How to Make Your Own Concrete Weights Barbell

Making your own weightlifting equipment is an economical way to improve your physical condition. Although commercial weightlifting equipment is safe and effective, it can be expensive. One way to make your own equipment is to use concrete. To make your own concrete weightlifting barbell, you will need little more than concrete and some sand.

Things You'll Need

  • Wood
  • 16-penny nails
  • Tarp
  • 5-lb. bag of playground sand
  • Soup can
  • Spoon
  • Steel pipe
  • Concrete
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Instructions

    • 1

      Make a box out of four pieces of 2-inch-by-6-inch-by-24-inch wood boards. Square the corners and use four 16-penny nails per corner to secure the box. Place the completed box on top of a tarp-covered workspace.

    • 2

      Pour a 5-lb. bag of playground sand on to the tarp, inside the wood square. Add water so that the sand is damp and capable of holding its shape, but don't allow water to pool on the sand. Smooth the surface of the sand to the level of the wood box. Use an extra board to do this.

    • 3

      Clean the inside of a soup can. Insert the cut end of the can into the center of the sand until it is about 2 inches from the bottom of the sand. Remove the can. Use a spoon to scoop out the sand inside the indentation left by the can. Be careful not to scoop away the walls the can created. This is the mold for your barbell.

    • 4

      Press a steel pipe measuring 1-1/4 inch in diameter and 48 inches in length into the center of the carved-out circle. Press it down to the base of the work space so that the pipe stands on in. This will create a hole in the center of the barbell. If necessary, brace the pipe with a table or shelf. It needs to sit directly perpendicular to the work surface.

    • 5

      Pour a batch of prepared concrete into the sand mold. Prepare the concrete according to package instructions. The amount needed depends on the size of the mold you created. The concrete should be wet but not watery.

    • 6

      Leave the mold to sit. This can take three to seven days, depending on the environment you are working in. Remove the concrete weight from the sand and brush away any sand left on the concrete.

    • 7

      Repeat Steps 2 through 7 with the same pipe to create a weight on the other end.