Dynamic loads in the home gym

Conventional plastic anchors are mostly insufficient for attaching particularly heavy or dynamic loads to your own four walls. A boxing punch bag is a good example of this, as this piece of training equipment can easily weigh 150 kilogrammes. It is also subject to additional stresses such as heavy punches and swinging motions. If these heavy weights fall off it could lead to nasty accidents. The same applies to pull-up bars: if a bar tears out of its anchoring substrate during an exercise, the consequences could be disastrous.

What materials are the walls and ceilings made of? What is the combined weight of the trainer including the pull-up bar which the anchors must transfer to the substrate without the anchor pulling out? How much does the punch bag weigh? These criteria and more determine the correct fixing choice. The construction material, anchor, screw and the load which the training equipment is subjected to must all be compatible. Haphazardly attaching a boxing punch bag or a pull-up bar to a suspended ceiling or a gypsum plasterboard wall without any additional construction measures is not a good idea. The fixing subsurface must be solid and stable enough so that it doesn’t yield under the application of force.

Fixings in concrete and masonry

Punch bags and pull-up bars can safely be anchored in concrete and masonry with a chemical fixing system such as the fischer multifunction mortar 300 T K including accessories. The mortar is injected in the drill hole into which a rod anchor can be inserted in order to attach a punch bag mount, or into which the brackets for a pull-up bar can be inserted. Perforated sleeves ensure the even distribution of mortar between the partitions of perforated brick. Alternatively, punching bags can be attached in concrete using steel anchors, such as the fischer bolt anchor FAZ II, which firmly expands against the drill hole wall when applying the torque. An aircrete anchor is recommended for aircrete, such as the fischer FPX-I, the four expansion wings of which create an undercut in the drill hole when tightened using a hexagonal wrench.

Attaching a boxing punch bag

It is inconvenient if a punching bag practically punches back, hitting objects or walls. DIYers should therefore measure precisely before attaching the bag to ensure that the equipment has enough clearance. The punching bag’s bracket should be designed to hold its weight. Opting for a bracket according to the manufacturer’s specifications or using the bracket supplied is mostly sufficient. A suitable mount for a boxing punch bag is equipped with a long gallows type bracket which allows the bag to be hung in the room at a sufficient distance. Models that feature a hinge can be folded away vertically or horizontally after training, therefore saving space.

Pull-up bars

DIYers should install pull-up bars at a sufficient height using the brackets supplied in order to enable extension exercises without ground contact. The bar should also be mounted horizontally to ensure the arm muscles and shoulder area are trained equally, for which a spirit level can be a helpful tool.

All other equipment

Small pieces of equipment such as dumbbells or thera-bands complete the home gym. Larger machines such as cross trainers or fitness bikes are another option if there is enough space for them. Individual training goals tend to be easier to achieve at home than elsewhere. A little bit of “home training” is easier to integrate into everyday life than a trip to the gym. The one-off cost of buying the equipment is also cheaper in the long run than the ongoing monthly cost of a gym membership. And with the right fixings, fitness fans can train their hearts out at home without being knocked out by a punching bag or landing on the floor along with a pull-up bar.

Click here to download the press release.