Click Here For Free World Fitness Magazine Subscription
How to Build a Workout Bench Out of Wood
If you are a bodybuilder/weight trainer who has joined a gym and been training on a regular basis, then you will know all about waiting for a machine or a dumbbell because it’s being used by someone else. This can play havoc with your training strategy, especially when doing a movement like drop sets.
Some gyms are closed over the weekend and some are simply too full of people when you want to train. This just gets you frustrated because you can literally feel your pump disappearing while waiting for someone to finish with a barbell you want to use, or a machine that has two people lining up even before you get there.
Most people join a gym because they simply can’t afford the $2000 it will cost to purchase any decent home equipment, even if it is second hand. But there is a solution if you are prepared to innovate a little. From getting cables for a lat pulldown machine from a scrapyard to finding metal pipes at building sites for your barbells, you need to innovate to make it work.
Whether you spend a couple of hundred dollars or less on your weights from Craigslist or you purchase weights from old weight training machines, you are still going to need a solid, clean workbench to do movements like bench-press, lying triceps extensions etc.
Depending where you live you could easily build a workout bench out of wood for less than $20. Below we have briefly outlined the steps you should take to create this working bench. It will not only always be something that will be available to train with, but it could easily be used for anything from a coffee table to a spare bed.
The first thing you’re going to need is 2 X 8-foot planks. They will cost you around $8 each, but you should get them to cut these two boards by 40 inches so that you are left with two wooden boards 5.5" X 1.5". You then cut seven 2 X 4 pieces that are about 11" each.
You’ll easily find an 8 foot 2 X 4 piece of wood at your nearest Home Depot or hardware store. You should ask them to cut seven 11-inch segments at a cost of around $5 for the cutting. You are also going to need about 32 deck screws, or drywall screws or just plain brass wood screws about 2.5” to 3” long. 1lb of these wood screws should cost you about $5. You should make sure that you choose wooden planks that are not warped and are free of any knots, splits or any other significant damage.
It is important to connect the 11-inch legs and the support, underneath the two 5.5” boards, using screws and wood glue and not nails, so that you avoid splitting the boards. Often just drilling a small pilot-hole will ease the task putting the screws in, and applying the wood glue.
You could use a sponge on top of the bench but that can cost, so to save money you should rather just cover the top of the bench with an old carpet cut to size. It’s easy to double the thickness by using double the carpet so it doesn’t pinch into your back when you push a weight upwards.
For more great build your own exercise equipment ideas checkout Fast & Easy Home Gym Plans
Health | Weight Loss | Exercise
Fitness Magazine | Articles | eBooks | Store | Personals | Forum | Contact
Click Here For Free World Fitness Magazine Subscription
DISCLAIMER: The material on this site is for informational purposes only and not intended to replace professional, medical recommendations or common sense. This site, owners and employees accept no responsibility for injury or damage arising from the use or misuse of the information provided..
