Make weight plates. Assembling dumbbells using improvised means

For many who want to play sports, the question of going to the gym is closed due to lack of time, and their own sports equipment for exercising at home is not so cheap.

Despite the ease of manufacture, the sporting goods industry is simply not interested in selling pieces of metal for cheap.
Moreover, it is not a fact that every dumbbell and even a barbell will suit you in terms of the diameter and shape of the handle, material and other characteristics.
A completely adequate response to such a pricing policy was the manufacture of personal sports equipment by hand by many craftsmen. For this, different materials, methods and designs are used.
Now we will look at the most common of them, so that you can choose and make your own dumbbells or barbell yourself.

Dumbbells made from plastic bottles

You can assemble dumbbells quickly and very cheaply by using plastic bottles. Due to the simplicity of the design, you can exercise with such dumbbells immediately after they are manufactured.
For one dumbbell we need: 2 plastic bottles; filler; insulating tape/adhesive tape.

The middle part of the bottles needs to be cut out, and then the top and bottom parts must be reattached with adhesive tape. Then you need to fill the resulting containers with filler. Sand and cement are perfect fillers, but if you need more weight, then feel free to add nails, scrap metal, balls from bearings, in general, let your imagination run wild. After filling, the bottles need to be fastened neck to neck, not sparing adhesive tape or electrical tape . You will get a very comfortable, soft and non-slip handle. If you have a very wide palm, find some kind of base for the handle (reinforcement, pipe) and close the bottles around it, and wind more tape in the middle to compensate for the difference in the thickness of the neck and the neck of the bottle. Thus, a homemade bar will also increase the weight of the dumbbell.

Barbell

The bar itself implies a lot of weight, so you need a lot more bottles. This barbell can also be used immediately after it is ready.
For the bar you will need: plastic bottles, at least 8 pieces; filler; fingerboard; tape/duct tape.
We use a pipe and fittings that are comfortable for the hand as a bar. We fill the bottles in the same way as in dumbbells.
Place the finished weight around both ends of the bar and wrap it with tape. We get four bottles on each side, between which the bar passes. Securely tape the weight to the bar so that it does not move and form a backlash. For a more impressive weight, we take another weight and place it in the spaces between the existing bottles, like logs. We recommend wrapping each new layer with new tape - this way you can increase the weight of the bar to 100 kg.

Cement dumbbells

Cement-based dumbbells are much heavier than bottle dumbbells. Large and heavy, solid plates for dumbbells and barbells are obtained from a solution that has hardened into a certain shape with a bar inside. The main disadvantage of such equipment is the inability to optimize for a constant increase in loads or for another person. That is, if you need a dumbbell with a different weight, you will have to make a new one. Another disadvantage of cement is its fragility and friability. To strengthen the mixture, glue (PVA) is added to the solution, and if you do not like, like a powerlifter, throwing the barbell to the floor with a victorious cry, then it is unlikely that it will quickly become unusable.
So, we will need: metal pipes of suitable length; drill, screws or bolts; cement mortar, PVA glue; cargo form.

To begin, take a pipe and use a drill to drill holes for screws at its ends in four directions. Screw in the screws so that they are held at the tips as tightly as possible and stick out in the shape of a cross. This is necessary to hold the cement. Next, take a mold (a flat bucket of paint, mayonnaise or whatever. It is only important that the size suits your weight), and mix the solution with glue or oil paint for hardness. Insert the pipe into the solution and wait four days until it dries completely. Then you need to do the same on the other side. Make a support, tie or hang the structure for another four days. After complete drying, you need to soak the dumbbell in water a couple of times for the next week to make the cement stronger. Depending on the size of the weights and the length of the bar, this way you get both dumbbells and barbells.
Of course, for an exercise like the “farmer’s walk,” two canisters hung on a stick are also suitable; you can also weigh down a metal bar with car wheels, tires filled with sand, and much more. But only these cement dumbbells will allow you to fully engage in sports.
On the other hand, they will be useful only in the first stages. If your passion for sports goes further, then you will understand that it is time to make dumbbells from metal.

Metal dumbbells

Metal pancakes are analogues of factory ones, but they will only cost you less. Metal sports equipment has many advantages. You can change the weight on them, which makes training more effective and saves you from a bunch of assorted cement dumbbells and barbells. And if you make a bar for dumbbells and a barbell from the same pipe, you can use the same weights, which will save you time, money and space in the room.
In order to make metal dumbbells, you need much more: a metalworking workshop; metal rod - future neck; thin-walled pipe with a diameter slightly larger than the neck; Sheet steel; locking locks.
The creation of dumbbells should only take place in the workshop. First, we make the bar. A crowbar about 3 cm in diameter works well as a base. We saw off a neck 35-40 cm long from it. Then we take a thin-walled pipe and cut 15 cm from it. It needs to be put on the neck to protect the place for the hand, in other words, it will be a handle. After making the dumbbell itself, it can be wrapped with electrical tape or covered with relief. We cut out the disks (future pancakes) from sheet steel using an autogenous machine. Do not doubt their weight - with a sheet thickness of 1 cm, a disk with a diameter of 18 cm will weigh 2 kilograms. Hang 10 cm on each side of your dumbbell - and you will gain 40 kg! If desired, vary the size of the discs to randomly change the weight from the lightest to the heaviest when training different muscle groups. It would be a good idea to cut a whole set based on the prototype of factory dumbbells so that the total weight of one dumbbell could reach 25-30 kg - it is unlikely that you will need more.

We produce locking locks. We find a pipe with a diameter slightly larger than our neck and cut off rings 3 cm wide from it. We need them to move freely along the neck, but not slide off by themselves. In each ring you need to drill a fairly wide hole (about 1-1.2 cm) for screws. After screwing in the screw, the ring will press against the bar and hold the plates. Just don’t forget to press it close to the discs so that there is no play. Let’s start assembling the dumbbell: there should already be a tube in the middle from step 1, then we hang the discs and secure them with locking locks.
Ready!

Recommendations for making and using homemade dumbbells

The best, of course, are metal dumbbells and barbells. But when making them, you need to be as careful as possible so that the width of the disks and the quality of the locks correspond to your calculations. It is better not to use discs that are too wide - it is better to increase their diameter, or make 2-4 very heavy discs and the rest smaller.
Take the time to clean and polish every part of your new dumbbell or barbell to make it look presentable - paint the weights like sporting goods manufacturers do. In the end, it will still cost you less than purchased equipment, and the pleasure of exercising with such equipment and the effort expended on it will motivate you to train regularly, which will certainly benefit you.
There are photographs on the Internet of craftsmen hanging about 100 kg on their dumbbells, demonstrating the quality of workmanship. Don’t even think about wasting your energy on such antics, it’s better to make a barbell and hang 200-300 kg on it for a deadlift - that’s impressive.
Depending on your capabilities, you can buy handles and a neck in a store, and make the pancakes yourself or order them from a workshop. Then the high-quality shape and comfort of the branded handle will help you hold your grip better, and the rest will cost much less.

Content:

You can use common household items to make a barbell to improve your fitness and exercise. Milk bottles, canned goods and other everyday items will help you stay in shape. This way you'll save money and stay in good shape!

Steps

1 Make easy homemade barbells

1 Use a milk bottle. Fill a clean plastic 3-liter bottle with water, sand, rocks or concrete. The bottle must have a handle; you will need it to perform the exercises. Use the handles to lift and lower the bottle like a hand barbell or dumbbell.
- Using hand barbells made from milk bottles, you can work out your biceps, triceps, and shoulders.
2 Pick up cans. Canning jars that fit in your hand are a great substitute for hand dumbbells. This is especially good if you are just starting to build muscles. Use large tin cans as heavy weights or medicine balls.
3 Make dumbbells from plastic water bottles. Instead of recycling water or soda bottles, fill them with water or add sand or pebbles. When filling, you should make sure that they weigh the same. Lift bottles like dumbbells.
4 Make hand bars from water bottles. Instead of using water bottles to make hand weights, you can attach several bottles to your arms as hand weights. Before attaching the bottles to your arms, fill them with sand. If you want to increase the weight, add water after filling them with sand.
- Filled plastic bottles should be taped to your forearm. Do not wrap the tape around your skin; it must hold the bottles together to keep them together. You can also use duct tape, just don't stick it to your skin. Place the bottles closer to each other so that they do not slip off your hands.
5 Make a weighted medicine ball (medicine ball) from a basketball. Take an old basketball and drill a hole in one of the black strips. The hole should be large enough to allow weighted material to be placed inside through the funnel. Place a funnel over the hole and add sand or pebbles until the desired weight is reached. Use a bicycle tire repair patch to cover the hole. If you don't have a tire vulcanizing patch kit, you can also use duct tape. The modified ball can now be used as a medicine ball.
6 Make hand weights from socks. Fill a clean sock with dry beans. Pebbles or small stones are also suitable for adding weight. Sew or tape the open end of the sock. Then sew the ends together or add Velcro to them to make it easier to lift the sock up.
- Use a scale to adjust your weight. Fill the sock based on your desired weight and then cut off the excess fabric. If you want to make the dumbbells heavier but the material won't fit inside, use a larger sock.
- When choosing a sock, you should make sure that it is long enough to fit around your wrist. If the sock is too long, fill it until it goes around your wrist, then cut off the excess fabric before sewing the end closed.
7 Use packages of rice or beans. Packages like these are perfect as mini barbells if you are a beginner. You can start using them now to perform biceps curls and other light weight exercises.
8 Cut bicycle tire tubes into hand dumbbells. Take the tire inner tube and cut it into equal parts. Secure one end of the chamber with duct tape, then fill the chamber with sand. Cover the other end with duct tape. You can leave them flat or bend them and tape both ends together.
- This is a great way to make barbells of various sizes. Start with 500 grams - 1.5 kilograms. You can also try making barbells that weigh 2.5 or even 3.5 kilograms. Weigh the rods before taping them.
9 Make a weight vest. Get a fishing vest or one with lots of small pockets. Fill plastic bags with sand or concrete and place them in your pockets. Run, do pull-ups, do push-ups, or walk while wearing a weight vest.
10 Use cans of paint. Hold the paint cans in your hands by the handles. Most paint cans are a little heavier than plastic bottles or food cans, so you can use them to build muscles. Since they have handles, cans are virtually no different from dumbbells.
- You can also try using paint cans instead of weights.

2 Make heavy homemade barbells

1 Use 18.9 liter buckets. Fill a 18.9 liter bucket with sand, rocks, concrete or even water. Use it to perform lifts, or hang two buckets on a bar or board and use them for bench presses.
2 Make a barbell out of water bottles. Take 2 blocks or 6 bottles each and attach them symmetrically with adhesive tape to an iron rod to make it easier for you to lift them. This barbell is perfect for any barbell exercise, such as sit-ups and presses.
- If 2 blocks is too much for you, don't use half empty bottles. Water in half-filled bottles will splash and shake the rod. It's better to take full bottles and glue them individually to the rod.
- If 2 blocks are not enough for you, use four or six bottle blocks and attach them to a rod. You can also glue the bottles individually to the ends of the rod. First place them horizontally along the rod, then place them on top of each other. Make sure you leave enough room to hold the rod in both the wide and narrow grips.
- It should be professionally wrapped with tape. To attach the blocks to the rod, wrap them with tape horizontally, diagonally and vertically.
3 Find old tires that are lying around the yard. Tires can be used during training and physical exercise. You can weigh down regular tires while training, or go to a scrap yard and find tractor tires. There are only two ways to use tires as a barbell - do wrist throws or tie a rope to them in order to pull them along with you.
4 Make a water pipe. Water pipes are long plastic pipes filled with water in a volume of about 10 liters. The benefit of training is the squish and flow of water, and by trying to maintain balance as the water passes from one end of the pipe to the other, you use muscles. You can also make your own water pipe using resin pipe. The pipe should be about 10 centimeters in diameter and 2.5-3 meters long. Place the cap on one end and fill the pipe halfway with water. Place the cap on the other end.
5 Use a duffel bag to make a sandbag. Sandbags are similar to water tubes in that they are unstable and will shift weight, requiring you to use more muscles. To make a sandbag, fill 18-20 quart freezer bags with sand. Your bag should weigh approximately 20-30 kilograms. Use two bags at a time to prevent them from tearing, then seal the end. Place the bags in the duffel bag. Zip up your duffel bag and get to work!
- Another way to make a sandbag is to use an old Army/Navy backpack or a canvas laundry bag. Fill trash bags with fine, rolled gravel. You can fill them with 5, 10 or 15 kilograms. Fill 5 or 6 bags with gravel and seal them with duct tape. Place them in your bag until you reach your desired weight.
- Add and remove bags of sand or gravel to change the weight of the bag. Use a scale to determine the weight of the bag before training so you can adjust the weight up or down. If you don't want to change the weight, you can pour sand or gravel directly into the bag. By doing this, you will deprive yourself of the ability to easily change the weight of the bag.
- Make sure there is room inside the bag to move the sand or gravel.
- If you want to make the bag much heavier, use a sturdy duffel bag.

3 Make homemade weights

1 Use a milk or juice can. Fill a clean, plastic 4 liter jar or 2 liter bottle with water or sand. Make sure the jar has a handle; it is needed to perform exercises with a kettlebell.
2 Use rope weights. Another method for making weights at home is to tie a string at each end of the dumbbell handle. The thicker the rope, the easier it will be for you to hold on to. Grasp the rope in the middle so that the dumbbell hangs evenly at a level below your hands. Now you can do swings and presses, and the weight will be practically the same as a kettlebell. If you need to adjust the weight, simply use a different size dumbbell.
- Be careful when performing dumbbell swings. It swings and flies further than a regular weight. Try not to hit yourself with the dumbbell.
3 Make a weight from a bag of potatoes. Buy a bag of potatoes, rice or sugar, which can be found in almost all grocery stores. Fill the bag with sand until the desired weight is reached. Tie a loop at the top of the bag for gripping. Use string or duct tape to secure the loop so it doesn't fall off. You can reinforce the bottom and sides of the bag with duct tape.
- You can use this method to make many different sized weights. Use a scale to measure how many pounds you put in the bags before you tie them.
4 Use resin pipe and old basketballs to make weights. Buy a 2.5/61 centimeter polymer pipe, cover one end with duct tape and fill it with sand. Seal the other end of the pipe. Place the resin pipe in an oven heated to 450 degrees for 10 minutes. The plastic should become soft and not melt. Now you need to shape the plastic into the shape of a kettlebell handle. Watch the pipe carefully.
- Remove the pipe from the oven and thread it through the handle, connecting both ends. Secure the ends with duct tape. Immerse the pipe in cold water to prevent it from losing its shape.
- Cut a slot with two holes for the handles in the basketball. Place the handle on the ball to ensure that the holes for the handle are the correct width and will be at the correct height.
- Quickly mix the concrete in a separate container, then scoop it out and fill the basketball with it. Attach handles. Allow the concrete to cure for two or three days before use.

Warnings

Test homemade barbells carefully before using them for intense training. You should make sure that the tape is held tightly and nothing will harm you by falling out or falling off.
When using a homemade barbell, as described or otherwise, make sure you have proper insurance to ensure your safety. This is especially important in the bench press, where muscle failure can lead to laryngeal fragmentation and more serious consequences.
Be careful with homemade weights; If your wrist hurts after (or during) training, it’s better to buy a normal kettlebell.
Always consult a physician or professional trainer before beginning any exercise routine.

Men or guys want to look good, but this requires spending time and money. Spending time to improve your physical fitness is completely normal, and you can avoid spending money on it if you make sports equipment with your own hands.

Barbell for sports

A sports barbell is one of the most important items that is useful for a variety of exercises. The barbell is also the main object that makes it possible to exercise with heavy weight, and this, in turn, will give results from sports activities. And this result will be much better than from other sports equipment, although other sports items are also very important.

If a person wants to exercise at home, but does not have the equipment for this, then you can make a barbell at home with your own hands and start exercising with barbell exercises.

Making a rod

If the decision to make a barbell has been made, you need to decide on the material that will be the basis for the barbell - this is the most important point. The base for the bar must be strong; you can use metal or wood.

A metal bar will add extra weight; if this is not desired, a wooden bar base can be used. It is important that the diameter of the bar is at least 4 centimeters, otherwise it will be difficult to grasp the barbell.

Material options for a homemade barbell

There are two simplest options for fretboard materials: iron or wood. It’s easy to decide on a wooden base for the bar, since you can use, for example, an old wooden rake. The advantage of this option is that the tree will not add extra weight to the bar if it is not necessary.

To turn a rake into a suitable form for a projectile, you need to remove its handle in any suitable way, the main thing is that only one stick remains from it, which will be used as a basis for pancakes. We’ll look at what else you can use to make a barbell and weight plates below.

Another option for the bar could be, for example, a metal rod if you are planning classes with a weight of more than 50 kilograms.

The length of the rod should be 2 meters, and the cross-sectional diameter should be 35 millimeters; these are the optimal requirements for comfortable playing sports. You can also use a metal pipe with a diameter of 4 centimeters, but it is not suitable for the heavy weight of the pancakes.

Making weight plates

Making pancakes for the bar is not difficult, since even ordinary plastic bottles are suitable for pancakes. These bottles need to be filled with something heavy, it can be cement, sand and stones, and even plain water. What the bottles will be filled with depends only on how much weight is needed, large or not.

You can use 1.5 liter bottles, as well as 2 liter bottles, it all depends on the desired weight. To make such pancakes, just fill them with the desired contents, and then put them on the ends of the bar and securely attach them with tape.

Cement pancakes

Here you need more time and patience, you need to find a large container where the cement will be poured, then pour it there and insert the bar at one end. It is advisable to use paint cans. True, the weight of such a barbell is difficult to predict, so this option is suitable only for those who are confident in their abilities and can lift a lot of weight.

When the cement is poured into the container and the bar is inserted into it, you need to create a support for the bar and wait for the cement to completely harden. The optimal waiting time is four days. Everything that was written above were the best ideas on how to make a barbell, and these options are also easy to implement.

An important element are the racks for the barbell. They are needed to make it more convenient to use. How to make a barbell and a barbell rack with your own hands will be described below point by point.

Materials for making rods and stands

Wooden or iron base for the fingerboard.
Plastic bottles for making pancakes.
Any bottle filler.
Cement if you need a lot of weight.

To specifically see a homemade barbell, you need to go to any website and look at photos of homemade barbells, this will help you better understand the process of working on the design.

Bar racks

Racks are needed to make it easier to use the barbell, easier to pick it up and put it in place. You can use drawings and dimensions for the bar to understand how much space the entire structure, including the bar racks, can take up.

Note!

Conclusion

You can find many options for materials for the bar and barbell, as well as many options for how to make plates, but there are the simplest ways to do it.

To understand how to do this, just read the instructions on how to make a barbell with your own hands and start working on the design.

It is important to decide on the desires and goals that are set, since this will determine your approach to work. And what materials may be useful.

Photo of a barbell with your own hands

Note!

Sports can be done at home. To achieve an athletic, toned body, it is enough to exercise with your own weight. But to make great progress, you should use additional weights.

Many people do not have the opportunity to purchase expensive sports equipment, but do not despair: you can make dumbbells and barbells with your own hands at home, having a minimal set of tools and available materials.

How can you replace dumbbells at home?

If you don't want to make dumbbells yourself or don't have the necessary tools, you can use heavy things that you have on hand to train.

The most common items that usually replace dumbbells are ordinary plastic bottles or bricks. The latter can be used immediately without additional modifications. A standard red brick weighs about 3.5 kg.

Bottles should only be used as a weighting agent with filler: water, crushed stone or sand. The weight of the equipment directly depends on the type of filler. 1 liter of water weighs approximately 1 kg. This is a small mass, so if you are using water, it is better to take a 2 liter bottle. By filling it with crushed stone, you can get a weight of 2.6 kg, and with sand - 3.4 kg, and if you fill it with additional water, it will be about 4 kg.

Such weights are suitable for training only for girls. Men should use larger plastic bottles. Today you can easily find plastic containers of 5, 6 and 10 liters. By filling them with various fillers you can get sports equipment weighing up to 40 kg. This load will be sufficient even for experienced athletes. But there is one problem: holding such a bottle is not very convenient, and its fastening is not designed for heavy weights. Therefore, it is better to make your own dumbbells with a comfortable handle.

To do this, you can use a regular towel or other long and thick fabric. The towel should be tied to form a circle. Then take it with your hand on one side, and on the other, step on the inside of the circle. Thus, when performing a biceps workout, you can adjust the level of load by pressing your foot on the towel.

For those who live in the countryside, there is one more piece of advice. Instead of dumbbells, you can use logs of various weights for training. The main thing is that the diameter of the log allows you to comfortably grasp it. But you can also drive metal brackets into the log, which will be convenient to hold on to during the exercise.

How to make dumbbells from plastic bottles?

You can easily make dumbbells from plastic bottles at home, since the bottles are easy to find or buy, and their cost is minimal. The main thing is to use heavy filler and securely fasten the elements.

To make a simple dumbbell, you only need 2 2-liter bottles, tape, a handle and filler.

Let's look at the detailed instructions for installing dumbbells from plastic bottles:

How can I replace a squat bar at home?

The weight of homemade dumbbells can be a maximum of 10 kg, so it is more rational to make a barbell, which is also used to train the biceps.

You need to have the same set of tools and raw materials, only instead of a handle you need to use a neck.

This type of sports equipment is perfect for doing squats and bench presses at home. The main thing is not to overload the bar, because homemade equipment can burst during exercises and cause serious injury.

Making dumbbells and barbells using concrete

To make heavier and more durable equipment, concrete should be used. But it can only be used with an all-metal neck, which should be prepared in advance.

Pieces of metal pins need to be welded to the ends of the neck. The result is reinforced concrete, which is much stronger than regular concrete. Another way to make the projectile more reliable is to add PVA glue to the solution.

The form for concrete weights can be plastic buckets. By selecting a bucket of the required volume, you can obtain the desired weight of the finished rod. Containers for mayonnaise and other food products are suitable for dumbbells. The disadvantage of such equipment is that such a dumbbell is non-separable, that is, you will not be able to adjust the weight.

In order to make a barbell, you need to mix the solution and pour it into the mold. Set the bar strictly in the center; this is very important for balancing the projectile. Four days later, when the solution dries, the procedure should be repeated on the other side. If the concrete cannot be removed from the mold, it can be easily broken. If the bucket remains intact, it can be reused.

When calculating the weight of the finished rod, it is worth considering that 1 liter of poured concrete weighs about 2.5 kg. You can make a concrete weight in the same way.

DIY expander

Expander- A great tool for forearm training. Such equipment is cheap, but if you like to do everything yourself, you can easily make it yourself.

To do this you need to have steel wire with a diameter of 3 mm. After heating the wire with a gas burner, it must be twisted in the form of a spring into two turns. This can be done using a vice, pliers, a pipe around which the turns are formed, and brute force.

The finished spring must be both soft enough to yield to the efforts of one hand, but also hard enough to return to its original position.

The handles of the expander are made of wood, thick rubber and plastic, with holes drilled for the spring.

Attention, TODAY only!

Steps

Make easy homemade barbells

Use a milk bottle. Fill a clean plastic 3-liter bottle with water, sand, rocks or concrete. The bottle must have a handle; you will need it to perform the exercises. Use the handles to lift and lower the bottle like a hand barbell or dumbbell.

Using hand barbells made from milk bottles, you can work out your biceps, triceps, and shoulders.

Pick up cans. Canning jars that fit in your hand are a great substitute for hand dumbbells. This is especially good if you are just starting to build muscles. Use large tin cans as heavy weights or medicine balls.

Make dumbbells from plastic water bottles. Instead of recycling water or soda bottles, fill them with water or add sand or pebbles. When filling, you should make sure that they weigh the same. Lift bottles like dumbbells.

Make hand bars from water bottles. Instead of using water bottles to make hand weights, you can attach several bottles to your arms as hand weights. Before attaching the bottles to your arms, fill them with sand. If you want to increase the weight, add water after filling them with sand.
- Filled plastic bottles should be taped to your forearm. Do not wrap the tape around your skin; it must hold the bottles together to keep them together. You can also use duct tape, just don't stick it to your skin. Place the bottles closer to each other so that they do not slip off your hands.
Make a weighted medicine ball (medicine ball) from a basketball. Take an old basketball and drill a hole in one of the black strips. The hole should be large enough to allow weighted material to be placed inside through the funnel. Place a funnel over the hole and add sand or pebbles until the desired weight is reached. Use a bicycle tire repair patch to cover the hole. If you don't have a tire vulcanizing patch kit, you can also use duct tape. The modified ball can now be used as a medicine ball.

Make hand weights from socks. Fill a clean sock with dry beans. Pebbles or small stones are also suitable for adding weight. Sew or tape the open end of the sock. Then sew the ends together or add Velcro to them to make it easier to lift the sock up.
- Use a scale to adjust your weight. Fill the sock based on your desired weight and then cut off the excess fabric. If you want to make the dumbbells heavier but the material won't fit inside, use a larger sock.
- When choosing a sock, you should make sure that it is long enough to fit around your wrist. If the sock is too long, fill it until it goes around your wrist, then cut off the excess fabric before sewing the end closed.
Use packages of rice or beans. Packages like these are perfect as mini barbells if you are a beginner. You can start using them now to perform biceps curls and other light weight exercises.

Cut bicycle tire tubes into hand dumbbells. Take the tire inner tube and cut it into equal parts. Secure one end of the chamber with duct tape, then fill the chamber with sand. Cover the other end with duct tape. You can leave them flat or bend them and tape both ends together.
- This is a great way to make barbells of various sizes. Start with 500 grams - 1.5 kilograms. You can also try making barbells that weigh 2.5 or even 3.5 kilograms. Weigh the rods before taping them.
Make a weight vest. Get a fishing vest or one with lots of small pockets. Fill plastic bags with sand or concrete and place them in your pockets. Run, do pull-ups, do push-ups, or walk while wearing a weight vest.

Use cans of paint. Hold the paint cans in your hands by the handles. Most paint cans are a little heavier than plastic bottles or food cans, so you can use them to build muscles. Since they have handles, cans are virtually no different from dumbbells.
- You can also try using paint cans instead of weights.
Make a water pipe. Water pipes are long plastic pipes filled with water in a volume of about 10 liters. The benefit of training is the squish and flow of water, and by trying to maintain balance as the water passes from one end of the pipe to the other, you use muscles. You can also make your own water pipe using resin pipe. The pipe should be about 10 centimeters in diameter and 2.5-3 meters long. Place the cap on one end and fill the pipe halfway with water. Place the cap on the other end.

Use a duffel bag to make a sandbag. Sandbags are similar to water tubes in that they are unstable and will shift weight, requiring you to use more muscles. To make a sandbag, fill 18-20 quart freezer bags with sand. Your bag should weigh approximately 20-30 kilograms. Use two bags at a time to prevent them from tearing, then seal the end. Place the bags in the duffel bag. Zip up your duffel bag and get to work!

Make homemade weights

Use a milk or juice can. Fill a clean, plastic 4 liter jar or 2 liter bottle with water or sand. Make sure the jar has a handle; it is needed to perform exercises with a kettlebell.

Use rope weights. Another method for making weights at home is to tie a string at each end of the dumbbell handle. The thicker the rope, the easier it will be for you to hold on to. Grasp the rope in the middle so that the dumbbell hangs evenly at a level below your hands. Now you can do swings and presses, and the weight will be practically the same as a kettlebell. If you need to adjust the weight, simply use a different size dumbbell.
- Be careful when performing dumbbell swings. It swings and flies further than a regular weight. Try not to hit yourself with the dumbbell.
Make a weight from a bag of potatoes. Buy a bag of potatoes, rice or sugar, which can be found in almost all grocery stores. Fill the bag with sand until the desired weight is reached. Tie a loop at the top of the bag for gripping. Use string or duct tape to secure the loop so it doesn't fall off. You can reinforce the bottom and sides of the bag with duct tape.
- You can use this method to make many different sized weights. Use a scale to measure how many pounds you put in the bags before you tie them.
Use resin pipe and old basketballs to make weights. Buy a 2.5/61 centimeter polymer pipe, cover one end with duct tape and fill it with sand. Seal the other end of the pipe. Place the resin pipe in an oven heated to 450 degrees for 10 minutes. The plastic should become soft and not melt. Now you need to shape the plastic into the shape of a kettlebell handle. Watch the pipe carefully.
- Remove the pipe from the oven and thread it through the handle, connecting both ends. Secure the ends with duct tape. Immerse the pipe in cold water to prevent it from losing its shape.
- Cut a slot with two holes for the handles in the basketball. Place the handle on the ball to ensure that the holes for the handle are the correct width and will be at the correct height.
- Quickly mix the concrete in a separate container, then scoop it out and fill the basketball with it. Attach handles. Allow the concrete to cure for two or three days before use.