Homemade Exercise Equipment

[BigBruvOfEnglandUK]

Mar 24, 2021 23:17:25 GMT mrdave100 said:

Is that kettlebell homemade as well?

Yes, m8. It's cheap and so simple to make. It's the same type of threaded galvanised pipes that I used for the dip station.

Two 15 mm x 100 mm pipes
One 15 mm x 250 mm pipe
One 15 mm Tee
One floor flange
Some weights!

No tools needed.

Obviously there are some kettlebell exercises that can't be performed with it but it's great for what I need it for.

Edit: Now that I think about it, I didn't buy two 100 mm pipes. I bought a longer pipe and cut it in half so I didn't have threaded ends on the handles but I have seen them online with threaded ends and they seem fine.

[Deuce Gunner]

Being able to craft it to the exact measurements of your body is great.

[BigBruvOfEnglandUK]

Mar 24, 2021 3:32:38 GMT BigBruvOfEnglandUK said:

To warm up I either place a cushion on the floor and lower down to that for some partial reps or I use a 48" resistance band loop for assisted dips. The band wraps around my wrists and then I just kneel in it.

Having the band wrapped around my wrists was pulling my knees forward to make me in a more upright position when I would rather them slightly behind so I can lean forward better. I found the solution is to have the band wrapped around the handles instead and behind me so when I kneel in the band my knees tend to stay behind.

[BigBruvOfEnglandUK]

I've stopped using bands when dipping. I now keep my feet on the floor to take some of the weight for the earlier reps. I've found this a far better way to take the strain off my shoulder in the bottom position than using bands. I apply just enough assistance with my feet in the lower portion and go for lots of reps and sets and gradually use less assistance until I'm dipping without any assistance from my legs. I can feel the exercise in my chest much more using this method than using the bands.

[gruntbrain]

Experiment with webbing instead of a band for dip and pull up assistance . With  appropriate placed adjustable webbing you can get the added benefit of single leg squats along with dips or pull ups .

[stormshadow]

Bruv that is beautiful. Well done. A lifetime of safe training on it.

[billfish]

Mar 24, 2021 13:07:42 GMT MBS said:

Notice the way Bruv has strategically placed this equipment in the corner. It will make an excellent conversation piece when peeps come round to visit him and the Mrs. 

Andy62 taught you well. 

[pierinifitness]

Today, after my early morning burpees workout, I did a single set max reps test of bar dips.  It had been exactly five months since the last time I did bar dips which was a single set max reps test.  That day I did 23 bar dips, today I did 21.  

I haven't done bar dips or any KB work in a long time due to some wrist issues but I have done burpees x 100 every day since June 1st and generally manage a 100 pull-ups/chin-ups workout twice a week.  I attribute today's effort from the spillover benefit of doing burpees.

[stormshadow]

Billfish your avatar is awesome. What are you flying?

[billfish]

Jun 17, 2021 15:37:28 GMT stormshadow said:

Billfish your avatar is awesome. What are you flying?

Thanks Stormy
It's a Robinson R-22 helicopter
I took an introductory helicopter flying lesson, something I've been wanting to do for a long time
It was a lot of fun after I got used to sitting next to the open door, the doors had been removed since the chopper doesn't have AC

[BigBruvOfEnglandUK]

Now that my main competition Bruce has retired from the fitness equipment industry I've launched a new and exciting product.
The Bruv World Resistance Band Handles.



I made these earlier today. Cheap and really easy.

Tools:
The only tool you may need is something to cut the pipe with such as a wood saw, hacksaw, junior hacksaw or a grinder with a cutting disc.

Materials:
2 U bolts
Pipe (PVC or whatever) 25 mm (1") dia.
4 wingnuts. These are optional. The original nuts work fine but the wingnuts are a little easier to spin on and off.

Cost:
Two U bolts = $9.48 Australian
Pipe was spare in the garage but you can pick up a short length of garden riser, hose, pvc pipe or polythene pipe for just a few dollars.
4 wingnuts = $5.66 but are really not necessary.


You only need one pipe but I had two sizes going spare in my garage so I made some thicker handles from the orange pipe as well.
Make as many sizes of handles as you want as they are easy to swap over at any time.

If you wanted to go a bit fancy you could use a much narrower pipe on the part of the bolt that holds the bands.



Instructions:
Cut 4 lengths of pipe longer than the width of your hand but shorter than the part of the bolt it is slipping over. Allow for about 20-25 mm (25 mm = 1") of thread to be exposed so even if a nut accidentally came loose it has a long way to go before falling off.
Take the nuts and braces off the U bolts.

I've reached the limit for images in this post so will continue below...

[BigBruvOfEnglandUK]

Slip the pipes over the bolts, put that braces back on and put either the wingnuts or the original nuts back on et voila, you have the handles.



Changing handle grips, bands, straps or whatever is easy. Undo one nut all the way and the other nut enough to allow the bracing off at the other side.

Long bands.



Thicker handles with wide bands.

[MBS]

Life changing!  

[mr potatohead]

If one kept the "U" in the up position, would the flat braces be necessary or could one just use large washers (larger than diameter of tubings) and nuts to retain the handles and band padding?

[BigBruvOfEnglandUK]

They can be used without the braces as long as you don't use a lot of resistance such as you might use for band deadlifts. The resistance doesn't pull on your hands evenly though. If the bottom of the U is on the pinkie side of your hand, the resistance is mostly on that part of the hand.
It takes seconds to change bands and you don't need a spanner so it's really not a problem to use the braces.