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How to Build a Gym out of Wood
If you are a regular gym person who commutes to gym every day or three times a week then you will know very well all about dealing with occupied training equipment, monthly gym fees, hygiene concerns, looking for parking etc. We’re not going to list the many other concerns that you have to get used to when training at a gym, from wearing the appropriate training gear to getting fresh air, there are many.
Something you may not have considered when you pay your monthly gym fees in advance, is that every day you don’t train is pushing up the cost of each workout you do at the gym. The average commercial gym is designed to suit the masses, with fancy isolation machines and TV’s, but these expensive facilities are not going to help you train more efficiently or effectively.
Setting up your own garage gym to be a highly effective and efficient training facility is actually simpler, and cheaper than you might think. You need to build your workout space so that it suits your performance. Some of the strongest and fittest people on our planet train in their garage gyms regularly. There’s a good reason for that, because they have less equipment, less isolation exercises and a lot less junk, they train more efficiently.
Whether you decide to build your own equipment out of wood or you look around for good second hand deals is up to you. It is worth considering that even if you spent as much as $500 in setting up your own garage gym, it would pay for itself within a year, compared to your gym fees, your travel and parking costs.
Building a gym out of wood should start with a power rack because you can use it for squats and bench-press.
First step is to purchase four 8 foot posts and then trim them from 8 feet to 7 feet. You also need to purchase three 2" x 8" boards and then cut those in half. When your posts are trimmed down to 7 feet you need to drill the holes that will hold your barbell. From the top of the post to the bottom about 4 inches apart, so that you can do bench-press as well as squats.
So now on the 2 posts in the front of your power rack using a 1’14” drill bit you should start at about 2 feet from the top and the bottom. You also need to drill the two posts in the middle for your safety bar which will go through both posts. You then drill 6 additional holes on the middle posts starting above your last hole using a 7/8" bit. These additional holes are to set the bar on.
This means a total of 36 holes. After drilling your front and middle posts you then need to fasten all of the 3 posts together with your side braces and lay it out on the ground. When these 3 posts are positioned front and rear, measure 28 inches from the back of your front post so you can place your middle pose, and mark it.
Using a clamp, you then attach your front post to the top of your cross brace, then do the middle post, then your rear post. You need to do this when your posts are standing up so you can use a level to ascertain they were straight and level with each other.
Lay the 3 posts down and fasten the cross pieces, one across bottom back, one on the top back, and one across top, which is in front of your middle post. If you have braced your cross beams correctly using suitable screws you will then have your power rack ready to use as soon as you have the weights and possibly a bench that can also be easily made with wood. See plans below.
For more great build your own exercise equipment ideas checkout Fast & Easy Home Gym Plans
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