DIY Jack Stand Curl Station by Michael D. Wailes

DIY Jack Stand Curl Station

It might sound like a strange statement coming from someone talking about working out, but I am lazy. I am ALWAYS trying to find a way to make the workout easier. And I really shouldn’t say the workout, but rather the workout preparation.

I hate bending over, lugging plates up to the bar, and then breaking it all down again. That is the part of the workout that I always look to find an easier way.

It’s the primary reason I don’t use curl bars. I own curl bars. I just don’t use them because it is a pain the south 40 to use them – especially if you don’t have a preacher curl bench or a rack narrow enough to hold the bar steady and secure.

Yes, before you ask, I’ve already tried that

Oh, I’ve tried the “bench-balance” routine. You know, the one where either you get smashed on the side of the head by the light side of the bar, or you lose the plates on the heavy side and catch them with your toe. And in most cases, I get the Daily Double: both face and foot smashed.

That leaves setting the bar on the floor and working from there. I don’t care who you are . . . trying to place or remove a 25lb or larger plate on a small, specialty bar that is on the ground is exhausting.

Solution? Off to the Man Store!

Over the past year, I’ve spent a good amount of money on some specialty bars, but have neglected using them just because they are so difficult to work with outside of a rack. So this summer I set about to find a solution to this dilemma.

 

My first idea was to come up with something that I could build into my power rack but never could come up with an elegant solution. Whatever solution I was looking for, it would probably need to be self-standing.

My next idea was to go to the hardware store and get a bunch of black pipe components and assemble two stands that could serve the purpose. But after realizing it would take roughly 25 pieces for each stand to be built the way I had envisioned it (and at the cost of approximately $40 each), I knew there had to be a better way. Wandering aimlessly around the store, I tried to think of what “tool” that might already exist that I might be able to “re-purpose” for the task at hand. It needed to be sturdy, strong, and most of all: CHEAP!

Jack Stands to the Rescue!

Then it hit me: jack stands! What a perfect solution: they are built to handle some heavy weight, they are easy to move around and store, they are adjustable, and if the whole garage gym thing goes bust – I would still have a nice pair of jack stands.

Step one: Find Jack Stands the correct height

I raced over to the automotive aisle and found a pair of stands with a two-ton capacity and the ability to adjust the height from 12″ to 18″. And the best part, they were less than $25!

Step 2: Add insulation to protect your bars

Protecting To protect the finish of my bar, I simply added some foam pipe insulation to the top of each stand and then wrapped it with some vinyl tape. I have seen a rubber pad available for purchase online that serves the same purpose.

Step 3: Enjoy the results

So far, these have worked as planned. I have used them with both my curl bar and my triceps bar without issue, and they store nicely within my rack when not in use. I may even begin using them for rack pulls to keep from damaging my safety pins.