Reactive Training Systems

Nick Morneau · Senior Member

Building your home gym?

BobW · Senior Member

Very cool. Post pics when you're done.

RE: Boxes. Check out http://www.davedraper.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/17746/ , about the second page of the thread. I think this idea just rocks for adjustable boxes, and would probably work for DL blocks as well.

The standard platform recommended by Ironmind is 2 layers of 3/4" plywood glued-n-screwed. You can find plans at http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/ironmind/Main/homesweathome6.html

I would think that using 2 layers of 3/4" plywood, and then putting your gym mat on top of that would be adequate. Plywood is relatively cheap, I'd rather be safe than sorry in this case.

TRON · Senior Member

Good lifting in Montreal this weekend
For what it is worth
Here is what I am running in my basement.
I am sure If I took more time I could have came up with something even better but this has been working perfectly for me (and taking abuse) going on 2 years now...

Platform
- 2 tongue and groove plywoods running vertically so that the seam would be in between my feet. There is carpet underneath. The plywood is grooved into each other and I have flushmount bracketed the plywoods together.
- 2 horse stall mats on top running the same way as the plywoods so the seam would be in between my feet. I have screwed with washers the horse stall mats (in places where the screw heads would not get in my way) to the platform beneath. This also keeps the stall mats flush.
- the back of my power rack is held down by 2 - 50 KG plates
- I have fastened L-Brackets to the front of my racck with self tapping screws and then screwed the L-Brackets through the rubber into the plywood beneath.
- I have my plate trees sitting toward the front of the rack in each corner

Deadlift Boxes
- created a frame with 4 cuts of 2x8's and fastened together with long fence\deck type screws
- two layers of plywood on top
- very thin layer of rubber on top (bought at home depot from roll in rug section)
- 2 quarter inch strappings on opposing ends of box to keep bar from rolling off
- this gets the barbell a approx 2" underneath the bottom of my kneecap
- has taken a lot of abuse so far

Nick Morneau · Senior Member

TRON wrote:

Good lifting in Montreal this weekend
For what it is worth
Here is what I am running in my basement.
I am sure If I took more time I could have came up with something even better but this has been working perfectly for me (and taking abuse) going on 2 years now...

Platform
- 2 tongue and groove plywoods running vertically so that the seam would be in between my feet. There is carpet underneath. The plywood is grooved into each other and I have flushmount bracketed the plywoods together.
- 2 horse stall mats on top running the same way as the plywoods so the seam would be in between my feet. I have screwed with washers the horse stall mats (in places where the screw heads would not get in my way) to the platform beneath. This also keeps the stall mats flush.
- the back of my power rack is held down by 2 - 50 KG plates
- I have fastened L-Brackets to the front of my racck with self tapping screws and then screwed the L-Brackets through the rubber into the plywood beneath.
- I have my plate trees sitting toward the front of the rack in each corner

Deadlift Boxes
- created a frame with 4 cuts of 2x8's and fastened together with long fence\deck type screws
- two layers of plywood on top
- very thin layer of rubber on top (bought at home depot from roll in rug section)
- 2 quarter inch strappings on opposing ends of box to keep bar from rolling off
- this gets the barbell a approx 2" underneath the bottom of my kneecap
- has taken a lot of abuse so far

Thanks. I had loads of fun for my first contest. I still have alot of stuff to work on to catch up but thats ok.

Is gluing the plywood together a must. I would pretty much have to throw it out if and when I moved. There is no way to get a 12x8 platform out of my basement?

thanks for all the ideas keep them coming.

TRON · Senior Member

If I read correctly, you are going to have 2 layers of plywood.

This would mean you would have 4-sheets.

A very common way would be to have 2 sheets running horizontally beside each other, with the other two on top running vertically.

All you have to do is screw the top sheets into the bottom. There would be no glue required.

You would have to consider the dimensions when buying the plywood sheets in order that they are matched when you place them as such and do not overlap.

TRON · Senior Member

Also another option my friend does at his house is...

- 2 sheets plywood side by side
- 1 sheet of plywood directly in middle screwed to the two bottom sheets (grand total of 3 sheets plywood)
- rubber horse stall mat cut in two, and placed on either side of the top middle sheet of pywood for barbell to sit on

Nick Morneau · Senior Member

I am planning of doing one that is 8x12. Here is my plan. 2 sheets vertical (which would make it 8x8) then 1 sheet horizontal of plywood at the bottom (making it now 8x12) then boubling it up only on the 2nd layer puting the 2 vertical sheets at the bottom starting where the first layer has a sheet going horizontal then putting the horizontal piece for the 2nd layer at the top where on the first layer the sheets are going vertical. If that makes any sense what so ever. It would be much easier with a drawing but I dont have one.

Then just putting the rubber on top of the whole thing.

Ron · Member

Here is how I set up my platform. I got #8 2x12's . Placed #4 3/4 in plywood sheets 4x8ft over the 2x12's. I set 2 vertical and 2 horizontal. I used deck screws to secure it. Secured the rack by 3/4in carriage bolts. I stapled cheap carpet from home depot($10) over the top. I used 3/4in horse mats for deadlifting. the platform dimension is 8'x8'. this has held up for several years. I am able to attach multiple bands to the rack with out it moving. The platform has held up to many dropped 600+ deadlift without any floor damage. Hope this helps.