What Type of Pull-Up Bar to Choose?
Before purchasing a pull-up bar, think carefully about where you want to put it. Take all necessary measurements carefully and use them to pick out the correct product...
15. 3. 2017
Pull-up exercises are considered to be the best way to strengthen the upper half of your body and thus tone your back muscles. The movements are very natural, because you use your own body weight as resistance. Door pull-up bars allow you to do pull-ups even though you don’t have much space available at home. After all, everyone has doors and the pull-up bar can be quickly removed so that it doesn’t get in the way. These pull-up bars are also an ideal choice if you for some reason cannot drill into the walls at your home and attach a pull-up bar to your wall or ceiling. Therefore, door-pull up bars are the perfect choice if you live in a small flat or maybe in a dorm.
If you have decided to buy a door pull-up bar, but are not sure what type to choose, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, you’ll learn about the most important aspects to consider when picking out door pull-up bar, as well as what to watch out for.
Measure twice…
The most important thing is to find out which pull-up bars will fit into your doorframe. If you have standard-sized doors at home (70 – 80 cm), this choice should be fairly straightforward. Carefully measure the width of the doorway (it is best to measure the width of the door itself, rather than the free space between the doorframe). Measure the width of the doorframes as well – doorframes in some older houses are wider than usual. In the description of each product you’ll find the required bar measurements, as well as the door measurements necessary for it to be affixed securely.
If you want to purchase a self-supporting pull-up bar with handlebars extending over the width of the doorway, make sure there is nothing in the surrounding area to get in the way (walls, furniture).
Think about the bar's weight limit
The weight limit is of course an important aspect when choosing a pull-up bar. Door pull-up bars have understandably lower weight limit than pull-up bars drilled into walls. Under no circumstances exceed the weight limit determined by the manufacturer. You could fall off the pull-up bar and injure yourself.
Finally, pick the type you find most suitable
According to the way they are affixed, door pull-up bars are further categorized as telescopic and self-supporting:
- Telescopic door pull-up bar – Telescopic pull-up bar is the simple and inconspicuous choice. It can be attached to your doorway in two ways – either holders are attached to each side of the doorframe and the bar is then inserted, or you telescopically extend the pull-up bar, until it is firmly secured in between the doorframes. This type of pull-up bar offers basically only two grip variations, but if you only want to do pull-ups and don’t want to spend too much, this pull-up bar is the ideal choice for you.
- Self-supporting pull-up bar – A self-supporting pull-up bar doesn’t have to be affixed at all. You prop the pull-up bar against the back of the doorframe and your body weight acts as a leverage, causing the bar to stay in place as it pushes against the door in both directions. Once you are done exercising, you simply remove it from your door and put it in a place where it won’t get in the way. Compared to the telescopic bar, this type offers more grip variations and therefore allows you to exercise a wider range of muscles. With these pull-up bars, it is important to make sure the doorway width and user’s weight don’t exceed the values determined by the manufacturer, otherwise falls and injuries may occur.