The Best Pull Up Bars
- Gold's Gym XR 10.9 Power Tower
- Maximiza Doorway Pull Up Bar
- Ultimate Body Press
- Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar
- Sunny Health & Fitness Doorway Pull Up Bar
- Stamina Doorway Trainer Plus
- Body Vision PT600 Power Tower
- Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Pro
- Ultimate Body Press Elevated Doorway Pull-Up Bar
- Stamina Power Towers
Standout Picks
Criteria Used for Evaluation
Style
If you are already convinced that getting a pull-up bar will be good for your muscles, the next step is deciding which type of pull up bar do you prefer. In addition, we will explain what each and every pull-up bar is good for and how it can be attached to your home. Even though this might not seem important right now, it makes a great difference since this is also connected with its durability. It also makes a great difference if you are only going to attach the bar on the inside of the door or you will need to demolish your house and put large holes in your doorway.
Over the door bars
This type of pull up bars is also called door frame leverage bars and they are usually placed over the frame so they are not damaging the door frame. They come in pieces and the hardest part of their attachment is assembling them. A spanner should be provided in the package as well as a guide on how to do the assembling process. If it comes with a guide it is pretty easy to do and it shouldn’t take you much time. After this, you should only hook the bar on the door frame and you are done and ready to start your workout. Some over the door pull up bars have the option of reinforcing them by attaching them to the wall above the door frame. However, this also means damaging the wall a bit.
What is extremely convenient for this type of pull up bars is that they can be hooked on the door frame while you are using them and you can store them somewhere else when you are not. You could decide to store it as one piece or you could also disassemble it to some extent and put it under the bed.
Telescope pull up bars
Telescope pull up bars are also known by the name doorway chin-up bars. They are attaching on the door frame very nicely by wedging under the top of the frame. It is an advantage here that you can wedge your telescope pull up bar as high or as low as you want. This is the perfect choice for the whole family to work out together, regardless of the height of every member. There are two options which are keeping the bar in place. One is with cups on both ends in order to make it more stable and the other one is keeping it in place simply by friction.
Needless to say, the former one is the better option for heavier people. However, if you are looking for a pull-up bar for your child, the no cup version will be just fine. Otherwise, the cupped version is recommended, even though manufacturers are promoting it as quite safe and stable. The telescope pull up bar has multiple uses and it is used for all sorts of exercises. If you place it low enough, you can do sit-ups on your doorway or some variation of pushups. You could even choose to do dips, but most of all it is great for pull-ups.
Wall mounted pull up bars
The above-mentioned types of pull up bars were doorway bars that are meant to be the “portable” type that you can either store or replace it. However, if you wish a more stable pull up bar that is able to endure more weight we recommend the alternative to doorway bar – wall mounted pull up bars.
As you might already assume, the wall-mounted bars are heavy constructions that are manufactured specifically for being attached directly to the wall. In the meanwhile, the bar should always be parallel to the ground. This is an option which is recommended if you have enough space to mount the pull-up bar and yourself.
Ceiling mounted pull up bars
Ceiling mounted pull up bars is the ideal choice if you don’t have enough space for the previous two types of bars. The ceiling bars also allow you to use the space under the bar while you are not using it; so it is a bit of a space saver.
Contrary to the popular belief of the group of people who haven’t use the ceiling pull up bars before, they are not to be placed directly on the ceiling, but to the studs only. Having this in mind, the mounting part reveals two subcategories of the ceiling bars; ones that are mounted on the side of the ceiling step or stud and ones that are mounted onto the bottom of it. They are both equally stable and the only way you could decide between them is by following your own preferences.
There are also pull up bars that are free-standing but we are not going to cover them in this buying guide since they take too much space in the home and for this reason, only a small group of people uses them. They don’t need fixing or mounting or attaching. They come with a heavy construction that is able to support your weight. They are also multifunctional and can be used for multiple exercises.
Fit
The cups are reinforcing the bar by being attached to both ends of the bar. After doing so, you should attach the cups on the door frame. This is usually done by screwing them on the door frame sides. If you choose to do this, make sure you measure that the holes in the door frame are the same height. In order to ensure this, if you don’t have the right gear for leveling, make sure you double-check the height on each side. Make sure you also measure the distances from the holes to the upper door frame edges.
Use
If you haven’t had a pull-up bar before it is important to know that each type will cause damage in your home. However, the benefits are numerous and it will definitely put you in good shape. Even though it is intimidating to get past the chin area it will certainly give you the greatest satisfaction. What’s convenient with pull up bars is that you are not only buying a product but a whole platform that will transform your body. The suggested bars in this guide are carefully reviewed and tested and they have proved as the perfect bars that could help you in delivering the wanted results. Nevertheless, proper nutrition and hydration are always the top things you should focus on.
Weight
Pull-up bars provide the user with great support and it holds different weights, so when making a purchase you have to check to make sure it will support your weight or the weight you are looking to achieve. However, if you weigh anywhere close 300 lbs, it is recommended that you use the screw in brackets that will support your weight. Nevertheless, the maximum weight amount will depend on the quality of the door frame. It is also recommended that you don’t apply all the weight and pressure at once. Instead, try doing some light exercises first and be ready to land on your feet.
Top Ten Pull Up Bars
1. Gold's Gym XR 10.9 Power Tower
Power Towers like the Gold's Gym XR 10.9 are a great option for those looking for versatility and value for a long-term piece of equipment. Power Towers will increase the range of exercises you can do on it, offer greater stability than standard door frame bars, and be made of better quality materials. Keep reading our golds gym pull up bar review to know more!
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Because this is a self-standing piece of equipment, it is going to take up much more room than your typical gold's gym door pull up bar that you find on most of this list. Because of that, you have added stability and versatility, but also size and price. For that serious home gym, this might just be the addition you're looking for. But, if you're just looking to get started, there might be better, less bulky and expensive options on our list.
Fit
This Gold's Gym XR 10.9 Power Tower fits in any place of your home as it can be easily moved and stored.
Use
This Gold's Gym XR 10.9 Power Tower is a multi-function strength training device that is known for working best for upper-body and bodyweight exercises. It is a popular pull-up bar and is a very strong and very durable device. This power tower works your entire upper body. You are able to push, pull, or lift your body while using this machine. Some great uses for this pull up station includes its vertical knee raise station, it has a push-up Station and a multi-grip pull-up station.
Weight
This gold's gym pull up bar can hold up to 300 pounds. Golds gym pull up bar exercises will help you to strengthen your muscles.
2. Maximiza Doorway Pull Up Bar
Maximiza pull-up bar is a telescopic type which is suitable for use for people who prefer using the bar for multiple exercises. However, its main purpose is pull-ups and it holds up a pretty good amount of weight. This best doorway pull up bar is great for toning your upper body and building muscle on your back, shoulders, arms, and abs.
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In telescopic pull up bars, the biggest issue is that they tend to spin if the screws are not well attached to the bar. With the Maximiza pull up bar you wouldn’t have such issues as long as you are standing on the right side of the bar. It does tend to spin on the one side, but the other side is completely fixed. This would also be different depending on the type of pull up that you are doing; an underhand or an overhand grip. The grip that is attached to the bar is made from soft foam so it is highly likely that they will wear off over time or if you are not careful enough. Even though the foam is soft and supportive enough, if you wish, you could add some other material as well.
Fit
If you are planning on securing the pull-up bar into a metal frame instead of a wooden door frame, or perhaps a steel door frame, it can be done. The bar has a rubber safety pieces attached to the ends of the bars. When it comes to touch with steel or metal, the friction would be even higher so the bar would be even more stable than a wood one. However, if you want to screw the support pieces and reinforce the bar, with steel and metal door frames would be even more difficult and you might require special equipment.
Use
This Maximiza Doorway Pull Up Bar is one of the best home pull up bars, known for being used for building up your upper body strength and to tone up your arms, shoulder, and ab muscles. This is a multi-functioning machine durable machine where you can do many exercises on including hanging leg raises, chin-ups, pull-ups, dips, situps, crunches, and leg raises. This pull- up bar can also be used or moved through-out your garage, home, gym, or even office. It is very easy to use and very easy to install which helps with its portability.
Weight
This door pull up bar provides the user with great support and it holds up to 300 lbs. However, if you weigh anywhere close 300 lbs, it is recommended that you use the screw in brackets that will support your weight. Nevertheless, the maximum weight amount will depend on the quality of the door frame. If your frame is a medium-duty, then the maximum weight it can endure is 200 lbs. It is also recommended that you don’t apply all the weight and pressure at once. Instead, try doing some light exercises first and be ready to lend on your feet. In conclusion, this is a perfectly safe pull up bar that can hold up to the promoted and tested amount, but only if you are using the screws. Without them, safety is not guaranteed and it might not support much weight.
3. Ultimate Body Press
This Ultimate body press pull-up bar is a ceiling-mounted bar that is very stable and comfortable for usage. With it, you are able to do more pull-ups variation. If this is your first pull up bar, this is the perfect choice for you. It even includes instructions and hardware for mounting.
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There is one specific requirement for using this joist mounted pull up bar and that is that the ceiling has to be solid. If you are thinking about placing it on a wooden ceiling, you would have an issue. Even though there are users who have mounted it on a wooden ceiling and using it safely, this is not recommended. If you have decided on purchasing this ceiling pull up bar, or another one of this type, it is always recommended that you mount it closer to the wall. This way you would avoid drywall cracks that are a common problem for mounted ceilings. Even though if you manage to install it successfully the drywall cracks may not appear at first, over time they tend to do so. The manufacturer also offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so if you are not satisfied with it for any reason, you will be able to get your money back. The distance from the ceiling implies that it is suitable for use by taller people. The maximum distance is 16 inches.
Fit
This Ultimate Body Press Elevated Doorway Pull-Up Bar fits in between all residential doorways 24" to 36" wide with molding up to 3.5" wide. The advantage with this pull up bar and in general with all mountable bars is that they are usually more stable than the door frame pull up bars. You wouldn’t have to worry about your bar slipping off and you wouldn’t want to miss a chance to try it out. Even though there are some door frame models that are perfectly stable and secure, people tend to believe that they would fall off. This makes them exercise with precaution, therefore making the exercises less effective.
Use
This Ultimate Body Press Ceiling Mounted Pull Up Bar is used to help build your upper body and strengthen your core. This perfect pullup bar can be used for Bodyweight Resistance Trainers where you can add accessories including ab straps or gym rings to be hung from the bar. That way you are even able to do add on other types of workouts to be used for exercising your whole body.
Weight
There are additional parallel grips at a perfect spacing of 20 inches, but there are also grips all over the bar in case you are more comfortable with different spacing. The bar itself has three grip positions if we count out the additional ones. This feature lets you target a wider muscle group and add strength to your upper body. The foam grips are with high-density material which is letting you exercise more intensively and increase your reps. This makes this pull up bar perfect for competitive people. The ends of the bar are a bit angled in order to prevent over articulation of your shoulders and prevent injuries. The weight support is 300 lbs and up to that limit, you can work out and have no problem with it.
4. Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar
The Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar is a multi-function strength training device that promises to sculpt your upper body through pull-ups, chin-ups, and abdominal work. That's all while hanging in the doorframe. This bar can also be used on the ground to perform dips, pushups, and sit-ups. It really is an all-around bar for quick and easy workouts.
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This Iron Gym Gym XR 10.9 Total Upper Body Workout Bar is a multi-function strength training device that is known for working best for upper-body and bodyweight exercises. It is a popular pull-up bar and is a very strong and very durable device.
Fit
Like we talked about above, this bar exercise is a great option for those that want a lightweight, small piece of equipment that has plenty of functionality. On the door frame, it acts like a typical pull-up bar where you can do pull ups, chin ups, and abdominal exercises.
Use
Placing it on the floor, however, allows you to work in a different set of muscles while you perform dips for your triceps, pushups for your chest and biceps, and sit-ups to even further target your abs. This pull up bar can also allow for many different bodyweight exercises, it helps you lose weight, and helps improve muscle mass.
Weight
This bar can hold up to 300 pounds. The door mounted pull up bar is also expandable and can fit doorways from 24"-34" wide.
5. Sunny Health & Fitness Doorway Pull Up Bar
The Sunny Health & Fitness Doorway Pull Up Bar is a very popular and strong pull-up bar at a low price. This doorway pull up bar is made from high-strength, cold-rolled steel to give it a sleek appearance. It is a great option for those looking for an expensive, yet functional bar for their home.
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This Sunny Health & Fitness Doorway Pull Up Bar is a great multi-tool that has weight-bearing brackets that help with maximum stability while you are doing chin-ups and pull-ups. It also has padded comfortable grips while you are doing push-ups to make sure your hands are extra comfortable, in quality gym gloves.
Fit
Assembly is very easy with the Sunny Health & Fitness Doorway Pull Up Bar. It can be installed almost instantly by applying tension through a twisting motion while the bar is in the doorway. To give you an added sense of security, the bar comes with two sets of mounting brackets. These brackets can easily be installed with the provided screws in just a few minutes. It is suggested to use them.
Use
A pull-up bar can also allow for many different bodyweight exercises, it helps you lose weight, and helps improve muscle mass. This Sunny Health & Fitness Doorway Pull Up Bar is ideal for push-ups, pull-ups, leg lifts, chin-ups, and crunches.
Weight
This door pull up bar can hold up to 220 pounds. The bar is also expandable and can fit doorways from 24.5"-36" wide.
6. Stamina Doorway Trainer Plus
One of the key features of the Stamina Doorway Trainer Plus is the ample options for hand placement. And when it comes to size, this home pull up bar doesn't take up nearly as much room as other bars for storage. It is an affordable, quality, and well-designed pull-up bar.
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There are multiple grip options so that you can tone yourself in any way that feels most comfortable. This bar is considered to be professional quality and will hold up well in a tough work out. The padding is ample and thick, while the grips are non-slip and comfortable. Overall, this bar is a fantastic price for the quality you get.
Fit
It fits standard doorways so that you can jump straight on for pull-ups, sit-ups, and of course, dips.
Use
This Stamina Doorway Trainer Plus is known for being used for dips, pull-ups, triceps, push-ups, and sit-ups.
Weight
The Stamina Doorway Trainer Plus is made of sturdy steel and holds up to 250 pounds.
7. Body Vision PT600 Power Tower
We have specifically reviewed this Body Max pull up bar model for people who are not lacking space in their home and maybe even own a home gym. In that case, this self-standing pull-up bar will be the perfect addition to your home gym. It will help you strengthen your muscles and gain muscle mass in your upper body. It comes with or without expert assembly if you feel you are up to the task.
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Considering the utility of the workout station and the number of exercises you could do with it, the price offered is not only decent but a great bargain. It is can also be assembled and put aside when you are not using it. This is particularly useful if you don’t have a specific room for all your workout gear. It is also positive that it is designed to be placed against a wall so it wouldn’t take you too much space. The only downside is that it is not recommended for people with extremely narrow shoulders since working out might be more difficult. However, the width itself is standard and the only way to avoid this width is to buy yourself an adjustable pull-up bar. The adjustable ones on the other side have a much higher price.
Fit
This Body Vision PT600 Power Tower is very easily portable and can fit nicely away anywhere.
Use
This Body Vision PT600 Power Tower is a multi-purpose workout station that helps work out your whole body but specializes in your upper and lower body. With this power tower, you get a chin-up and pull-up station that has multiple grip positions as well as a grip station for triceps, and a leg raise station for quads and lower abs.
Weight
This portable pull up bar is very stable and it is the perfect equipment for exercising your upper and lower body. Other than pull-ups, this tower has the possibility of multiple exercises which is convenient and makes it a great price deal. There are also multiple grip positions that will definitely make you more consistent in your training.
8. Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Pro
You can grip the Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Pro in three places. Conveniently, it fits in a number of different types of doorways, and thank you to the rectangular door frame support pads, damage to your home is unlikely.
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This bar has narrow, neutral, and wide grip options. The great part with this particular bar is that the widest grips are placed in front of the door frame, which should erase any kind of discomfort with the doorway getting in the way of your elbows.
Fit
When it comes to set up, the Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Pro keeps it simple and straightforward, and this is a huge bonus for many who wish to get straight to their workout without too much muss or fuss. The instructions are straightforward compared to many other pull-up bars'. It can be fitted to a number of doorways with a maximum of 33 inches wide.
Use
This Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Pro is known for being used to help work out your upper body and increase your strength and muscle mass. It can be used for dips, situps, pushups and has padded handles that provide comfort and help to ensure your form gets better.
Weight
The Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Pro can hold up to 300 pounds safely. Due to the foam's compression upon first-grip, there might be a slight sag feel.
9. Ultimate Body Press Elevated Doorway Pull-Up Bar
The Ultimate Body Press Elevated Doorway Pull-Up Bar goes all the way with this model. It is designed for larger door frames and can hold a larger person as well. Because of the longer support bar, it offers a person more clearance than other bars do.
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Furthermore, the upward curvature of this door workout bar sets it apart from the others and allows a larger vertical incline for pull-ups. According to a tester of about 220 pounds, the Ultimate Body Press Elevated Doorway Pull-Up Bar fit the bill for comfort and a solid, sturdy feeling.
Fit
This Ultimate Body Press Elevated Doorway Pull-Up Bar fits in between all residential doorways 24" to 36" wide with molding up to 3.5" wide
Use
With this bar, you will get a full range of motion workout that isn't offered in the same way from the other pull-up stations. The ABS couplers ensure that the doorway fit is snug and secure, and you can feel at ease with high-density foam that allows a comfortable grip.
Weight
This bar can hold up to 300 pounds. The bar is also expandable and can fit doorways from 24"-36" wide.
10. Stamina Power Towers
This Stamina Power Tower is a great addition to your home with you being able to work out your whole body with just one machine. It is a power tower that includes a pull-up bar and it is perfect for the whole family to use. It has great safety results and it looks very nice, you don’t even have to store it while not using it.
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This Stamina Power Tower is great for different bodyweight exercises, it helps you lose weight, it improves your heart health, and it also builds your muscles. This device is known for providing great stability and comfort during exercises. It comes with foam hand grips and different types of bars to help increase your workout options. Even for your bodyweight routines, this machine can be very effective for a variety of muscle groups.
Fit
One great feature for this power tower if its ability to be stored and fit in many different spaces. This Stamina Power Tower is easy to install and is very compact 49”x42.5”x81” which makes it ideal for your garage or indoor space.
Use
This Stamina Power Tower is an all in one fitness device that can be used for push-ups, chin-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, verticle knee raises and many more exercises. There is foam padding to every station to help with a variety of workouts including the pull-up chin station, push-up station, tricep dip station, and the seated sit-up station.
Weight
The Stamina Power Towers durable steel frame supports up to 250 lbs.