(This is the continuation from Part 2)
At first, I thought that exercising with the Balance Stepper but without the tension bands would be near impossible. I must admit that I was scared to just step on the foot pedals to mount it.
The thoughts of crashing one foot down and then not being able to put the other foot on the pedal without falling over were too much for the imagination. I held on to the back of a chair for support to carefully mount the stepper.
Exercise in a Balance Stepper without Tension Bands - Part 2
(This is the continuation from Part 1)
From what I've read in the online reviews and opinions, there are some instructions to limit workouts up to 15 minutes only. I believe the reason is because the hydraulic pistons generate friction and enough heat after a few minutes.
Here are some opinions and feedback I read on the Sunny Health and Fitness Twister Stepper. Some of them came from different sources.
From what I've read in the online reviews and opinions, there are some instructions to limit workouts up to 15 minutes only. I believe the reason is because the hydraulic pistons generate friction and enough heat after a few minutes.
Here are some opinions and feedback I read on the Sunny Health and Fitness Twister Stepper. Some of them came from different sources.
Exercise in a Balance Stepper without Tension Bands
Seven years ago, I gave a review of the balance stepper for cardio workouts. It had its shortcomings which I listed in the review. But for its price and my satisfaction of its performance, the shortcomings were no obstacles to my using it.
Sadly, a week ago, one of its hard rubber tension bands broke. This is the thick rubber that provides a bit of resistance when pressing on the pedals.
Sadly, a week ago, one of its hard rubber tension bands broke. This is the thick rubber that provides a bit of resistance when pressing on the pedals.
Homemade Reverse Flyes or Rear Delts Station
As a free weight exercise, it is sometimes called Rear Delts Lateral Raise or Bent Over Dumbbell Raise or a combination of those words.
Homemade Bench Press Rack
Homemade Dip Station
Here's a dip station that I have for performing the dip exercise. Basically, the body of this homemade dip station comes from the safety squat racks I built. Dips are good for building overall muscle mass around the tricep, chest and shoulder areas. Even if you're not strong enough to perform full dips, you can begin by just performing the negative phase of the exercise.
The dipping bars are made thicker and more comfortable with these homemade thick grip handles.
Weight Training for Bodybuilding Program
My strength training equipment at home consists mainly of free weights (barbell and dumbbell plates). I have a wooden dumbbell amd plates rack to store the free weights and use rubber tiles on the floor to prevent dumbbells from rolling.
Many of the exercises utilize a pair of multi-purpose safety squat racks that I built.
Lower Back Injury from the T-Bar Row Exercise
The T-Bar Row exercise is one of the biggest mass builders for the back. It recruits the big muscles of the lats, traps and the rhomboids. It is a pulling exercise that allows you to lift heavy weight. Although T-Bar row machines do exist, most bodybuilders who train at home simply use a plain straight barbell. One end is loaded with the barbell plates and the other end is simply stuck or jammed to a corner on the floor.
Secret Weight Training with an Improvised Barbell
Back in the days when I was still in college, I stayed at my aunts' house during the weekdays. The house was old, but very spacious. I had my own bedroom that was neat and comfortable and it was there where I spent studying. But it wasn't only studying that I did there. Little did my aunts know, that bedroom with the nice and shiny wooden floors also became my secret gym for my improvised weight training exercises.
Boxing Hobby for Cardio Fitness and Conditioning
One of the sports hobbies I dabbled in during my younger days was boxing. No, it wasn't anything serious or competitive. In fact it was just my brother who I sparred with and this was at our front yard. We had a front yard with concrete paving and was large enough for half-court basketball playing. This was in the early 80's, I believe.
I was just finishing college and my older brother was already working.
Musclehead at the Gym
The Urban Dictionary defines Musclehead as
If you've been working out in fitness centers or gyms, you would've probably seen one. In the first fitness gym I joined, there certainly was one.
"A selfish, narcisstic, egotistical person in the gym or fitness center. One who is a bodybuilder or aspiring strength maniac who usually looks at others with disdain unless they need them for a spot.
They almost never put their weights away when they're done with their exercise -- sometimes leaving a pile of 45's (45-pound plates) next to the machine or leaving a heavy load of plates remaining on the machine."
If you've been working out in fitness centers or gyms, you would've probably seen one. In the first fitness gym I joined, there certainly was one.
Joining my First Fitness Gym
Fresh out of college in the 1980's, I was lucky enough to immediately start working as a Junior Industrial Engineer in a semiconductor company. Since college, living away from my parents' house wasn't new and so I quickly adapted to life in a boarding house.
The boarding house was a quick 5-minute jeepney ride to my work place and so that made it convenient.
But even more convenient was the location of the first fitness gym that I joined. The gym, named ProdiGym, was a good walking distance from my boarding house and was in between my workplace and the boarding house.
The boarding house was a quick 5-minute jeepney ride to my work place and so that made it convenient.
But even more convenient was the location of the first fitness gym that I joined. The gym, named ProdiGym, was a good walking distance from my boarding house and was in between my workplace and the boarding house.
Homemade Parallel Grip Pull Bar - Part 2
(This is the continuation of Part 1)
In a part 1 of this article, I discussed the benefits of a parallel grip as well as the gym exercises you can perform with the aid of a parallel grip pull bar. Discussed here is the procedure on how to make your own parallel grip bar with very basic materials mentioned in Part 1. It is not plated nor shiny like those you see in high-end fitness gym, but it does the job.
Procedure:
The reason you don't need to weld the parts without them being loose is because you are employing the natural tension resulting from the bent steel bar as well as the tightening action created by the steel wire on the steel bar.
There you have it. Except for a some elbow grease to bend and form the steel bar, this project didn't cost me much. It may not look very pretty or fancy, but it does the work.
In summary, here's a video clip for your reference:
Here's a list of links to my homemade gym and exercise equipment:
(with photos and how-to instructions)
In a part 1 of this article, I discussed the benefits of a parallel grip as well as the gym exercises you can perform with the aid of a parallel grip pull bar. Discussed here is the procedure on how to make your own parallel grip bar with very basic materials mentioned in Part 1. It is not plated nor shiny like those you see in high-end fitness gym, but it does the job.
Procedure:
- Bend the 36" steel bar to make up the frame as shown in the photo below. The entire length of the bar will be used without further cutting it.
There are several ways you can bend a steel bar that's 8mm thick. You can insert the bar into a long steel pipe to gain leverage and then bend and twist the pipe to bend the steel bar inside. You can also slip the steel bar in between two steel bars that make up an old window or gate grill.
Bend the steel bar so that one end of the steel bar starts INSIDE the right handle (one of the 5" steel pipes) as shown above. Continue bending so the other end of the steel bar ends inside the right handle as well. That is why you don't see any steel bar ends along the frame.
- Four legs make up the 2 inverted V's of the parallel grip pull bar. The "V" angle is actually 90 degrees. Each leg is 8" long.
- In the duration of bending the steel bar, don't forget to slip it through the left handle (another 5" steel pipe). Since the steel bar is only 8mm while the steel pipe is 1" diameter, the pipe will roll around (more on that in a minute).
- Maintain a distance of 6" between the two inverted V's.
- Once both ends of the steel bar have been inserted inside the right handle, the 2 legs at the right need to be moved closer together so there is no slack. Using pliers or vise grips, bend and form the two ends of the 9" steel wire so they wrap on the 2 legs on the right.
This wire will be the spacer rod that maintains the distance or space between the 2 legs. Ensure that the 2 legs on the right are at a distance of 6" from each other. That means you have 1.5" on each end of the steel wire to wrap on the steel bar.
- To ensure the steel pipe handles don't move or roll around, mix some steel epoxy clay and plug inside the steel pipe.
You don't need to fill the entire length of the pipe, just enough to keep the pipe immobile.
- Allow to dry and cure according to the epoxy curing specifications. The epoxy clay also gives you a smoother finish to the ends of the steel pipe handles.
- You can paint the entire pull bar assembly. I chose to paint the grip handles with a different color for easy visibility as well as aesthetics.
So the frame is blue and the handles are brown.
The reason you don't need to weld the parts without them being loose is because you are employing the natural tension resulting from the bent steel bar as well as the tightening action created by the steel wire on the steel bar.
There you have it. Except for a some elbow grease to bend and form the steel bar, this project didn't cost me much. It may not look very pretty or fancy, but it does the work.
In summary, here's a video clip for your reference:
Here's a list of links to my homemade gym and exercise equipment:
(with photos and how-to instructions)
- Squat Stands
Made from wood and metal fasteners. With three barbell catches.
- Weight Plates and Dumbbell Rack
Made from wood. Features a curling bar stand and sit-up bar
- Parallel Grip Pull Bar
Multi-purpose and all-metal construction. No welding required.
- Adjustable Metal Safety Squat Racks
Height-adjustable squat racks for multiple exercises. No welding required.
- Thick Bar Handles for Barbell or Dumbbells (Fat Grips)
Easy to assemble from pvc. Ideal for strong grip training.
- Physical Therapy Dumbbell Bar
Made from pvc. Accepts standard light weight plates for therapy or rehab.
- Wrist Roller
Tips for wrist, forearm and elbow therapy exercises.
Homemade Parallel Grip Pull Bar
I have found the parallel pull grip to be helpful and so I decided to make one myself with scrap materials or materials that are easy to procure.
Cushioning the Dumbbell Wrist Roller
In a recent entry, I discussed the Wrist Roller exercise that gave instant relief to my tennis elbow pain. In that entry, I described how a regular spin lock dumbbell bar, some standard weight plates and inexpensive items can easily be assembled as exercise equipment to perform the wrist roller exercise.
Somebody commented that some of the spinlock dumbbell bars have threaded parts that can be too rough or too sharp for the palms. I had this same experience when I changed my old dumbbell with a longer type so I could have a medium distance grip on the bar.
Somebody commented that some of the spinlock dumbbell bars have threaded parts that can be too rough or too sharp for the palms. I had this same experience when I changed my old dumbbell with a longer type so I could have a medium distance grip on the bar.
Hula Hoop for Exercise
Last weekend, the kids were with Tita Gay at Divisoria for some bargain-shopping and one of the things Tita Gay got was a discount hula hoop (sometimes spelled "hoola hoop").
Although they had some hula hoop toys before, I don't think any of the kids could really sustain the looping of the hoop at the waist. I know I can't. I've tried the hula hoop and generally quit after only three tries.
And no, I no longer try to learn hula hooping. But I'm always impressed with those (mostly kids) who could get the hoop turning seemingly at will. It's like they could go on forever.
Well, here's DH getting the hula hoop going. That's Renz cheering her on.
Although they had some hula hoop toys before, I don't think any of the kids could really sustain the looping of the hoop at the waist. I know I can't. I've tried the hula hoop and generally quit after only three tries.
And no, I no longer try to learn hula hooping. But I'm always impressed with those (mostly kids) who could get the hoop turning seemingly at will. It's like they could go on forever.
Well, here's DH getting the hula hoop going. That's Renz cheering her on.
How to Build Homemade Squat Stands - Part 4
(This is the continuation of Part 3)
In a previous post of this article series, I mentioned choosing the appropriate lumber for this particular DIY project that will be able to withstand the heavy barbell in your exercises.
This post will discuss some of the other considerations you may need to keep in mind when building homemade fitness equipment out of wood. These are general carpentry-related tasks that can be applied to most wood projects.
In a previous post of this article series, I mentioned choosing the appropriate lumber for this particular DIY project that will be able to withstand the heavy barbell in your exercises.
This post will discuss some of the other considerations you may need to keep in mind when building homemade fitness equipment out of wood. These are general carpentry-related tasks that can be applied to most wood projects.
How to Build Homemade Squat Stands - Part 3
(This is the continuation of Part 2)
As mentioned in a previous post, the Middle Catch of the squat stand is useful for exercises like Bench Presses and Barbell Curls. The Bottom Catch, on the other hand, is useful for exercises like the Upright Rows and Lying Tricep Extensions (French Presses and Skullcrushers).
As mentioned in a previous post, the Middle Catch of the squat stand is useful for exercises like Bench Presses and Barbell Curls. The Bottom Catch, on the other hand, is useful for exercises like the Upright Rows and Lying Tricep Extensions (French Presses and Skullcrushers).
How to Build Homemade Squat Stands - Part 2
(This is the continuation of Part 1)
In a previous entry, I briefly discussed what I considered were important in building my homemade squat stands. Shown below is one of the stands.
In this, and in the next article, I'll discuss how the squat stand is assembled and joined together - from top to bottom. Naturally, you'd be building two of these squat stands.
In a previous entry, I briefly discussed what I considered were important in building my homemade squat stands. Shown below is one of the stands.
In this, and in the next article, I'll discuss how the squat stand is assembled and joined together - from top to bottom. Naturally, you'd be building two of these squat stands.
