Running a fitness competition, need a big (but temporary) pullup station

[Matt DeMinico]

I'm considering running a local fitness competition in conjunction with work, and I expect there may be as many as 100 people taking part, possibly more, maybe less, I have no clue yet.

We're going to make the competition "Murph" and run it on June 26th (because it's the Thursday before, nobody will be here on Saturday the 28th, and lots won't be here Friday the 27th). There'll be 1/2 Murph, 1/4 Murph, and other scaling divisions, but basically that's the idea. The thing is, Murph includes pullups, and lots of them. I really want to make this a "ok everybody, ready, 3....2....1....GO" and not go in stages. It'd just make it that much cooler of an event if 100+ people all start off on the mile run together, and a huge chunk hit the pullup bars at the same time (I presume since it's anywhere from a 1/4 mile up to a 1 mile run depending on division, and the deviation on that is going to be about 2:00 - 12:00, we're likely going to have 80% of the group on the pullup bars at one point). So, basically, how do we make a temporary pullup bar that is big enough and sturdy enough so that ~100 people can do kipping pullups on without breaking something? Maybe a huge square, maybe a big octagon, or a triangle, I dunno... also, maybe put two rows on each "side" of the shape? Who knows.

Does anyone have any suggestions? It really can't be mounted in the ground, and ideally we'd be able to yoink it apart and use the metal for something else (we're talking probably $1000 in metal alone to build this thing, plus probably 80 hours of labor).

Or are there any other suggestions you guys might recommend?

[Randy Tarasevich]

This sounds badass Matt!

[Brendan Pfahlert]

I use scaffolding at home. I have a heavy bag on one side and do pull-ups on the other. I'm sure you could hire some and configure it with some long poles between bases.

[Jake Di Vita]

I'm not sure how to do it, but I'm definitely in for the competition.

[Matt DeMinico]

I'd have to figure out if they'd let outside folks on base for it (it'd be on a military base). I'd love to have a bunch of crossfitters show up for it just so everyone can go "you've got to be kidding me" when they see us do the workout.

[Derrick Rice]

Crossfit Plano had a Murph competition last memorial day and they used long pieces of square tubing and lashed them under some bleaches at a high school track. They used nylon webbing to lash it to the supports and also used the nylon to support the middle of the tube. It worked out pretty well, so you might want to contact them for more information.

[Ahmik Jones]

The best way to make a big temporary pull-up structure would be to use speed rail.

It is not the cheapest stuff in the world, but you can put it together quickly and then take it apart and move it to another place or put it in storage.

Here is a post on how I used it for the pull-up bars in our gym.

http://www.board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=14353 (WFS)

[Matt DeMinico]

Thanks, that gives me a good idea of what I need to do.

Only now I'm considering switching the competition, I'd kinda like to do something that even the knuckleheads who don't want to come to the training sessions can compete in without getting Rhabdo. I don't want to force anyone into any particular group, but I also don't want some special ops guy (we've got 'em around here I'm sure) to show up and say "oh yeah no problem", try a full Murph, and end up in the hospital.

I'd kinda like something that the average knucklehead can come in and just do it, and that also might allow me to run it within the next few weeks, and then I can start doing a series of these things.

Something like filthy fifties might be ok since it's such a broad range of movements, and even though you're doing 50, you're not doing something like 150 KB swings or something. I dunno, I'll have to think on it.

[John Schneider]

The mini Cindy might be a good option since it can be very intense for those who can handle it, and will be challenging for everyone. Plus with only 10 minutes of work, you can cycle through large numbers pretty quickly.

[Matt DeMinico]

Yeah that's a good idea. Maybe a round workout. If I wanted to extend it, maybe I'd just add in a run or something.