I want to put up a pull up/chin up bar in my garage/home gym.

Dont want one of those door frame jobbies as I wanted it in the centre of the room.

Ive got a spare 5ft spinlock weight lifting bar not getting used and I figured I could use that?. Any ideas of what I could attach it to the roof with? 2 bits of wood with the bar cored through each? or if i am gonna be jumping up to it and potentially swinging do i need somethign more robust, steel tubing etc? actually would it be a bad idea to use rope? and have it swing??

I would obviously have to attach to the roof joists but the garage ceiling is plastered so I guess I would 1st need one of those joist & stud detectors. Is there a typical spacing in the UK, 600mm comes to mind?

If this is all too complicated would I better with a wall mounted one? not much wall space left though.

Any Advice appreciated.

Not specific to your question, but… when I was a keen climberer I used to use some Metolius Rock Rings which were good as they let your shoulders rotate more freely rather than being in more fixed positions for movement. Their website is also pretty good for training tips.

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I’d go across a pair of joists with another 2×4″ firmly fixed to them and suspend off that.
My Rock Rings are fitted that way and nothing moves ever.
Just cut a hole into the plasterboard neatly, place the timber up through that, screw it in place ans suspend your bar from that.
Easy to repair the hole afterwards by fixing the cut piece back with some screws and polyfilla.

would it be a bad idea to use rope? and have it swing??

Personally, I would say yes it would be a bad idea to have it moving around.

When I was younger and still living with my parents I made a pull-up bar by just placing a steel bar (an old swing-ball post I think 🙂 ) across the roof joists in my parents garage, and used that. The gap between the joists was around 600mm I think, although may have been a bit more.

Having it “swing/move” will ensure that a lot more of the stabilser muscles are involved when training.
They’re the reason free weights are always far more effective than machines for power/strength training because your body has to not only move that weight but stop you falling over/dropping it/looking a pillock 😛