Junkyard Implements for Super-Strength
By Dennis Rogers
In the Sept/Oct issue of IronMan magazine there was an interesting article by Leo Stern about a man by the name of Joe Reginer who designed and built an entire outdoor gym made out of junk yard implements. Using everything from large gears, axels and discarded pieces of pipe, Joe built a lifter’s paradise. He proved that any man or woman could get a great workout on a tight budget, destroying the excuse “I don’t workout because I cannot afford a gym membership or equipment.”
Did Joe make it work? You be the judge. While weighing between 144-150 pounds he accomplished the following feats:
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2,971 Pound Back-Lift
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1030 Pound Leg Press for 10 Reps
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1200 Pound Leg Press for a Single
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1600 Hip-Lift for 30 Reps
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Climbed a 90’ Rope without using legs with an additional 65 Pounds Tied to Waist
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Single Pinch Grip Rafter Chin with 65 Pounds Tied to Waist
I have always been in the habit of keeping my eyes open for discarded implements that could be used for training. Pictured above are just a few of these items. Note the “iron fork tip” with the hole drilled through it. I have had it for around 14 years. By putting a bolt through the hole and adding a couple of washers I can ad nearly any weight I desire. Plus it is an excellent tool for varying the thickness of the pinch and working the grip at an angle that no commercial implement (to my knowledge) offers.
Below is a picture of Sid Harmer from the early 1930’s. He is lifting a solid chunk of scrap iron.
Sid Harmer WORLD STRONGEST YOUTH (30's)
If you are a strength performer these implements also make great challenge feats because of the unfamiliarity of the items by the strongman’s opponents. In his book, “Feats of Strength: How to Perform Them,” Sid Harmer writes-
“The lifting of heavy weights with the grip of one hand is more deceiving than any feat with which I have had dealings. When one sees a circular block of iron about ten inches wide and about five inches thick, and weighing about 85 Ibs., one would not think that it would cause any trouble to lift it with the grip. But—try it ! You will be very much surprised to find that such a small thing should need such a tremendous grip.
There used to be a strong man touring the music halls who got a weight of about the same as that quoted above, and placing a five-pound note beneath it, he would invite any member of the audience to lift it far enough off the ground with one hand to allow him to " lift " the five-pound note with the other. If he did this, he could have the fiver. I think that the one note lasted him quite a number of years, for nobody succeeded in doing it!
I still have the weight that I used to perform with, and to date nobody has succeeded in lifting it with the grip, and turning it in to the shoulder as I used to. I have had dozens of strong men try it, but without success.”
This implement is the #1 weighted device that I used for developing my card tearing. It is just a whisker’s thickness above that of a deck of standard playing cards. I have used it to perform two arm plate curls and wrist curls, and multi and single finger pinch and carries. I found it in a welder’s scrap pile! How effective has it been? Again, you be the judge-
Card Notching
Can’t get to a junkyard? Live in the big city? No problem! Below is a simple pinching device that needs no explanation.
So what have we learned? There are no excuses for not training your grip or any other part of your body. If there is a will there is a way. You can always come up with items to train with- even if you have little to no budget. It’s never about money- PERIOD!
If you do have the funds however and want some reasonably priced (for handmade equipment) battle proven jewels for increasing hand, wrist and finger strength, check these out.