Strongman Equipment (DIY)

Strongman training can get you jacked, like Mariusz Pudzianowski and Rob Orlando. Strongman is awesome. This is an indisputable fact. Anyone can do strongman training. Everyone should do strongman training.

1. You don't have to be strong - Strongman training will MAKE you strong
2. You don't have to be rich - You can make the equipment yourself, and most of it is super cheap
3. You don't even have to be a man - Women will benefit from strongman (strongperson?) training

This post will give a real quick overview of strongman equipment, how it is used, and a sketch of how you could make it yourself. As I write more in-depth articles about each topic, I'll link to them here.

Strongman Training Equipment

Here's a list of some basic equipment used in strongman training:

• Atlas Stones (and stone platforms)
• Kegs
• Tractor Tires
• Farmer's Carry Handles
• Sled
• Yoke
• Log
• Heavy dumbbells

Atlas Stones (and stone platforms)

Ahh, the Atlas Stone. There's something so primal about stone lifting. Want a free "Atlas Stone"? Go find a big rock, load into your car or truck -- BOOM! I doubt you'll find a perfect sphere, but that'll just make it more awkward to lift and more taxing to train with. Awesome. You can buy a mold online from Rogue Fitness, either a Slater's or Hybrid Fitness mold, then fill it with concrete, but that's a bit expensive. Get your buddies to pitch in and you can make multiple stones from one mold.

If you can't afford the molds but still want a spherical stone, you should try: the cheapest way to make your own Atlas Stone. Using paper mache, it creates a nice spherical stone for much less than any other method I've seen. I've seen people use plaster of paris, but that is still fairly expensive. If you want a platform to load your stone onto, use a 55 gallon drum with a tire on it.

 
Some places to get a 55 gallon drum for cheap/free: local bottler, car wash, city water plant, floor cleaning service, or Craigslist (usually for $15-20 per barrel)

Kegs

These are a lot of fun to lift. You can get empty keg shells from any liquor store for the standard deposit fee. Or you could get a full keg, drink the beer, and keep the shell. Either way, it's cheap.

Once you have your empty keg, depressurize it, then open it so you can fill it with water or sand. The most annoying part is getting the spring out... use a pair of needle-nosed pliers. This video is helpful:

Fill it as full as you want it, then close it back up (we just pushed the spring back in, but you can use a size 12 rubber plug).

Tractor Tires

Flipping tractor tires is fun and an awesome workout. They're also great for hitting with a sledgehammer. The best part? They are FREE! You just have to haul them where you want them.

 DO NOT PAY FOR A TIRE! Seriously, don't do it. Tire suppliers have to pay to dispose of scrap tires, and will be glad to let you take them off their hands. Just call a tire supplier in your area. If they don't deal with tractor tires, they should know somewhere that does.

Farmer's Carry Handles

I love my farmer's carry handles. These are a lot of fun, simple to use, and devastatingly effective. Your grip will thank you. My friend welded these for me, basically two steel pipes:

 
Here's the simplest and cheapest method I've found online to making these:

 
 Here's the best and cheapest place to buy them online: Pitbull Strongman Equipment. Check the pictures for pricing ($105 shipped as of 8/3/2013). It's weird that it's through Facebook, but this guy is legit.

Sled

A dragging sled will improve recovery between heavy lifting days. It's also a fun tool to improve your conditioning. DIY Tire Sled: Get a truck tire (DO NOT PAY FOR A TIRE!, see above), drill a hole in it, put an eyebolt in the hole, attach a carabiner to a chain with a piece of tow rope and PULL! Throw a piece of plywood inside and as much weight as you want to increase resistance. Here's the video where this idea came from:

Yoke

A yoke is a bar attached to weights below it that is picked up across the shoulders like a squat and walked. Here's a picture:

 Here's the best cheap adjustable homemade yoke I found. Basically, just two metal barrels attached to a steel bar with chain filled with sand and weights. Here's the best non-adjustable homemade yoke I found. It's simply two 4x4s in concrete with a bar across the top.

You can buy a yoke from Pitbull Strongman Equipment, but it's expensive ($290 shipped, as of 8/3/2013).

Log

I don't have a log, can't afford it (yet). It looks possible to build one yourself, but quite challenging. I didn't find any simple methods of making your own log. Here's one of the few tutorials I found for making your own log:

  You can buy a log from Pitbull Strongman Equipment, but it's expensive ($225 shipped, as of 3/10/2012 *UPDATE - The 10" log is currently out of production and the 12" log is $355 shipped (8/3/2013)).

Heavy dumbbells

Good for heavy one-armed clean and jerk, snatches, and presses. Look on Craigslist for great deals. Homemade dumbbell handles: Get some 2" pipe and cut it to however long you want, then use some grip tape to edge off the handles, or if you can use galvanized pipe and couplings and some old school twist on clamps.

Miscellaneous Additional Equipment

Here's a few additional items to round out your training arsenal:

1. Thick Bar Training - You could buy a special bar. OR, you could get some Fat Gripz, and turn any bar into a thick bar; cheap and easy, I like. 

1. T-Handle - Kettlebells are expensive. Here's how to make a cheap, adjustable, kettlebell-like handle for doing swings.
2. Sandbags - Fill a canvas duffle bag with wood pellets = fast, easy, cheap sandbags!
3. Slosh Pipe - invented by Dan John: Take a length of PVC pipe, fill it up to 2/3 with water, and cap the ends. 

What do you think? Tell me about your experiences making your own equipment. Let me know if you've discovered any better ways of making this stuff. GET BIG