The flex in the wood would probably rip the screws out... The flex seems to be quite minimal without it though. If one wanted no flex at all, then getting a thicker board might be best. Oh, or harder wood.
To anyone planning on doing this I'd recommend getting a 12 inch cross member for the foot anchor. 8 inches for me seemed crammed when I was mocking up the build. Other than that great simple build thanks for sharing
@@grasonb yes and no. a wider board would be the easier and more expensive choice. i just cut the board about 18 inches in and turned it. making a kind of t shaped plank instead
I used 6" high pipes with a 8" across. An inch or two too high should still be completely fine. I just wouldn't go any shorter than 6 inches tall or you will have a very hard time getting your feet in!
I ended up doing that exact thing in the second version of this! Wish I could take the credit for thinking of it, but it was a great tip from another commenter on this video munch like yourself. Thanks!
2:07 that is just the inspiration I needed. I can finally do this exercise at home, and I don't even need to make a trip to the hardware store. You the best. Keep up the good content
Thanks for the inspiration! I made my own version today. I love how it is low cost yet exactly what you need. I had a plank to start with and buying the rest cost me about 40 euro's. That saves me about 250 euro's compared to a fancy one. But who wants a fancy Nordic Bench? It is more bad-ass to have a custom built one :-D
On average, what is a recommended height from the plank to the bottom of the pipe ? The part of the pipe that will be up against your Achilles heel. Ty
Just used this guide and built one today. Thank you so much. I saw the rogue machine for $500 and I'm definitely glad I went with this option! Thx again
Great idea. I am currently looking at turning your "nordic" board into a more multi-functional device. First, I will increase the base board size to 4' x 8'. The reason for this is I want to be able to position my exercise bench on the board. The bottom of the board will be supported by 1" x 2" boards every 12". One eyebolt will be placed on each side of the board to give me the ability to utilize resistance bands. The board will have your piping at one end as you have it but I will increase the length of the pipe to allow for pushups. I will experiment with resistance bands and add more eyebolts if needed.
Was going to make this but realized that the wood board is superfluous and ended up using 2 foam bricks on the floor as knee pads and a doorway pullup bar 1 foot off the floor to brace against. Also being able to push with the feet into the closed door makes the Nordic curl easier.
Very cool! Probably will be doing this (as a complete calisthenics beginner). One question, why put the legs on at all? I can see why to create that lip when just using a strap to secure your feet. But when you put on the metal pipe framework, doesn't seem like you need those legs at all. And not having them may make the board more stable overall. But, as I mentioned, I'll probably be making this myself and may test out no legs.
Great point, I think you can definitely get away without the legs if you use the pipes. I'm guessing you'll get the board lifting at the back like it did with all three legs, but that's not a huge deal and can be solved with buying a nicer board than the $12 one I got.
I tried creating one with a board that was shorter (because they didn't sell anything else, but the back keeps lifting up. Other than buying another board, are there any things I could do to prevent this? I have already tried using weight in the back and lifting the front up.
Yeah it's a leverage thing, lifting because there's more weight on the wrong side. you either can add some weights to the board or secure it down somehow under a couch or door frame, ect. Last option would to be to screw in wooden struts like skis in the front to stop it from tipping over. No great options though
The screws holding your pipes might pull out over time, they only have 3/4 of wood to hold on to. I'm going to put a 12 inch length of 2x6 on the under side. Then the screws can dig into over 2 inches of wood, should hold forever. Also might try making my foothold in a T shape rather than the U shape you used. Thanks for posting, nice job. Consider this a prototype, before long you'll be selling 'em.
Thanks for this idea man! I was looking for a way to do nordics, I was using a C-clamp, a piece of wood, and a low window sill at first lol. I used a 3/4 inch plywood that was 2 foot wide and 4 foot long. And I used all the same pipes except I went with all 3/4 pipes including the side pipes and the side pipes were 4 and half inches long and the top pipe was 18 inches long. I used wooden fence post to get bench 8 inches off the floor, that way I could get my toes to hang off the back that’s why I used 4 and 1/2 inch tall side pipes. And I used the Olympic bar pad for the pad for the my ankles. ITS PERFECT!!! Your idea was genius just needed a few modifications. As soon as I put it together today I did a strict Nordic curl, I knew I could do it but didn’t have anything sturdy enough. For anyone wondering it’s very sturdy, make sure to use a knee pad and the only down side is that’s pretty bulky Also you want a little bit of space between the bar and pad and your actual ankles for a strict Nordic trust me it’s just better to have a space, try it and you will see what I mean.
I just built mine today and I found out that yours is almost identical to what I did except I built without the 8 inch wooden fence underneath the bench. Do you think using only 3/4 inch plywood with dimension of 2' x 4' would be durable enough to perform nordic ham curls? If you could provide any update after using it for ~ 2 years, that would be greatly appreciated! Cheers!
@@parkseu5 hey man. Yes the bench still gets used very often you can check a few of my videos if you like. I use it for Nordic’s mostly on mondays but I use it for dragon flags, as a bench for calf raises, and a step for certain exercises. But short answer to your question would be yes you could use just the 3/4 plywood that’s 2’x4’ and yes it would be very sturdy and mines held up for 2 years no problem. I had 2, 4”x4” wooden fence post stacked on top of each other at first but the bench was pretty bulky and I moved to a smaller apartment so I knocked it down to just one post on the bottom in 3 spots(back, front, middle) so it would be shorter so it could fit underneath my bed and it’s a lot more space sufficient. While I was modifying my Nordic bench I took all the fence post off the bottom, layed it flat on the ground on did a Nordic on it. You can do Nordic on it like that but I recommend at least a 2”x4” on the bottom at the least and it would be even better with 1, 4x4 post on the bottom and I think it performs better with 2 fence post on the bottom but it was too big to fit under my bed like that. The purpose of the wood under it is to lift it up to give your toes some room to hang freely off the back, is it necessary? No, but the wood on the bottom will help. Everyone’s situation is different and idk what you have access to or how much u can spend but I’d say the flat on the floor to start will still be sturdy but wood under it would be more comfortable for your ankles and toes and would allow you to get better at the Nordics. Start with none but eventually when you get the funds, time, or whatevers holding that back, get some wood for the bottom. That’s my view and like I said you can look at my vids for reference. Anything to help someone, and I’m still in love with my Nordic bench because I saved my self a good bit on money and I actually use it !
@@charlesborel8493 Wow thanks for the detailed response and input. I really appreciate it! Yes, so far I only have 3/4 plywood (2x4) which I finished building it today. This should be a good starter and I will see if I should upgrade like what you suggested here. I did check out your videos and you instantly earned a sub! 👍Awesome and motivational videos!! You have a crazy hops!
I build this too no need to have legs on it, also running a smaller pipe though the noodle works better since you don't have to cut the noodle (when you cut it it slips off when pressed at the wrong angle) also using layered wood board makes it have less flex/bend
How thick is the board that you used - 5-ply? I'm also curious of the length and width of board that you went with. Did you use 1/2" pipe for the pool noodle or did you need something even smaller?
Not absolutely necessary to use legs, unless you're just grabbing the board for dragon flags. But not using legs will make part of it lift off the ground like I showed a bit later in the video and may make it feel a bit unstable.
I'm not buying the validity of one or two screw drops into the metal flange at 2:52 - somebody ran out of patience lol. Thanks for the tips, I plan I building some form of this.
@@John.McIntyre update - The contraption itself works well. But the padding is too hard and it’s making my kneecaps slide backwards whenever I try to Nordic curl. Need to try to find something softer.
@@John.McIntyre update - The contraption itself works well. But the padding is too hard and it’s making my kneecaps slide backwards whenever I try to Nordic curl. Need to try to find something softer.
@@John.McIntyre update - The contraption itself works well. But the padding is too hard and it’s making my kneecaps slide backwards whenever I try to Nordic curl. Need to try to find something softer.
Awesome! I'll give this a try. Inspiring, like the little editing tricks you did there...please post more. I'm dedicating this comment to the "engagement" algorithm gods so more people get to see your video.
Ive created my board quite similar to yours, except with a gardening knee board to kneel on. But me and my brother find when we get around 45 degrees down/up our knee cap slides, doesnt hurt as such, but feels uncomfortable. Is this common with the exercise or should i be looking for something more spongey. Aside from that this was a great help thankyou :)
I've heard people have that issue. I haven't had it my self though. I would look for something more soft if I were you or just put a yoga matt or pillow on top to make it extra soft. Glad I could help!
Yeah try a cushion mate, I've been doing these with my feet under a sofa and knees on a cushion. I think the extra squish of a cushion prevents that sliding feeling.
I'd suggest the lengths I used in this video. For reference, I'm about a size 12 foot and it is a tight fit with the pool noodle. This set up should still work well for smaller feet since it's snug for me, but you can always test something out and exchange for a different length if it doesn't work.
Bruh, I just started learning about these type of exercises thanks to KOTG and now I'm super stoked because this build seems so easily doable for a beginner builder like me!! And you have pretty dope form, hopefully I can build to that level someday haha.
![I Tried Andrew Huberman's Morning Routine - [30 Days + Blood Tests]](/img/n.gif)
3:55 rotate that center leg 90 degrees and then center it. You'll keep the stability aspect while also getting rid of the pivot point.
The flex in the wood would probably rip the screws out...
The flex seems to be quite minimal without it though. If one wanted no flex at all, then getting a thicker board might be best. Oh, or harder wood.
Nicely done, Mr. McIntyre.
To anyone planning on doing this I'd recommend getting a 12 inch cross member for the foot anchor. 8 inches for me seemed crammed when I was mocking up the build. Other than that great simple build thanks for sharing
I thought the same thing. If that's the case, you need to by a wider platform board, right?
@@grasonb yes and no. a wider board would be the easier and more expensive choice. i just cut the board about 18 inches in and turned it. making a kind of t shaped plank instead
Change the screws to nuts, lock washers and bolts. Screws may rip out.
I got my board finished. Just need to get a pad for my knees .
Galvanized pipe doesn't leave black marks everywhere
How do you know what height / size the metal pipes should be? And if you get it a inch too high for example, what can you do?
I used 6" high pipes with a 8" across. An inch or two too high should still be completely fine. I just wouldn't go any shorter than 6 inches tall or you will have a very hard time getting your feet in!
I will be trying this 'cause the Rogue Nordic bench is astronomically priced
My thoughts exactly! Good luck 👍🏻💪🏻
Ya considering a lot of their stuff are reasonably priced
Fuck. I know. Like 500 dls. Damnn
Rogue fan boys are stupidest humans on the whole planet
Wood costs 4x as much as it did a year ago.
What is the point of the legs?
in todays prices (july '21) $9042.27. really though, a great bench
Great idea. Why not just thread the pool noodle over the pipe before connecting both sides?
I ended up doing that exact thing in the second version of this! Wish I could take the credit for thinking of it, but it was a great tip from another commenter on this video munch like yourself. Thanks!
2:07 that is just the inspiration I needed. I can finally do this exercise at home, and I don't even need to make a trip to the hardware store. You the best. Keep up the good content
Stupid question but why wouldn't you just put the plank on the ground directly?
Thanks for the inspiration! I made my own version today. I love how it is low cost yet exactly what you need. I had a plank to start with and buying the rest cost me about 40 euro's. That saves me about 250 euro's compared to a fancy one. But who wants a fancy Nordic Bench? It is more bad-ass to have a custom built one :-D
Awesome! Yeah I totally agree, glad you enjoyed!
On average, what is a recommended height from the plank to the bottom of the pipe ? The part of the pipe that will be up against your Achilles heel. Ty
Just used this guide and built one today. Thank you so much. I saw the rogue machine for $500 and I'm definitely glad I went with this option! Thx again
Thanks for the idea! I went to Lowe’s and built one myself. I ended up using a 10” bar instead of the 8” and also used a 16”x3’ teak board.
Sounds like a nice build!
Buy 2 3ft dowels and put them 1 inch in on both sides
Great idea. I am currently looking at turning your "nordic" board into a more multi-functional device.
First, I will increase the base board size to 4' x 8'. The reason for this is I want to be able to position my exercise bench on the board. The bottom of the board will be supported by 1" x 2" boards every 12".
One eyebolt will be placed on each side of the board to give me the ability to utilize resistance bands.
The board will have your piping at one end as you have it but I will increase the length of the pipe to allow for pushups. I will experiment with resistance bands and add more eyebolts if needed.
Very nice! Sounds like some solid upgrades
Was going to make this but realized that the wood board is superfluous and ended up using 2 foam bricks on the floor as knee pads and a doorway pullup bar 1 foot off the floor to brace against. Also being able to push with the feet into the closed door makes the Nordic curl easier.
Very nice! Good job being inventive with a solution!
Hello. I am not english and dont understand well. Could you show a picture ?
@@bouteilledeau2121 TH-cam is deleting any links or posts I put here for some reason. I'll try later
Please show a picture of how you did yours. I think I need this feature. Thanks
@@timshel011 see u/watermelon209
Better to use slightly thick board that won't flex under your body weight. I'm 110kg so I'd just snap that board.
Definitely! Realized this a few months later and upgraded it in the second episode of this series!
Very cool! Probably will be doing this (as a complete calisthenics beginner).
One question, why put the legs on at all? I can see why to create that lip when just using a strap to secure your feet. But when you put on the metal pipe framework, doesn't seem like you need those legs at all. And not having them may make the board more stable overall.
But, as I mentioned, I'll probably be making this myself and may test out no legs.
Also, love the plants and cats.
Great point, I think you can definitely get away without the legs if you use the pipes. I'm guessing you'll get the board lifting at the back like it did with all three legs, but that's not a huge deal and can be solved with buying a nicer board than the $12 one I got.
I didnt know I needed this until I realized i did.
Very do-able.😀
Why have legs at all?
I did get a oak board.
AWWW kitty
I tried creating one with a board that was shorter (because they didn't sell anything else, but the back keeps lifting up. Other than buying another board, are there any things I could do to prevent this? I have already tried using weight in the back and lifting the front up.
Yeah it's a leverage thing, lifting because there's more weight on the wrong side. you either can add some weights to the board or secure it down somehow under a couch or door frame, ect. Last option would to be to screw in wooden struts like skis in the front to stop it from tipping over. No great options though
Thank you. I'll see what I can do.
The screws holding your pipes might pull out over time, they only have 3/4 of wood to hold on to. I'm going to put a 12 inch length of 2x6 on the under side. Then the screws can dig into over 2 inches of wood, should hold forever. Also might try making my foothold in a T shape rather than the U shape you used. Thanks for posting, nice job. Consider this a prototype, before long you'll be selling 'em.
Thanks for this idea man! I was looking for a way to do nordics, I was using a C-clamp, a piece of wood, and a low window sill at first lol. I used a 3/4 inch plywood that was 2 foot wide and 4 foot long. And I used all the same pipes except I went with all 3/4 pipes including the side pipes and the side pipes were 4 and half inches long and the top pipe was 18 inches long. I used wooden fence post to get bench 8 inches off the floor, that way I could get my toes to hang off the back that’s why I used 4 and 1/2 inch tall side pipes. And I used the Olympic bar pad for the pad for the my ankles. ITS PERFECT!!! Your idea was genius just needed a few modifications. As soon as I put it together today I did a strict Nordic curl, I knew I could do it but didn’t have anything sturdy enough. For anyone wondering it’s very sturdy, make sure to use a knee pad and the only down side is that’s pretty bulky
Also you want a little bit of space between the bar and pad and your actual ankles for a strict Nordic trust me it’s just better to have a space, try it and you will see what I mean.
Very nice! Sounds like you made some solid improvements! And holy crap, good job with a strict Nordic, hopefully I'll get there some day 🤣
I just built mine today and I found out that yours is almost identical to what I did except I built without the 8 inch wooden fence underneath the bench. Do you think using only 3/4 inch plywood with dimension of 2' x 4' would be durable enough to perform nordic ham curls? If you could provide any update after using it for ~ 2 years, that would be greatly appreciated! Cheers!
@@parkseu5 hey man. Yes the bench still gets used very often you can check a few of my videos if you like. I use it for Nordic’s mostly on mondays but I use it for dragon flags, as a bench for calf raises, and a step for certain exercises. But short answer to your question would be yes you could use just the 3/4 plywood that’s 2’x4’ and yes it would be very sturdy and mines held up for 2 years no problem. I had 2, 4”x4” wooden fence post stacked on top of each other at first but the bench was pretty bulky and I moved to a smaller apartment so I knocked it down to just one post on the bottom in 3 spots(back, front, middle) so it would be shorter so it could fit underneath my bed and it’s a lot more space sufficient. While I was modifying my Nordic bench I took all the fence post off the bottom, layed it flat on the ground on did a Nordic on it. You can do Nordic on it like that but I recommend at least a 2”x4” on the bottom at the least and it would be even better with 1, 4x4 post on the bottom and I think it performs better with 2 fence post on the bottom but it was too big to fit under my bed like that. The purpose of the wood under it is to lift it up to give your toes some room to hang freely off the back, is it necessary? No, but the wood on the bottom will help. Everyone’s situation is different and idk what you have access to or how much u can spend but I’d say the flat on the floor to start will still be sturdy but wood under it would be more comfortable for your ankles and toes and would allow you to get better at the Nordics. Start with none but eventually when you get the funds, time, or whatevers holding that back, get some wood for the bottom. That’s my view and like I said you can look at my vids for reference. Anything to help someone, and I’m still in love with my Nordic bench because I saved my self a good bit on money and I actually use it !
@@charlesborel8493 Wow thanks for the detailed response and input. I really appreciate it! Yes, so far I only have 3/4 plywood (2x4) which I finished building it today. This should be a good starter and I will see if I should upgrade like what you suggested here. I did check out your videos and you instantly earned a sub! 👍Awesome and motivational videos!! You have a crazy hops!
I build this too no need to have legs on it, also running a smaller pipe though the noodle works better since you don't have to cut the noodle (when you cut it it slips off when pressed at the wrong angle) also using layered wood board makes it have less flex/bend
How thick is the board that you used - 5-ply? I'm also curious of the length and width of board that you went with. Did you use 1/2" pipe for the pool noodle or did you need something even smaller?
@@billymitchell8448 7-ply (3/4 inch) 2 ft wide x 6.6 ft long (I used that size to fit my yoga mat) 3/4 pipe is just right
Very nice idea! Good stuff 👌🏻
@@attilabodi826 Thanks for the tips!
YAAAAAASSSS!
If you ran the wooden dowels the length of the board ,you would eliminate the pivot problem
Why does this board need legs? Wouldn't it work better with the board directly on the floor?
Not absolutely necessary to use legs, unless you're just grabbing the board for dragon flags. But not using legs will make part of it lift off the ground like I showed a bit later in the video and may make it feel a bit unstable.
I was thinking the same thing. If I make it I will probably just screw two boards together because I don't want the board flexing like in the video.
Maybe just make the legs different like bigger and higher up ? Or thicker
been trying to use the side of my bed frame but it's too light lol. Will give this a go! Cheers
Thank you John. I went ahead & got a oak board. I will post a photo when I am finished
What if i weigh 390lbs??
Wonderful vid, bro! Im definitely going to do this. The only thing is I would probably use a 2x12 board for extra strength. I'm a fatty lol.
Haha, I'm thinking about upgrading mine to the same 2x12, I'm sure it'll be plenty for the both of us 👍
I'm not buying the validity of one or two screw drops into the metal flange at 2:52 - somebody ran out of patience lol. Thanks for the tips, I plan I building some form of this.
🤣🤣 good luck with your build!
2:07 dude, thank you
I just got home from Home Depot with the parts. Will probably start putting it together in the next little while.
Good luck! happy to hear that youre going out and doing it! 😁
Thanks for sharing! I’m gonna have to find some tools to borrow but I’ll figure it out. Keep shining brother ☀️
Awesome!! Thanks and good luck with your build!
I'll be trying this out ! Thanks for the Video and content! Will you make on about the Tibialis raise machine too? :D
That's a great idea! I'll have to look into it but sounds like a fun project
wow that does look easy, thanks, my days of trying to get my feet under the sofa will soon be over!
It is pretty easy, good luck!
Alright i put it together. Looks pretty good! Waiting for the pads to arrive.
Very nice! Time to get some yoked hamstrings 😂
@@John.McIntyre update - The contraption itself works well. But the padding is too hard and it’s making my kneecaps slide backwards whenever I try to Nordic curl. Need to try to find something softer.
@@John.McIntyre update - The contraption itself works well. But the padding is too hard and it’s making my kneecaps slide backwards whenever I try to Nordic curl. Need to try to find something softer.
@@John.McIntyre update - The contraption itself works well. But the padding is too hard and it’s making my kneecaps slide backwards whenever I try to Nordic curl. Need to try to find something softer.
Awesome! I'll give this a try. Inspiring, like the little editing tricks you did there...please post more. I'm dedicating this comment to the "engagement" algorithm gods so more people get to see your video.
♥️♥️♥️ thanks so much, I appreciate the motivation more than you know!
I seriously liked the fact you didn't use fancy tools
Thanks! A little mix of not having access to a lot and wanting to make it seem very doable haha
Ive created my board quite similar to yours, except with a gardening knee board to kneel on. But me and my brother find when we get around 45 degrees down/up our knee cap slides, doesnt hurt as such, but feels uncomfortable. Is this common with the exercise or should i be looking for something more spongey.
Aside from that this was a great help thankyou :)
I've heard people have that issue. I haven't had it my self though. I would look for something more soft if I were you or just put a yoga matt or pillow on top to make it extra soft. Glad I could help!
Yeah try a cushion mate, I've been doing these with my feet under a sofa and knees on a cushion. I think the extra squish of a cushion prevents that sliding feeling.
I will build this! Thanks a bunch mate
Good luck! No worries 👌🏻
How did u pick pole height?
I'd suggest the lengths I used in this video. For reference, I'm about a size 12 foot and it is a tight fit with the pool noodle. This set up should still work well for smaller feet since it's snug for me, but you can always test something out and exchange for a different length if it doesn't work.
Snap Citae.
Awesome. Thank you.
Glad you liked it!
Did you get this at Lowe's?
Yup! Everything from Lowe's 👍🏻
@@John.McIntyre and that board is 1 inch thick?
Hope you enjoyed this video!
If you want some of my homemade/3d printed gear and want to support me, check out my shop at johnzgym.com
Porfavor mandarme medidas en español
Bruh, I just started learning about these type of exercises thanks to KOTG and now I'm super stoked because this build seems so easily doable for a beginner builder like me!! And you have pretty dope form, hopefully I can build to that level someday haha.
Glad you enjoyed, you can definitely make it there! All it takes is time!
did it,thank you so much im gonna upholster it with faux leather
thank you im gonna make one