Can you make a wrist roller with PVC instead of wood?

[IronFist]

PVC is thicker and cheaper. Does it work as well? I don't see why it wouldn't.

[abobo]

I did, because it is thicker like you said. If you get strong enough PVC, I've heard that you can mount a 6' piece on top of the rack or pins which I guess is so you can load it up really heavy.

[IronFist]

When most people use these they hold their arms straight out in front of them the whole time. Don't your front delts burn out before your forearms? Does anyone have another method of using this?

[ComeToJesus]

You can always bring your arms in and keep rolling.

[stubbs]

i used an old dumbell bar and wrapped a load of foam and duct tape around it. i find the foam helps because i can sqeaze as im rolling the weight up and down giving my forearms more of a burn
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[IronFist]

How much weight did you guys start with on one of these? I haven't used one since we went to the weight room in gym class in 8th grade.

[ComeToJesus]

30 pounds

[bung bo]

i hold my arms straight so i can strenghthen my wrists. but i like to use other arm positions too. anyway, PVC sounds good to me.

[ZhouJiaQuan]

ive seen it with PVC before... dont think it matters too much...
hell mine includes duct tape and bamboo - what i had handy- still not quite sure why i had bamboo handy... :confused:

[Toby]

Hi Iron,

I used 30mm dowelling from the hardware store. I wanted 35mm, but it was twice as much as the 30mm. I don't see why PVC wouldn't work. Only thing is, I'd prefer to have e.g. some tennis racquet grip tape on it to help it not slip. The wood's good because it doesn't slip much. I also countersunk the hole in the dowel so there's no knot sticking out. Means you don't get a lopsided action like some I've used have got. With PVC, I'd just drill a hole in one side of the pipe and have the knot on the inside.

As to weight, I've always used 22lbs. That burns enough, although I wouldn't mind trying 30lbs.

As to position, I've always done it with bent elbows at my side like I'm doing reverse curls. Don't see how it'd matter how your arms are, but as it gets heavier it would work your shoulder more.

I do them twice a week. 3 sets with 2 "reps" each set. 1st rep is turning wrists away, 2nd rep turning wrists towards me. Then I finish up with 5x5 on the COC gripper.

[Toby]

BTW,

I like abobo's idea of the 6' pipe. I remember seeing a picture of a guy who'd built a rack on his timber deck where the wrist roller was a 6'-ish bar that lowered the weight right down about 10' or so. Benefits? The action that works your forearm is surely from countering the twist of the bar, right? So if you're not having to work holding the bar up you can concentrate all your effort in the twisting action. You can probably load it right up heavier than you could do curls with. Other benefit? My form sucks. The twisting hand comes closer to my body than the guiding hand for each twist so the dowel goes back and forth for each set. Having a rack-mounted one would eliminate that crap form. Dunno how form helps with the exercise, but it might.

[Ford Prefect]

I'd just be afraid of the PVC shattering once it gets stressed. Start light. It's a tough exercise.

[abobo]

If you have a standard barbell you could slide the PVC over that instead. That's how Ironmind redesigned its wrist roller.

I used leftover PVC from my paralletes, a half a meter section or so, 1.5" diameter. I'll bet I could be having even more fun with 2" though.