How to make Olympic rings

[Pseudonym]

Topic split from FellowshipOfTheRon's journal.

[FellowshipOfTheRon]

OK gonna add some ring training to some of my off days if I can manage it now lol. Scavenged around, made some PVC Olympic Rings on the cheap.. just using rope to tie it on to the pullups pole right now real pain in the ass to adjust length plan on getting some tie downs to make it easier next time I go out to hardware store.

 

How to make olympic rings

For anyone interested in making their own, I'd definately recommend it. Already tonnes of guides out there online but here's my take on it *WRITE*

Ring training gives a really different feel to just using a bar - heaps harder and bit of fun, few things you can do with 'em! While these PVC don't feel as nice as the wooden ones they are way cheaper to do on your own (about $20 if you have to go out and buy all materials).. also IMO the PVC stuff feels better than those wierd ones with the 'bubbles' or whatever on the surface (the cheapos from TM/Ebay). The way I do it involves packing PVC with sand (so it doesn't colapse when bending), heating up in oven and bending around a paint bucket until shape formed. There are other methods using heat guns or gas stove tops/butane torch but then you risk charring the surface which you'll be gripping and also risk setting it on fire (which you can't put out very easily on this).

 

Need:

• 25mm PVC conduit ($6 for 3metres from trademe) * (only need 1.2m)
• Some electrical tape (go $2 get a 3 pack )
• Tin foil...
• Oven with oven mits or some kind of working gloves...
• Hacksaw & optional sandpaper..
• About a kilo of sand ($7 for 30kg from Mitre10..don't go take it from the beach lol)
• Some rope to loop through the rings & some tie down ratchets to make it easier if you want it to be adjustable. Beware of breaking load capacity of whatever you use especially if you're gonna be doing kipping type stuff don't want it to snap and break your back.
• Somewhere sturdy to hang them like a solid tree or beam.. or pullup pole if you have
• 2L paint bucket or other solid round object 18cm diameter *
• Funnel or old water bottle

* the proper standards for the rings the professionals use is 25mm thickness and 18cm internal diameter

Total time : 30~50mins

1. Set oven to bake & 150 degrees celcius.. should be preheated by the time you need it
2. Cut out two equal sized pieces of conduit - 58CM will do. While you got it here, sand the edges so it's nice & smooth
3. Tape up one end of each 58CM cut piece of conduit with the electrical tape
4. Funnel sand in to each of the pipes, knocking it onto the ground as you go to make sure it's really compacted itself in there. Fill it right up and tape off the remaining open ends
5. Get enough aluminium foil to make a little base/tray for the pipe to go in the oven and chuck 1 pipe (with the foil underneath it) in to the oven. Put it in the bottom tray, will probably burn on top one.
6. * PUT THE OVEN MITS/WORK GLOVES ON * After it's been in the oven 10mins pull it out. Put the other one in if you can work fast int he next part, otherwise wait. Better do it one at a time properly than either try rush it or burn one of them
7. While you got the warm one out you'll notice it's real bendy now, quickly wrap it around the paint bucket to get the round shape and hold it together there. Careful not to squeeze too hard anywhere as you don't want to put indentations in to it nor flatten out any bits, need that nice circular feel.. after a minute you can take the paint bucket out from the center but keep holding the pipe with your hands to keep that shape otherwise it'll try straighten itself out again. I walked outside with it at thise point and it took maybe 5mins to properly cool.
8. Carefully pull the tape off one end at a time and pour out the sand somewhere.. careful the sand is still hot drop it in a metal tin or something. Probably won't get it all out at once but when most of it is out you can place the pipe down somewhere to let it properly cool down (about another 20mins should do the trick)
9. Do the same thing with the other pipe now
10. Once both are cooled & sand all drained out, loop some rope through the rings and do up a good knot of your choice. I dunno much about knots but figuring the double fishermans should hold strong. Double loop some 9mm rope (rated at 400kg each) round inside each pipe so it should be all good.
11. Now you just tie a rope/tie down ratchet round the knotted rope on the Rings to whatever you're mounting it to and start doing your workout. I done a fishermans knot on the ring end which stays permanently and use a clive hitch knot on the top end so I can still undo it and adjust the height as needed between pushups/dips/pullups &muscleups lengths. Recommend to use tie downs because untying and re-knotting rope all the time is a pain in the ass lol

 

It is surprisingly strong, have not noticed any flexing of the pipes yet which is awesome.

 

Some pics

 

 

 

[Pseudonym]

Your DIY gym just gets more and more impressive, bro! I've just split this into a new topic so that people can find it more easily down the track.

[AZIDE]

i had that same rope and i would suggest using something stronger and more durable. you might be sweet though

[FellowshipOfTheRon]

Your DIY gym just gets more and more impressive, bro! I've just split this into a new topic so that people can find it more easily down the track.

cheers and it's fun too   looking for ideas of more stuff to add in for circuit work. for now gonna mount some hooks on ceiling somewhere in the house for when it's raining.. it's so addictive but real difficult keeping stable on rings crazy how those gymnasts make it look so easy.

 

i had that same rope and i would suggest using something stronger and more durable. you might be sweet though

yup i'm light & not doing any kipping stuff yet so it'll hold until i find something proper durable. gonna look for some ratchet tie downs for more safety plus easier length adjustments