probably knew this, but I didn't understand your first post.

I've seen the skorcher, in fact there is one in my garage right now . It is being sold by a guy in my area for $50 and I picked one up for Mensa (member here). The one they had set up at the place I got it at didn't look too bad for the price. I couldn't get the pads to get close enough to the knee pad to do a correct GHR though.....but I imagine you could drill a couple of holes. Its not quite high enought to do a full hyperextension either, but you can do a partial.

so are there more at this place for 50 bucks? if so, want to get me one and we can work out a deal to get it to me. pm me if interested.

tim

[donforeman]

so are there more at this place for 50 bucks? if so, want to get me one and we can work out a deal to get it to me. pm me if interested.

tim

They are sold for that on ebay all the time. The $139 included free shipping in the Usa!

I couldn't get the pads to get close enough to the knee pad to do a correct GHR though.....but I imagine you could drill a couple of holes. Its not quite high enought to do a full hyperextension either, but you can do a partial.

How tall are you? Just curious. I have long legs, but @ 5'10 but I use mine for a "correct" Ghr. I am now at hole 2 difficulty wise, I started at 3. I think that shorter people might have a problem, good observation.
Picture with a tape measure in the fully collapsed position. In this position my knees come onto the pad, past the edge a few inches. Each hole closer is the about the same as holding 25 lbs under your chin, or it was with my body weight.

[boxertim]

that add on ebay won't send it to canada....the shipping to get it across the border and onto the dog sled to bring it too our igloo is too difficult to most business.

[Keetman]

How tall are you? Just curious. I have long legs, but @ 5'10 but I use mine for a "correct" Ghr. I am now at hole 2 difficulty wise, I started at 3. I think that shorter people might have a problem, good observation. .....[/IMG]

I'm 5'8". I'm short, but not so short that the equipment shouldn't work for me. The only other GHR that fit me like this one was the Yukon, although I think the Skorcher is made better, if for no other reason than the pad.

I guess we could "discuss" what a correct GHR is, but I like to have my knees on the pad and locked in. IIRC, the pad hit my leg just below mid thigh. Maybe between your extra height and a different comfort level with where your leg is, the machine works ok for you? Who knows....I'd take the one I have in my garage out and give it a more scientific try, but it isn't mine. I will say that the inability to do the move caused me to call Mensa before I bought it so he'd know about it before I bought it (of course, he's taller than me too....so maybe it will work fine for him).

[donforeman]

I'm posting more pictures on the Skorcher. I do think that it might not work for shorter people (see the tape measure above and measure from the soles of your feet to your knees. I never even thought about that because it fit me well! Last night I tried to perform the GH raise with the machine fully collapsed and as discussed above the difficulty was much harder when the pivot point was moved from the thighs to pivoting with my weight on the knees. I normally do them with it set on hole two (two holes showing my knees pressing into the front of the pad) and moving the knees several inches up and on to the pad dropped my ability to do them from 8 reps to about 2 if I was lucky and I had very poor form. I am posting pictures of the underside etc just to let people better see if the machine. I do like the machine for more than just Gh's. Its just a handy little machine to have stashed in the corner. That's not to say if I had more money and double the size of my 8X8 bedroom I might not pick up a better machine! Anyway here are the pic's. The biggest problem I have heard of is people not turning in the pop pins after adjustment. If you dont tighten the pins your machine will move and shake like crazy. Once tight though it acts like one piece.

[817boy]

They are sold for that on ebay all the time. The $139 included free shipping in the Usa!


How tall are you? Just curious. I have long legs, but @ 5'10 but I use mine for a "correct" Ghr. I am now at hole 2 difficulty wise, I started at 3. I think that shorter people might have a problem, good observation.
Picture with a tape measure in the fully collapsed position. In this position my knees come onto the pad, past the edge a few inches. Each hole closer is the about the same as holding 25 lbs under your chin, or it was with my body weight.

Thanks for the pics, i always wondered what this thing looked like, when you received it in the mail was it assembled, partially assembled, or completly disassembled?

[donforeman]

Thanks for the pics, i always wondered what this thing looked like, when you received it in the mail was it assembled, partially assembled, or completly disassembled?

It arrives in pieces in a huge box, but you just slide it together. Assembly takes less than five minutes.

[817boy]

It arrives in pieces in a huge box, but you just slide it together. Assembly takes less than five minutes.

cool thanks, think i will buy in w/ in a month

[RGEORGE1978]

The Commercial version of the Skorcher is heavy duty and has a large footplate for hip thrusts. It is not made anymore, but hopefully will be made again in the future. You can see pictures if you Google "Skorcher Pro," or look up videos of Bret Contreras on Youtube.

[kennethbanks]

Check out the homemade GHR I put together for around $60. It was pretty easy to make, and actually a lot of fun (this coming from a guy that had hardly ever held a power tool in his life).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d1weSIOIvE