Jump to content
Search In
  • More options...
Find results that contain...
Find results in...

Side lever training rig


Colm O'Shea
 Share

Recommended Posts

Colm O'Shea

Fellow GB forum members,

I love this site, and have learned a lot from it. I'd like to offer these simple phone video clips of a side lever training rig I set up. Like many trainees on this site, I don't have ready access to stall bars, so I thought this cheap, fairly simple set up might be of interest to some of you.

Clip 1: http://www.youtube.com/user/colmoshea#p ... iBqxJyOkw4

Clip 2: http://www.youtube.com/user/colmoshea#p ... BDvXrsJbcE

As you can hopefully see from the vids, it involves a few components, most of which I found for free as scrap metal and plastic. The chin-up bar is somewhat costly (about $75, from easychin.com), but I'm guessing many of you have access to a solid chin-up bar already. I also assume most members have fashioned some kind of PBs for yourself too. For the bottom "stall bar" I simply place a short plastic broom handle on the PBs and let it rest against the door frame. That might sound unstable, but I find that if you simply press down on it, it doesn't move. (I haven't fallen yet, anyway, and dropping out of side lever doesn't strike me as especially risky.)

The top "stall bar" is one of those twist-to-tighten chin up bars ($15-20 approx). I slide a metal bar (this needs to be a solid bar: I tried it with a plastic broom handle but they bend too much) through the top-most chin bar, then secure it with door stops (small plastic/rubber things you can get in your hardware store for a buck). The doorstops generate friction against the lintel, so the overhead bar (the one holding up your hips) doesn't move about as you train. This is important, because if the bar moves around, it throws off your balance.

I'm wearing an old climbing harness with a standard carabiner. Here in NYC, the stretch bands cost about $16 for a pack of three, and they're so versatile I think they're worth it.

Perhaps purists here will think this is all a bit too elaborate, or that using bands is cheating, but I really enjoy training without any frustration, just grabbing the bar and (almost) effortlessly performing reps without the need for a human spotter. I think the addiction is for measurable progress. With the bands, I know how much support I'm getting, and how much I'm improving from week to week (switching from the heavy blue to the lighter green to the lightest red). Perhaps you may enjoy such a set-up too.

Happy training,

Colm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
Colm O'Shea

Pimped-out doorway! I never thought of it that way, but you're right. I guess this is the natural result of a concentrated desire to have regular access to a fully-equipped gym, but only having a few square feet free in which to train in the real world. A dream crammed in under the narrow lintel of reality.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Please review our Privacy Policy at Privacy Policy before using the forums.