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Technical

Setting Up & Packing Up

With its internal bungee cord and leg-fixing design, the Porta-Gym is straight-forward to set/pack up, and the unit is easily manoeuvrable in all states. Please study the design and read the following instructions and adhere to their spirit, in particular always be calm, careful, and deliberate when setting and packing up your Porta-Gym.

Setting up:

The Porta-Gym can be set/packed up in a variety of ways (some more appropriate in smaller spaces). Here is one of the recommended methods:

  1. Lay Porta-Gym flat on floor (or protective mat). Unfold and line-up legs on one side of cross-bar.
  2. Fix the two legs closest to floor (insert upper section into elbows and place sheaths over knees).
  3. Fix each raised leg, upper part first (gravity acting on lower section will keep sheath in place).
  4. Grab upper sections (just above sheaths) of two raised legs and slowly set unit upright.
  5. Position feet (rotate lower leg sections, if needed), connect tension straps, move legs to take up slack.
Setting up the Porta-Gym

An alternative way to set up is as follows: carefully unfold and lay out the legs around the cross-bar, on the floor. Then holding the cross-bar in the middle by one hand, slowly lift unit into the air.

Once all legs are clear of the ground, fix them into place one by one (insert into elbow, place sheath)

Packing up:

To pack up your Porta-Gym, simply reverse the setting up process. The folded unit will fit snuggly into its case. There’s a bit of a knack to folding and inserting it correctly.

You will soon become adept at quickly setting up and packing up your Porta-Gym (around a minute each). However, you should always make sure to observe:

  • As with workouts themselves, state of mind is important. Be calm and deliberate, don’t rush.
  • Never set up or pack up the Porta-Gym near babies or children.
  • After assembly and prior to each Porta-Gym session, always run through the following checklist

Checklist

  1. Legs and cross-bar are inserted fully into the elbows.
  2. Sheaths are positioned over knees, in contact with well-fastened collars
  3. Feet are located properly onto legs, unimpeded, sitting comfortably on stable ground.
  4. Tension straps are securely hooked onto the feet with no slack.
  5. Start your Porta-Gym sessions with a cautious opening until sure that the unit is set up correctly. Do this by holding the cross-bar, shaking it a little from side to side, and then increasing the load gradually while still standing.

Note: In equilibrium, the hooks on the feet will be at approx. 30 degrees (not 45) from the front-to-back tension straps (this is because of the angles of the legs).

As a result, the left-to-right tension straps will be slightly more secure (less likely to unhook) if they are attached before the front-to-back ones

Care & Maintenance

Your Porta-Gym is made with high quality steel, aluminium, and plastic, and with good care it should provide years of service. Do not leave your Porta-Gym outside for long (it is rust-proof but weathering may affect setting up).

Try not to leave the Porta-Gym wet for long periods, as the water may perish the bungee rubber. Follow the instructions above to avoid denting the metal or breaking the feet. The elbows and collars get their colour from a powder coating process. Some chips and marks on powder coating is to be expected, especially at contact points

The bungee cord will stretch over time and might need tightening up simply by pulling some cord through the feet and tying a new knot (and snipping off the old knot). To get replacements for any parts of your Porta-Gym, visit www.porta-gym.co.uk

Staying Safe

Always follow the spirit of the setting/packing up instructions above, which means being calm and thorough. If used properly, the Porta-Gym is capable of taking large loads and stresses, but it is not a toy.

It should not be used for swinging on or as a climbing frame for children. If children are around, it is advisable to pack the Porta-Gym away after each use and not leave it unattended. It is also not a structural engineering device, so should not be used other than as exercise equipment.

The feet of the Porta-Gym are deliberately low friction to ensure that the tension straps take the strain and minimise the chance of jolting. Make sure that the forces applied to the Porta-Gym are predominantly downwards and go through the cross-bar to avoids making the unit slide. Avoid wild or acrobatic type of movements. See porta-gym.co.uk for applicable terms and conditions