Are you looking for a piece of exercise equipment for your home that is affordable and doesn’t take up too much space? A pull up bar is a great choice. Let’s take a closer look.
Quite simply, a pull up bar is a removable bar that is mounted horizontally usually in a doorway. There are variations of the simple bar as well. From there, a variety of exercises can be performed. Once you make sure your bar is securely mounted, reach up and pull yourself up in one fluid movement. Focus on using the strength in your arms, shoulders and back. Be sure to exhale on your way up as well. Once your chin is above the bar, start to lower yourself back down in a controlled movement. Depending on your bar, you can change your grip so your palms face each other, face your body, or for an added challenge, face away from you.
Now you may be thinking that these exercises are too difficult. It’s true that in theory, pull ups are easy. The movement is quite simple. But the exercise requires a lot of muscular strength. There are some modifications, though, to make pull ups easier for beginners. First, start by just holding yourself in the “up” position. Jump up or use a chair and then hold your body weight for as long as you can with your chin above the bar. Be sure to not let your chin rest on the bar itself. Each week, add ten seconds to your holds. In addition to this modification, a beginner can have someone hold his or her feet to assist with the “pull” portion of the exercise. By displacing some of the weight into the hands of someone else, the exerciser is not lifting their full weight.
Finally, as with all exercise, be consistent. You will not see results overnight. At first pull ups will not be easy, but with time, you’ll succeed. A wall mounted pull up bar or a free standing pull up bar is a great addition to any home gym. Go out and get yourself one today!