Jerk Blocks - Custom/DIY

Name: Jerk Blocks - Custom/DIY
Brand: Custom/DIY
Rating: 4.8 (5 reviews)

DIY jerk blocks are homemade stacked wooden boxes – built from 2x-dimensional lumber and plywood, topped with rubber stall-mat matting – that let a lifter practice jerks, cleans, rack lockouts, and heavy pulls from a raised starting height instead of the floor. Documented plans range from a simple single-day pair (roughly $100 in 2x4s and plywood) to a full tiered stacking set built over a weekend (roughly $200-300 in dimensional lumber), all well under the $700+ typically charged for commercial steel blocks. The most common designs – Greg Everett’s tiered stackers and End of Three Fitness’s 4-height stacking set – use interlocking or anti-slip tabs so blocks stay put when stacked, and a double-layer plywood top with rubber matting to cut noise and absorb impact. Builders consistently report the finished blocks hold up well under repeated heavy dropping with no failures, though – unlike a factory-welded commercial set – none carry a rated capacity, and the finished boxes are heavy and awkward to reposition once built.

Type	DIY / homemade, not a manufactured product
Build time	A single day for a simple pair; a full weekend for a complete stacking set
Common designs	Tiered stacking blocks (Greg Everett / Catalyst Athletics plan, ~6-10 stacker pieces); 4-height stacked box set (End of Three Fitness, 3.5"-11.25" tiers); simple top-down 2x4 pulling-block pair (garage-gyms.com)
Tools required	Circular or miter saw, drill, clamps; a table saw is useful for ripping plywood straight
Typical footprint	Roughly 20" x 36" per box (matching common commercial jerk-block dimensions), small enough to fit on a standard 8x8' lifting platform
Typical use cases	Practicing jerks, cleans, and overhead lockouts from a raised height; also used for heavy squats/presses, box jumps, and dips
Typical material cost	Roughly $100 for a simple pair up to $200-300 for a full stacking set, versus $700+ for commercial steel blocks

What is a Miscellaneou?

What’s in Miscellaneous

This is the catch-all for the conditioning tools and accessories that don’t fit a single equipment class — weighted vests and plate carriers, medicine and slam balls, plyo boxes, ab mats, and the odds and ends that round out a garage gym. Items land here because their job (loaded carries, jumps, core work) cuts across the categories rather than sitting neatly inside one.

Who it’s for

Anyone filling in the gaps around the big pieces. If you already have a rack, bar, and plates, this is where you find the vest for rucking and weighted push-ups, the ball for slams and wall throws, or the box for step-ups and box jumps. Match the tool to the training you actually do — a plate carrier for conditioning and rucking, plyo boxes for explosive work — rather than buying the whole shelf.

How it compares

	Jerk Blocks - Custom/DIY	Echo Weight Vest	Deadlift Jack Barbell Stand Single	Covered Barbell Squat Pad
GymRadar rating	4.8/5	4.8/5	4.8/5	4.8/5
Price		$145.00
Type	DIY / homemade, not a manufactured product		Single-side deadlift jack
Build time	A single day for a simple pair; a full weekend for a complete stacking set
Common designs	Tiered stacking blocks (Greg Everett / Catalyst Athletics plan, ~6-10 stacker pieces); 4-height stacked box set (End of Three Fitness, 3.5"-11.25" tiers); simple top-down 2x4 pulling-block pair (garage-gyms.com)
Tools required	Circular or miter saw, drill, clamps; a table saw is useful for ripping plywood straight
Typical footprint	Roughly 20" x 36" per box (matching common commercial jerk-block dimensions), small enough to fit on a standard 8x8' lifting platform
Typical use cases	Practicing jerks, cleans, and overhead lockouts from a raised height; also used for heavy squats/presses, box jumps, and dips
Typical material cost	Roughly $100 for a simple pair up to $200-300 for a full stacking set, versus $700+ for commercial steel blocks

4.8/5 · 5 GymRadar reviews

Reviews by source

Expert	4.8/5	5 reviews
Youtube	4.5/5	3 reviews
Reddit	4.2/5	2 reviews

DIY jerk blocks – stacked wooden boxes with a rubber-matted top that let a lifter practice jerks, cleans, and heavy lockouts from a raised starting height – are one of the most well-documented home gym builds, with matching plans from multiple independent sources (Greg Everett/Catalyst Athletics, End of Three Fitness, garage-gyms.com) and community builders reporting consistent success. The standout dimension is value: builders report costs from roughly $100 for a simple pair up to $230-300 for a full stacking set, versus $700+ for commercial steel blocks, with most builds finishing in a single day to a weekend. The weakest dimension is versatility of movement – once built, the design is fixed-footprint and, per multiple builds, heavy and awkward to reposition, and dropping weight onto them is loud enough that builders near shared walls report needing extra bracing or steel backing to avoid damage.

+Value: material costs run $100-300 depending on design, versus $700+ for commercial steel blocks (garage-gyms.com, Catalyst Athletics, r/homegym)
+Functionality: multiple independent stacking designs (Greg Everett's tiered stackers, End of Three's 4-height set) let lifters dial in the exact starting height for jerks, pulls, and rack work (Catalyst Athletics, End of Three Fitness)
+Durability: builders report boxes tested at 285 lb overhead with repeated dropping and no failures, plus years of continued use (End of Three Fitness, r/homegym)
+Versatility: beyond Olympic lifts, builders use the same blocks for heavy squats/presses, box jumps, and dips (End of Three Fitness)
+Build quality: rubber-matted, double-layer plywood tops and interlocking/anti-slip tabs are a common refinement across designs, reducing noise and bounce (garage-gyms.com, heaveyduty.com)

−Versatility: fixed dimensions once built, and multiple builders describe the finished blocks as heavy and difficult to move (garage-gyms.com)
−Build quality: no factory QA -- strength, squareness, and finish depend entirely on the individual builder's material choices and technique (garage-gyms.com)
−Functionality: dropping weight onto blocks near a wall can transmit enough impact to need added bracing or a steel backing sheet to avoid drywall damage (r/homegym)
−Durability: End of Three Fitness explicitly notes their design isn't tested for commercial/high-volume use or elite-level (450+ lb) jerks
−Functionality: loud when dropping weight, a documented tradeoff of the solid wood-and-rubber construction (garage-gyms.com)