Homemade T-bar Pad Row
- Thread starter quadancer
- Start date
Here is the way I attached the row bar to the barbell bar. It's some kind of electrical bracket that had a loop the size of the spin locks. Also to note: your spinners have that raised circle that is 2" and fits into your olympic plates. The hang bracket I made from a garage door part that held a pulley. It's about 3/8" thick, and should hold 900 lbs. easy if the 2x4 leg will.
scientific muscle
New Member
Very nice quadancer!!!
I am a mechanical person myself and you have insprired me to build a t-bar row. Probably something very similar.
Excellent design.
I am a mechanical person myself and you have insprired me to build a t-bar row. Probably something very similar.
Excellent design.
I could give you specs, but it's built for me: 5'11" tall. When on the board, your nipples are at the top edge, giving you enough free movement in the shoulder/arm area. The feet I put on the back bench, but am thinking of adding a pipe across like footpegs, using a couple of U-bolts. You'll need enough height for the weight to clear the floor when holding whatever handles you use of course, and put the rest 1" above that. That way, if you go to failure, you only have to raise it 1" to park it.
Anyhoo, that was my mode of thought in the building process.
Anyhoo, that was my mode of thought in the building process.
stevejones
Member
<div>
(quadancer @ Dec. 16 2006,23:58)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I could give you specs, but it's built for me: 5'11" tall. When on the board, your nipples are at the top edge, giving you enough free movement in the shoulder/arm area. The feet I put on the back bench, but am thinking of adding a pipe across like footpegs, using a couple of U-bolts. You'll need enough height for the weight to clear the floor when holding whatever handles you use of course, and put the rest 1" above that. That way, if you go to failure, you only have to raise it 1" to park it.
Anyhoo, that was my mode of thought in the building process.</div>
How do you keep the rear of the barbell (where your feet are) from moving ? Is it locked into something
(quadancer @ Dec. 16 2006,23:58)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I could give you specs, but it's built for me: 5'11" tall. When on the board, your nipples are at the top edge, giving you enough free movement in the shoulder/arm area. The feet I put on the back bench, but am thinking of adding a pipe across like footpegs, using a couple of U-bolts. You'll need enough height for the weight to clear the floor when holding whatever handles you use of course, and put the rest 1" above that. That way, if you go to failure, you only have to raise it 1" to park it.
Anyhoo, that was my mode of thought in the building process.</div>
How do you keep the rear of the barbell (where your feet are) from moving ? Is it locked into something
Very nice job Quad. OK, so what's wrong with a barbell shoved in the corner of the room and only weighted at one end, then holding one of those close-grip, seated row handles under the bar to perform the exercise? Much less bother I would have thought plus it would take up much less space when not in use.
I can see youl'd need to pad the end so it didn't ruin your skirting boards!
Maybe the end of the bar by the wall jumps up too easily? In which case I'd have built some kind of uni-joint and fixed it to the floor so I could push the end of the bar in to it when I wanted to use it.
I can see youl'd need to pad the end so it didn't ruin your skirting boards!
Maybe the end of the bar by the wall jumps up too easily? In which case I'd have built some kind of uni-joint and fixed it to the floor so I could push the end of the bar in to it when I wanted to use it.
You got it Lol.
a.) the bar will ruin the baseboards
b.) the bar will raise up if not held down somehow
c.) the bar must be able to pivot
d.) my t-bar unit uses a chest pad to isolate my lower back from the exersize. Many commercial units are just stupid frames with a pivot bearing and the bar with handles. For only $200-350.00!!!
If your lower back is okay for the lifts, then here is a suggestion: My unit has a 4x4 block with a 2-1/8" hole drilled 1/3 of the way through; that's what the end of the bar sits in, then the box at the end is just 1x material wrapped around the block, with a flat on top for the 25 lb. plate counterweights. That part would be all you'd need, with some carpet on the backside to sit against a wall with a plate on it to hold it down for you. You can either just grab the bar with your hands, or use a seated row handle as you said, or there is a way to do it with bicycle handlebars, but I'd be afraid of bending those. I personally want something that will not slide around when I'm pulling. I've seen it done with the ropes, but you need a great grip (aka Steve) for that. If you want to use an olympic bar, just drill the 'pocket' with a 2-1/2" to 2-3/4" hole saw, paddle bit, or Forstner bit. Go 1-1/2" deep.
With my bad #4 lumbar, I have to isolate with the chest pad, but I can go ****-heavy this way. For some reason I have awesome pulling strength...I remember using five plates back when I went to the gym.
a.) the bar will ruin the baseboards
b.) the bar will raise up if not held down somehow
c.) the bar must be able to pivot
d.) my t-bar unit uses a chest pad to isolate my lower back from the exersize. Many commercial units are just stupid frames with a pivot bearing and the bar with handles. For only $200-350.00!!!
If your lower back is okay for the lifts, then here is a suggestion: My unit has a 4x4 block with a 2-1/8" hole drilled 1/3 of the way through; that's what the end of the bar sits in, then the box at the end is just 1x material wrapped around the block, with a flat on top for the 25 lb. plate counterweights. That part would be all you'd need, with some carpet on the backside to sit against a wall with a plate on it to hold it down for you. You can either just grab the bar with your hands, or use a seated row handle as you said, or there is a way to do it with bicycle handlebars, but I'd be afraid of bending those. I personally want something that will not slide around when I'm pulling. I've seen it done with the ropes, but you need a great grip (aka Steve) for that. If you want to use an olympic bar, just drill the 'pocket' with a 2-1/2" to 2-3/4" hole saw, paddle bit, or Forstner bit. Go 1-1/2" deep.
With my bad #4 lumbar, I have to isolate with the chest pad, but I can go ****-heavy this way. For some reason I have awesome pulling strength...I remember using five plates back when I went to the gym.
stevejones
Member
Very cool
scientific muscle
New Member
Alright Quad, ya got me I am lazy and have put off designing and building a rowing machine so far.
I really want one of these lately, but with my wife preggo I can't justify dropping the dough for a heavy-duty rowing machine, so I am finally designing the specs tonight and building it this weekend.
I may be PMing you for some specs or insights later.
I really want one of these lately, but with my wife preggo I can't justify dropping the dough for a heavy-duty rowing machine, so I am finally designing the specs tonight and building it this weekend.
I may be PMing you for some specs or insights later.
scientific muscle
New Member
Yeah, my design will be slightly different but based on yours. Toughness and ergonomics will be top priority. Thanks for the tip, I will consider that in my design.
<div>
(quadancer @ Jan. 10 2008,20:21)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">You may encounter a problem with rows later as I did...you get so strong in time that you wind up pulling yourself up off the seatpad every rep, even with the feet positioned almost straight in front of you.
Irritating.</div>
Why couldn't you weigh down the front feet of the T-bar stand?
(quadancer @ Jan. 10 2008,20:21)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">You may encounter a problem with rows later as I did...you get so strong in time that you wind up pulling yourself up off the seatpad every rep, even with the feet positioned almost straight in front of you.
Irritating.</div>
Why couldn't you weigh down the front feet of the T-bar stand?
scientific muscle
New Member
I finished my T-bar Row machine. Obviously it was inspired by Quadancer's design, but I took his input about the counter-balance and leverage problems with his and re-designed it with better balance and leverage. I absolutely love it, it hits the mid-back muscles like nothing I else!I have problems doing regular pendlay rows, hamstring inflexibility and long spine cause me to feel it in low back way more than anything else. Plus I have a huge problem using good form with Pendlay's when they get heavier. Not worth the risk: if I get injured, I am out of business!
scientific muscle
New Member
It rests at the perfect height to grap and rep...that was important since I train mostly max-stim style.
the_dark_master
New Member
Nice (E61 typings a bit of a chore!)
scientific muscle
New Member
No, some other brand, now I wear olympic lifting shoes as absorbtion is widely considered a negative when squatting and deadlifting, its better to have very firm soles for support. The less 'squishy' the better for lifting.