PEC: Homemade Equipment Ideas at PE Central

Homemade Equipment Ideas

Equipment Name: Developmental Pull-Up Bar

Materials Needed: 2 Inch PVC pipe, PVC elbows, PVC t's, 1/4 sheet of 3/4 inch plywood, 8 feet of 1/2 inch x 1 inch wood fern strips, 12-15 1 inch screws, PVC glue (optional), 1 scooter.

Estimated Cost: $10.00

Rationale: Most young children are unable to do a single traditional pull-up. That should not mean that we give up developing upper body strength. This pull-up bar takes gravity out of the equation by allowing the student to practice the same motion using a scooter and choices for difficulty. The child or teacher can select which height is best for the attempt. Children grab on to the bar while placing their bodies on the scooter (long scooters are easier than short scooters) and they pull up and release back down.

Directions For Making:

See Pictures for design of three level PVC bar. If enough storage is available, glue all pieces together with PVC glue. If space is not available, the joints are able to be disconnected to fit in a smaller area. The plywood ramp is about 40 inches long and 24 inches wide. Putting a strip of wood on each side prohibits the scooter from falling off of the side. Attaching two small strips of wood to the bottom of the ramp will prohibit the ramp from slipping off of the pipe. Local High Schools or Vo-Tech Schools are usually eager to help build this project.

Submitted by Darren Robert at Eastern Connecticut State University in Willamantic, CT. Thanks for contributing to PE Central! Posted on PEC: 3/22/03.

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