Power Stairs - Custom/DIY

Power Stairs is a strongman event where competitors carry a series of loadable implements up a short flight of steps, duck-walk style, with each implement fully planted on a step before advancing to the next. On the World’s Strongest Man stage the loads range from roughly 182-273 kg (400-600 lb); at the gym level, competitors train the movement with far lighter, homemade equivalents.

Two DIY approaches cover most of what lifters build at home. The implement itself – sometimes called a “power pin” or “loadable kettlebell” – is a threaded-pipe T: a 1.5” flange, a 1.5” x 12” nipple, a 1.5” T fitting, and pipe-cap handles, assembled for around $50 and loaded with standard weight plates. Where a full staircase is wanted, builders frame it from dimensional lumber (4x4 legs, 2x4 framing) and 3/4” plywood treads, typically at an 18” rise per step to mirror competition proportions.

Lifters without either build train the same movement pattern by lifting a loaded power pin onto a plyo or squat box and resetting for reps, which both a Reddit thread of competitors and a YouTube technique breakdown describe as an effective substitute when a dedicated staircase isn’t available. Because there’s no factory SKU, coverage here comes from build tutorials, the official event description, and competitors’ own training workarounds rather than a graded product review.