{"id":31432,"date":"2013-03-21T17:54:25","date_gmt":"2013-03-21T22:54:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/?p=31432"},"modified":"2021-06-01T11:12:37","modified_gmt":"2021-06-01T16:12:37","slug":"how-to-build-the-ultimate-bodyweight-gym-using-only-pvc-pipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/health-fitness\/fitness\/how-to-build-the-ultimate-bodyweight-gym-using-only-pvc-pipe\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Build the Ultimate Bodyweight Gym (Using Only PVC Pipe)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Home<\/p>\n

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Todd Kuslikis<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Men strive for efficiency. We are creatures that look for ways of getting the maximum amount of benefit from the least amount of time invested. We look for the straightest path to achieve our goals. That\u2019s why I am always confused why so many men wake up hours before work to fight traffic to get to the gym, elbow people while looking for a locker, and wait for others to get off exercise machines…Ugh! No thank you.<\/p>\n

I prefer to stay at home and do a short and intense workout before heading off to work. But as I mentioned above, men care about efficiency AND results. We want the big biceps and chiseled chest and we know that doing a bunch of no-weight push ups and squats just ain\u2019t gonna cut it. We need to do exercises that challenge our muscles in new ways and force them to fatigue in low rep ranges (which is the key to muscle growth).<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t have the resources to shell out $1,000 for a Bowflex or other home gym system I have the perfect solution for you. A complete home gym made out of PVC. There is nothing manlier than building your own piece of fitness equipment.<\/p>\n

I am going to lead you step-by-step through the process of creating your own PVC home gym. And it will cost you less than $150. Also at the end of the article I will give you a full 3-month routine that you can follow on your new PVC home gym. Stay tuned towards the bottom of the post as well for a video that shows how to do the various workouts, as well as vocal directions on building the gym.<\/p>\n

You might be thinking to yourself, \u201cI could never build something like that. The last thing I built was a mangled bird house in high school shop class and even a freezing bird in a hail storm wouldn\u2019t step foot in it.<\/i>\u201d Let me tell you that I am much more like Tim Taylor than Bob Vila. I have never built a deck, fixed a leaky faucet, or even assembled a model airplane. If I can do it you can too.<\/p>\n

What Equipment Do I Need?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"DIY

This picture shows you everything you need. Bring the below list with you to Home Depot or your nearest hardware store and have them cut the PVC for you. Trust me when I say it will be a lot easier than doing it yourself and it won\u2019t cost you anything extra.<\/p><\/div>\n

Here is a full list of everything you need:<\/em><\/p>\n

PVC Fittings (everything below is 1.5 inches wide)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Eight elbow pieces (one end needs to be male and the other female)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    \"PVC<\/p>\n

      \n
    • One cross piece<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      \"Vintage<\/p>\n

        \n
      • One connector piece\"Vintage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
          \n
        • 25 “T” section pieces\"Vintage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n


          \nPVC Pipes (everything is 1.5 inches wide; if you weigh more than 180lbs, I recommend getting 2-inch-wide PVC pipes)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

            \n
          • 10 1-foot PVC pipes<\/li>\n
          • 1 1-foot 1-inch PVC pipe<\/li>\n
          • 18 2-foot PVC pipes<\/li>\n
          • 2 2-foot 3.5-inch PVC pipes<\/li>\n
          • 6 4-foot PVC pipes<\/li>\n
          • 1 4-foot 3-inch pipe<\/li>\n
          • 2 4-foot 8.5-inch pipes<\/li>\n
          • 1 5-foot 3.5-inch pipe<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Other Important Materials<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

              \n
            • Rope (you’ll use this for hanging rings)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              \"Vintage<\/p>\n

                \n
              • 2 1-inch-wide, 6-inch-long metal pipes (or you can use 6-inch PVC pipe pieces which is what I ended up using)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                \"Vintage<\/p>\n

                  \n
                • PVC Cement and Primer (You use this to chemically bond the pieces together. In the video near the bottom of this post, I\u2019ll show you which pieces to bond together and which ones to keep separated so you can still transport the gym if you decide to put it in another room. Also, before you cement the pieces together make sure that you know how to put everything together properly.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  \"Vintage<\/p>\n

                  PVC Gym Blueprint Guide<\/strong><\/h3>\n

                  \"Plans<\/p>\n

                  How to Build Your PVC Home Gym<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                  \"Vintage

                  Step 1: Attach your two-foot pipes into a T section and elbow as shown above. This will be one side of the base of the gym. Make sure the opening of your T section is pointed up.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 2: Attach a T sections and 1-foot pipe on the left end as shown. Also attach a 1-foot pipe into the T section you had already placed. You are creating your parallel bars now.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 3: Attach T sections to the top of the one-foot sections. Make sure to pay attention to how they are attached. One set will be horizontal (left side). The other set will be vertical (right side). Both should have openings toward each other.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 4: Insert your two 4-foot 8.5-inch sections as your cross bars.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 5: Insert two 1-foot pipes into the T sections on the right side.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 6: Insert two T sections and two 2-foot pipes on top of the 1-foot pipes you just attached.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 7: Insert two more T sections and two more 2-foot sections on top of what you just attached.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 8: Start building the base for right side of the gym. Insert two 2-foot pipes into your T section (pointed up) and elbow piece as shown. Do this twice.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 9: Insert 1-foot pipes into the T section openings.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 10: Insert two T sections so that the openings are facing each other.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 11: Insert 1-foot pipes into the top of the T sections.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 12: Insert a T section on top of the one-foot PVC pipe you just attached and make sure the opening is facing towards the other side of the gym. Then insert a 4-foot pipe as a cross beam for your gym.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 13: Insert a two-foot pipe into the top of the T section and another T section on top of that. Make sure it is pointed inward towards the other side of the gym.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 14: Place your next cross beam (4-foot pipe) into the ends of the open T sections.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 15: Place your last 2-foot pipes into your open T sections.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 16: Insert your elbow joints so that the smaller openings are facing inward and towards each other, perpendicular to the cross beams.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 17: Attach T sections so that the middle opening is facing horizontally from your elbow joints. This is critically important to get right, so before you cement everything in place make sure you have this correct.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 18: Insert your last 4-foot PVC pipe sections into the T section openings.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 19: Insert your 4-foot 3-inch section into the open T section holes above the parallel bars.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 20: Insert your 1-foot 1-inch PVC pipe into the cross section. Attach the connector piece at the other end.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 21: Insert your 2-foot 3.5-inch pipes on both sides of the cross section as shown.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 22: Insert your 2-foot sections on both sides of your last open T sections and put another T section facing downward in between the 2-foot pipes.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 23: Insert your 5-foot 3.5-inch pipe vertically into the open T sections as shown.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  \"Step

                  Step 24: Cement in place and attach rings and duct tape for grip. To see specifics of taping\/cementing, jump to the 15-minute mark of the video below.<\/p><\/div>\n

                  Full Video On How To Build The PVC Home Gym and 27 Exercises To Do On It <\/b><\/h3>\n