The Greatest Pullup Bars You Can Get Right Now

BY BEN RADDING, Men'sHealth

From free-standing to door attachment, everything you need to build your back

If you do any strength training, you know that one of the finest bodyweight exercises out there is the pullup. It is both an essential test of upper-body strength and a top way to build back muscle.

“It's a staple in upper body workouts; we use it a ton in weight lifting,” says Sean Waxman, C.S.C.S., owner of Waxman’s Gym. “Depending on how you grip—wide most of the time—you'll see a thickening and a widening of the back. Your grip will improve, and your whole upper body will get stronger.”

[post_ads]Proper pullup technique is relatively simple—but can get difficult as you gas your muscles. It’s important to stay on-form as you do pullups so you’re getting the maximal workout and avoiding injury. Put simply, Waxman says, “You want to be hanging from a bar, whether or not it's a chinup or a pullup. You want to start with your arms extended, and you want to pull yourself up until the bar hits your chest or at least chin level. At the top of the movement, you want to pull your shoulder blades down and together.” For more on perfect pullup technique, check out this diagram and How to Perform The Perfect Pull-Up.

As you improve on your pullups, you may need ways to make them more difficult. “If you can blow out 20 pullups, you’re not really improving their strength anymore” doing the same-old pullups, Waxman says. He recommends adding some weight. “If you want to improve hypertrophy [growth in size], you want to add enough weight to you’re doing eight to twelve reps. Then looking for improvement and more strength, then you add more weight so you can do three to five reps.” To add weight, you may need a weighed vest or a belt that can have weight attached to it. For more ideas on how to improve your pullups, check out Power Up Your Pull-Up.

Now that you’ve got the knowledge to start doing pullups, you need the right tools. As Waxman says, “All you need is a place to hang.” So if you’re looking to do them at home, you need a pullup bar. We’ve done the research and rounded up the perfect pullup bars for guys looking to bulk up at home or in the office. To get the most out of your new bar, read Get A Full-Body Workout With Only A Pullup Bar.

1. 

CAP BARBELL PULL-UP BAR

Simple and effective, the CAP bar is ideal for those looking for multiple grip positions when pounding out pullups. From wide to neutral to palms-facing for chinups, this bar can do it all. The grippy foam handles deliver all the non-slip comfort you need. It mounts on a door securely—but you can take it down and put it on the floor to use the different grips for push-ups.

$18, Buy It Here

2. 

PURE FITNESS PULL-UP BAR

With eight grip configurations and comfortable foam handles, Pure Fitness’ bar is a sleek and efficient bar. It attaches to nearly any door and holds up to 250 pounds for awesome pullups and hanging crunches, and it won’t bother your walls with a protective foam coating. Install in seconds and start your new pullup regimen.

$20, Buy It Here

The Best Pullup and Chinup Variations:

3. 

TITAN FITNESS WALL-MOUNTED PULL-UP BAR

If you don’t love the idea of hanging from your doorway, a wall-mounted bar is a great solution. The incredibly sturdy and durable Titan Fitness bar is adjustable with five different height variations and hold up to 350 pounds for guys of different sizes and skills. The bar itself is thick, so you’ll be getting an excellent grip workout at the same time.

$69, Buy It Here

4. 

AKONZA DIP STATION

Willing to invest more in a bar that can do it all? Then get a station. If you’ve got the space, the Akonza is a dream. It has a bar at the top for pullups, but also grips for dips and abdominal raises. The pad on the back lets you comfortably do raises, and a thick foam grip on the pullup bar makes flipping your grip and doing chinups a breeze. More space, sure, but more complete results. Get a full-body workout on this one station.

$130, Buy It Here

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5. 

CONFIDENCE OLYMPIC POWER TOWER V2

This ultimate heavy-duty bodyweight station is a must-have in any home gym. It has everything you need for an upper-body workout: grips for chinups, grips for pullups, grips for dips, and even grips on the floor for raised pushups. It only holds up to 220 pounds, though, so it’s not for beginners. Work you back, biceps, triceps, and chest all in one place.

$140, Buy It Here