Build your own home gym

heapey

Not sure if this qualifies as money saving or being tight or even mad, but I was recently looking to buy a chin up bar, but didn't like the ones that you buy in the shops that fit in doorways, for at least 3 reasons: 1) not wide enough, 2) no suitable door 3) too noisy when kids are in bed, which is my main time for exercising.

So, I built my own in my garage by attaching to a rafter one of those bars that you find in toilets to help lift you off if you are in some way less able bodied. I found that this works really well (providing you have a garage of suitable construction of course).

I then got to thinking what else i could build that would normally be expensive. My next idea is to make a tricep pull-down type machine by attaching 2 pulleys to one of the other rafters, with a piece of rope connected at one end to an iron bar approx 12 inch long, and to the other end a bucket into which i can place any number of free weights as desired. My original design was one pulley, but i thought it might be a good idea to use 2 so that i could be stood some distance away from the bucket incase the handle breaks.

Has any one else built anything like this, or furthermore have any other ideas for DIY gym equipment? Or am I the only one ??

Plum_Pie

If you're a member of freecycle, I'm sure you could pick up some equipment there. I see it advertised often, although this would lack the creative element of making your own bespoke stuff!!

I was watching 'Should we worry about exercise?' recently and the presenter visited every house on a street to see what exercise equipment people had bought and not used. Apparently everyone in the world has one of those neck-supporting ab cradles, for doing perfect sit-ups!

heapey

Thanks for the response. I've signed up to freecycle now so hopefully that may yield something as well.I know what you mean about those ab-machines though!
cheers