Homemade GHR Unit

[biz]

I'm pondering building a homemade GHR unit, and I was wondering if anybody has done this themselves or seen other DIY GHR units. I've done only a little searching and haven't found anything. I've done a couple rough sketches and have an idea of how I'd go about it, but it'd be nice to see other homemade units if there are any online and maybe get some advice or suggestions.

[cathal]

i hook my feet under a door mounted pullup bar that is mounted low in the doorway. a cushion will prevent any discomfort on your legs

[biz]

I'd like something that will allow me include the back extension as described in this portion of Coach Sommer's article on the movement:

Now allow your chest to drop forward until you are hanging vertically upside down and then, utilizing the lower back, lift the torso up to horizontal.

But using a doorway pullup bar set low and cushion is a great, simple idea, which I hadn't thought of (perhaps, in addition to wanting the afore mentioned movement included, it's because I don't have a doorway pullup bar I can set low). I may do that instead, but even if I don't, I'll definitely keep that one in mind, thanks.

[Blairbob]

Yoga ball. Hook feet under your couch...or something.

[George]

Some made something like that here (w/f safe):
> http://www.leanandhungryfitness.com/content_show.cfm/content_id.21308

George.

[Bissen]

I use a pull-up door bar too, but I tie a cotton belt (karate) to it, that I can put my feet into - makes it a little more comfortable for me.

[Mr Brady]

I use my bookshelf, i secured one of the shelves with some nails so it doesn't lift, bolster over the legs. My rings are set up in line with the shelf, so sometimes i'll hang a rubber band from there for extra ROM with my current strength level.

[biomieg]

Didn't Slizzardman make a body lever/GHR platform? I think he shows it in his home gym video. I want to build a similar construction myself. Slizzardman, would you mind sharing your ideas with us (and maybe also upload a short video in which you demonstrate the use of the platform? )

[slizzardman]

Yea man, so what I did was buy a 1 inch thick piece of plywood and some 1 inch PVC. In retrospect, I would suggest that you use threaded metal pipe if you can spare the extra 20 bucks. One 10 foot pipe of 3/4 inch rigid metal conduit should only be around 15 bucks, so get one of those at home depot and get one 2 foot piece, two 10 inch pieces, and four 8 inch pieces cut and threaded. Now all you need are two 3/4 inch 90 degree elbows and two 3/4 inch T junctions. Don't buy galvanized if you don't have to, the galvanized fittings are a dollar more. Regardless, total cost should be around 60 bucks. 80-90 if you need to buy pipe wrench(es). I recommend at least one. All you do is basically make a parallete, but with the uprights going through the plywood and with the base below the plywood. Does that make sense? I would use metal because it doesn't flex AND it is threaded, so you don't have to worry about glue popping. It's worth the money in my opinion. I used PVC so I ended up using rope to secure the middle so there wouldn't be any flex. You can brace it with 1x4's on the bottom, or a second layer of plywood if you don't make it too long.

Plywood comes in 4x8 foot sections, so the easy setups are 2 foot x 8 foot or 4x4 foot if you double layer with 1 piece. I have a single layer and it works ok for me, but the double layer may appeal to some of you. It is honestly the easiest thing besides paralletes to make. You just put your metal parallete through the wood around a foot away from the edge. I would suggest using the 4x4 set up if you do a double layer, or running 2x4 rails underneath, just for extra support and a perfectly flat surface. You can use bigger pipe if you want, but everything gets more expensive. I used pipe insulation as a pad, but I find that I don't need it so I took it off. For the metal you may want to use it. I wouldn't glue the padding on, because you may want to use the bare bar for the body levers.