Portable Parallettes?

Yuen Sohn · 12-01-2009, 06:53 PM

Just wondering if anyone can recommend some good, portable parallettes (ideally ones that can fit in a medium/large gym bag) .

I know that the home-made ones from pvc work perfectly fine, but I'd like something a bit more compact that I carry with me on the subway (with all my other lifting crap).

They will mainly be used for handstands and hspus, so my only other requirement is that they don't break and cripple me.

Right now, I'm scoping the lower-priced options in the google search:
http://www.google.com/products?hl=en...-8&sa=N&tab=wf

Any input would be much appreciated.

Garrett Smith · 12-01-2009, 07:28 PM

Check out the 12" ones a good ways down this page:
http://www.cartwheelfactory.com/pull-up-bars.html

Blair Lowe · 12-01-2009, 07:47 PM

Simply don't glue the PVC parallettes together. Assemble and disassemble. Leave unassembled. Doesn't take more than a few minutes to put them together.

Garrett Smith · 12-01-2009, 08:06 PM

Maybe just because I'm slightly paranoid, I would make a compromise with Blair's solution.

Glue the parallel bar part to the two "L" joints.

Glue the feet together (so you have the "upside down T's").

Basically, you end up with three pieces for one parallette (six total pieces), only two joints are not glued per parallette...but by putting weight on it you are holding those together.

Gary Ohm · 12-02-2009, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

Maybe just because I'm slightly paranoid, I would make a compromise with Blair's solution.

Glue the parallel bar part to the two "L" joints.

Glue the feet together (so you have the "upside down T's").

Basically, you end up with three pieces for one parallette (six total pieces), only two joints are not glued per parallette...but by putting weight on it you are holding those together.

That's exactly what I've done. I keep them in a gym bag and they have held up great. Another friend of mine has a set and he uses them at home and on the road. His whole family uses them. I can't imagine 1.5" PVC failing. Even if you use the thicker sched 80 stuff you'll spend way less than $50...

Yuen Sohn · 12-02-2009, 01:06 PM

Thanks all! Excellent ideas.

The long road to HSPU awesomeness (or humiliation) begins...

Garrett Smith · 12-02-2009, 01:35 PM

'Tis a noble quest.

I was having trouble with the bottom ROM, so I've recently added standing press. I only say that because you may need more strength down at the bottom due to jerks allowing the leg drive to get you "out of the hole". Just a thought.

Grissim Connery · 12-05-2009, 08:38 AM

i didn't glue my pvc ones together like how blair suggested. they've worked well for the past 2 years that way.

i've got a friend at BJJ who is gonna teach me how to weld. my first project is gonna be some parallettes b/c i figure that's a pretty simple task.