What's The Best Starter Equipment?

Hi all,

I'm new to GB and just getting started. I'm ordering extreme rings and have a workout designed from the book.

My guess is that I'll need only a mini-parralel bar set, at least a few inches of the ground and long. I can't afford real parralel bars and am not too handy. Can anyone suggest a solution?

Jeremy

I've seen a lot of people using PVC pipe & T-connectors.

PVC pipe parallettes work great and are pretty simple to do, even if you do feel like you're "not too handy." Only really requires cutting the pipes to length, and then jamming them all together. You might not even need to cut them if you can get the place you purchase them from to cut them to the appropriate lengths for you.

Two videos that helped me a lot:

Remember, not too long and not to hight; it's the key to work better, safer and in a resistant way.

And no worries about "not too handly", I think than most of us are not but because of our enthusiasm for this type of training (and above all, save money) we get into whatever is necessary... even DIY stuff!! To see oneself with a hack saw, PVC pipes and so on, building a set of parallettes without ever touch anything about woodwork/carpentry... it's priceless!

If you're going the PVC parallettes route, make sure you use cement! Otherwise they may break.

Definitely pay attention to two things:

1) The legs should be capped. That will make the paralletes much more stable.

2) You don't need to cement the vertical pieces, but the horizontal pieces should all be cemented together. The legs should be cemented to the T fitting, and the hand grip should be cemented to the 90 degree elbows. The vertical piece that connects the hand grip to the feet may be left uncemented, as gravity is more than enough. This allows for easy packing and storage if you travel or have a small place.

Finally: Please make sure you're using Schedule 40 PVC. If you are in any way unsure, ask an employee to help you. One stick of 1.5" Schedule 40 PVC should cost you 3-4 dollars I believe, and you'll need four 90 degree elbows and 4 T fittings. PVC cement will cost another few bucks, and each fitting will be around 2 dollars I think. They make a killing on those things.

These are very inexpensive, very useful pieces.

I will recommend you make 6" vertical pieces but you may prefer up to 8. Mine are taller than this and I wish I had made them shorter. The fittings will each provide another inch or so of lift, so with 8" vertical pieces you'll have over a foot of clearance from the ground as measured from the top of the hand piece. That's why I recommend 6" vertical pieces... the paralletes will be much more stable this way.

I would highly recommend skipping the PVC and making wooden bars. They are significantly more stable, easier to put together and due to their length can be used for pirouette work as well as other things. Cost $35 at Home Depot.

Stefanhote, thanners, Letance, Rik, Joshua, Alex.....THANKS!

PVC Parraletts are the way to go. Those videos are great -- make it easier than Ikea! Thanks Lefance.

Joshua, the 8 inch height suffices for most of the statics and exercises huh? I guess dips can be done without the full height, especially putting the legs outward. Why not higher?

Only thing about wood is, where to get it? I do live near a woodlot, but, I might get in trouble if I sawed down a tree round here. City bylaws and all.... Any thoughts?

Wait, I missed these can be found at Home Depot. I'll have to check those out.

I like PVC parallettes that aren't glued together because it makes them portable. Wood is nice, it's always nice.

If Blairbob's posted in the thread, you're probably overthinking it.

HEY!

Blairbob said:

HEY!

That's because you were mentioning it like every other thread before the update. I'll take it out now.

Hey folks,

I've been waiting and waiting for this rotator cuff and tendonisis issue to resolve so I can start training. Finally getting better, and was woundering what anyone thought of these Rings here:

http://www.ultimatebodypress.com/gymnastic-rings.html

Also I thought this set would be good for home use:

http://www.ultimatebodypress.com/pull-up-dip-station-power-tower.html

It looks kind've hockey, but at the same time, allows a lot of stuff to be done at home at low cost.

Any thoughts?

Jeremy

I have the dip station, and it's been good for regular dips, but not sure about more advanced dip progressions.

As to the rings why not order Coach Sommer's rings, and show your support.

Jeremy said:

I was woundering 

Is that what you do when you are injured and thinking about it too much?

stefanhinote said:

why not order Coach Sommer's rings, and show your support.

Good thinking here!

Fred: this is what I think about when I need equipment to do the progressions provided in the Building the GB book which I purchased.

As for "showing support" through buying rings from GB, that would depend. Are the rings sold by a business or a non-profit?

Jeremy said:

Fred: this is what I think about when I need equipment to do the progressions provided in the Building the GB book which I purchased.

 

As for "showing support" through buying rings from GB, that would depend. Are the rings sold by a business or a non-profit?

I imagine they are sold by a business (Sommer), and that business also happens to run this board out of their pocket for the benefit of us.

^^ above

I see nothing wrong with supporting a business that brings value to your life...

The best starter equipment is whatever you already have available. Don't let yourself procrastinate because of a perceived deficiency in equipment. 

However, if you're already started, and wondering what equipment will be most beneficial for augmenting your training, rings and a set of parallettes will get you a very long way.