easy 50 lb sledge

I made one today out of galvanized pipe and two 25 lb plates. the design is something like this:


as a side note having just created a 50lb hammer with a 1" handle, it realize I am FAR too weak to use a hammer 100 lbs heavier and an inch thicker (like the 150lb hammer on torque athletic) but shit this thing is fun to swing around. Only took about 20 swings total and I really feel it. for less than 20 bucks in materials (not including the plates) it's something fun to try. Plus, you don't HAVE to start at 50 lbs.

and if you don't have standard plates, a thicker handle won't hurt anything (not counting how much harder it's going to be to hold onto). do be aware though, I've already broken my handle at the threads, so sticking a piece of rebar or maybe filling the whole thing with concrete (I hear q-5000 or something is the strongest. the more hardcore forum members will have some left over from their atlas stones), might be helpful, but I've yet to try it.

 

I've been considering doing some sledgehammer work and i've been getting quite an education on the importance of core/ab training here in terms of power and performance. Entrophy's deconstruction of what the core muscles do and why explosive/heavy work is best for them was enlightneing in the other thread...waht are you going to hit with that Urban a tire i'm assuming?

 

I can't imagine what a 150 lb. hammer would feel like.

 

yeah I have a tractor tire I've been using for flipping. Just to give you an idea on how big it is, I don't have any Idea how much it weights, but I'd guess at least 500 lbs. anyways, in addition to more traditional sledgehammer swings (vertical) here's a fun one
http://www.dieselcrew.com/VIDEOS/SLEDGE TIRE UP.wmv
you can't do it with a 50 lb sledge but I think it's a great rotational exercise.

 

Good video thanks. I like when the guy filming him goes, "get out of there and let me hit it."

 

Thats a cool vid, I could really do with a bigger tyre for sledgehammer work.

 

Something I thought about a while ago: buy a standard barbell, saw off one of the ends that are used to load plates and maybe 2 inches off the other end. Voila, you have an adjustable,plate loaded sledge hammer with a knurled handle. It might be useful to do variations of side deadlifts too, by picking it up like how you would pick up a shovel full of snow, except you could load it up to 300 pounds easy.

 

Easy right?

 

Urban that is awesome. I am going to make one this weekend. Just for fun and some great grip work. On a side note, where did you pick up your tractor tire? I have been looking for a tire to flip but I have no idea where to get one for cheap. Thanks for the creative ideas man.

 

Call up construction companies, or big tire manufacturers near where you live. They have to pay to have big tires discarded if they are damaged, so they should be more than willing to give you one for free.

 

I'm probably going to change my sledge. I dropped it once and the threads broke, so I'm going to use one piece of pipe all the way through (no coupler), put a cap on one end (TIGHT) and pin the plates inplace against it with a collar.

and yeah, I got my tire from a tire place. had to call around a bit to find one, but if you ask enough places somebody will look past the liability issues and give you a piece of their trash.

 

Excellent, thanks for the advice. Anyone able to find a keg? I called around but I kept getting the run around. I called liquor stores and bars asking for a damaged keg and nobody would give me one. I offered to pay but they still did not want to do it. Has anyone been able to get one of them?

 

drill holes and use lock pins, seams to work well on car wheels (i.e. the bearing cap pins)

 

how to obtain a keg:
buy keg of beer
throw party
drain keg of beer at party
avoid waking up next to ugly woman and having to chew your arms off to get away thus rendering keg useless
BLAM! instant keg.

 

I know a few guys who asked around at a couple of the local bars for empty kegs. It took some charm but they got a couple.

 

Don't thank Urban for being creative.

Since he made Mad Mick qoute his source, I think Urban should too. He stole the idea from a homemade grip item website. Didn't you urban?

 

Urban is currently denying he stole the idea via AIM.

Oiban, the first step is admitting you have a problem. Don't you want to find Jesus, son?

 

HAHAHAHAHAHA, glad to have you back mang.

Urban, it is bad to pirate someone elses ideas. Bad Boy.

 

Goddamnit I didn't steal anything. I had the idea for long before that shit was ever on his site. that addition to the grip page gave me an opportunity to post MY idea. Here is the site in question anyways: http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/shenandoah/Grunt/Grip_1.html

 

He's right, he did talk to me about his idea before it was ever on the website.

I was just busting his balls.