I've always fancied this model, enough of that though!

I don't have space for a dedicated Abs bench, never mind the £80ish for one...So here's me cheap version (salvaged bits, £1.50 on cutting discs & 30mins time) *note to self - check spelling next timeThe lower slot is 3x100mm, the pulley slot is around 34x120mm

Congratulations Mikey on your exam results!

Homemade Trebuchet plans

One of my first forays into homemadegymstuff ->

Fully loaded - yeah baby!

Here's a mini-rack I've welded onto the (reversed) sliding pins - allowing me the option to dump the loaded bar without it pinning me to the bench when it lands on the safety bars (...sounds like the voice of experience)It's also handy for partials.

I'd made a pair of nylon lifting straps ages ago; nylon 'cos it's stronger, harder wearing and available in 'black'.

They served me well but it never was a really comfortable seque from hand to bar, so a trip to Goodall-Woodalls this afternoon saw me parting with some serious hard-earned cash (ok it was only 56p - but that is over half a quid; Maltonites aren't renown for bartering) for a metre of 1½inch cotton webbing - a visit from the sewing fairies and my new straps were born. Nice.
The difference in feel, as in the photo, is literally black & white; the cotton is more comfortable, moulds to hand and bar affording a grip tighter than Andy Capp on a pint o'bitter...

Homemade seated calf raise - blast the soleus!

Couple of Vee handles and a pair of 'thick' grips for the multi-row bar.

Er, does what it says on the tin...

Pegasus Vs. Formulator

A little leverage goes a long way

Made the strap without turning Ghey (tip-use twine to sew it together, more manly allround!)

I relocated an old pulley at mid-height on my lat pulldown column; this now allows me to do seated abs/neck work and standing face pulls/rotational work, nice. (note I had to cut through the low-pulley stop to afford the wire a clear path)

Thoracic spine...
"What you basically do is a series of crunches beginning with the balls at the thoraco-lumbar junction. The balls sit over the erectors and effectively provide an anterior-posterior mobilization of the vertebrae with every little mini-crunch... "