Weight Training Journal
Weight Lifting Journal
All the best in your weight training, powerlifting, and bodybuilding, programs.
Jason, CSCS
Weight Lifting Journal
I am in the process of building a workout area/studio in my home. The first stage in this process is building a weight training surface. For this I decided to build an Olympic platform. Typically platforms run 8'x8' or 8'x6' but I am making it slightly larger at 8'x9', this will give me slightly more room making it more versatile.
The top layer of the platform is made of 3/4" furniture grade plywood. The 2 exposed sides of the plywood are made of oak, a nice durable hardwood. The sandwiched layers are a cheaper material. It is important to have a strong durable top layer as this is what you will be pushing off and taking some of the abuse.
I glued the plywood to a second piece of 3/4" construction grade plywood. This gives me 1.5 " of material for my top centre. As mentioned before this is the main lifting surface. This will provide an excellent foot base for all the barbell exercises.
Plywood runs 4'x8' but I feel that is a little wide so I rip the plywood down to 3'x8'. There is nothing wrong with leaving the width as 4' but I want more rubber to flank the lifting surface allowing a little more room for error when dropping weights.
On either side of the centre plywood is rubber matting 3'x4' this makes the total width 9'. For the rubber matting I have used horse stall mats, they are tough and heavy.
That does it for my top layer the actual lifting surface, I am still working on what is best for the foundation. I suspect I will simply lay down plywood perpendicular to the top pieces.
Here are some examples, I my add my own photos latter;
http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/ironmind/Main/homesweathome6.html
http://www.geocities.com/washingtonweightlifting/Articles/PlanforaQuiet.htm
The top layer of the platform is made of 3/4" furniture grade plywood. The 2 exposed sides of the plywood are made of oak, a nice durable hardwood. The sandwiched layers are a cheaper material. It is important to have a strong durable top layer as this is what you will be pushing off and taking some of the abuse.
I glued the plywood to a second piece of 3/4" construction grade plywood. This gives me 1.5 " of material for my top centre. As mentioned before this is the main lifting surface. This will provide an excellent foot base for all the barbell exercises.
Plywood runs 4'x8' but I feel that is a little wide so I rip the plywood down to 3'x8'. There is nothing wrong with leaving the width as 4' but I want more rubber to flank the lifting surface allowing a little more room for error when dropping weights.
On either side of the centre plywood is rubber matting 3'x4' this makes the total width 9'. For the rubber matting I have used horse stall mats, they are tough and heavy.
That does it for my top layer the actual lifting surface, I am still working on what is best for the foundation. I suspect I will simply lay down plywood perpendicular to the top pieces.
Here are some examples, I my add my own photos latter;
http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/ironmind/Main/homesweathome6.html
http://www.geocities.com/washingtonweightlifting/Articles/PlanforaQuiet.htm
All the best in your weight training, powerlifting, and bodybuilding, programs.
Jason, CSCS
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