Good upper body strength is important for all athletes and triathletes are no exception, particularly with the swim in mind. And pull-ups are a great bodyweight exercise to help give you a boost.
While weighted exercises using dumbbells or kettlebells are great for building up strength, they can be expensive, as you’ll need to buy a new pair once you outgrow the weight.
The fabled pull-up bar doesn’t suffer from this issue. It provides a tool that improves your posture (important if you’re putting in the miles on the bike) and targets your entire upper body, including your core.
It’s also great for all levels: beginners can fix resistance bands to the bar for some assistance, helping to build up strength when they’re starting out. More advanced users can add some weight using a backpack or weighted vest.
They can be attached to a wall, fit inside a doorway, or be part of a standalone tower. Many have different grips and are able to support various maximum weights.
Below, we’ve listed a few diverse options for you to consider, with picks based on in-depth research and analysis of consumer reviews.
Best pull-up bars for home workouts
JX Fitness Pull Up Bar
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This pull-up bar from JX fitness features foam grips and a triangular support structure, designed to provide extra safety and comfort.
The slight curve to the design and the crossover bars means it can support a close, mid and wide grip to target different muscle groups. There are also three different eyelets which can be used as hooks for punch bags, power ropes or TRX straps.
This bar uses a wall mounted system, providing greater range of movement and space when compared to a doorway system. It features a steel pipe construction, ideal for screwing into bricks or concrete blocks, and is said to be able to support up to 124kg. The screws and bolts are included.
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Pro Fitness Multi Pull Up Bar
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This bar from Pro Fitness is designed to be attached to a doorframe for convenience and ease. It’s said to support a maximum of 100kg and features foam grips across an ergonomic structure with different angles to support a number of different exercises, including under and overarm grips, and wider grip chin-ups.
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Corength Compact Pull Up Bar
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This classic pull-up bar features a frame that Decathlon says is able to support a maximum user weight of 130kg, but it’s also able to be folded against the wall after your workout to take up a bit less space.
This bar keep things simple and is able to facilitate underhand, overhand, wide or hammer grip.
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Opti Pull Up Bar
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This affordable option from Opti by Argos is designed to fit in your doorway. It could be a good option for anyone short on space, as it can be removed when not in use.
The doorway attachments are said to support a maximum user weight of 95kg, while foam grips are included to improve comfort and keep your hands from slipping.
It’s a purely straight bar though, so if you’re looking for a bar that provides different grips, this might not be the best option for you.
For explosive movements or anything that requires getting your chest above the bar, this may not be suitable.
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Mirafit Heavy Duty Pull Up Bar
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Mirafit has created a heavy duty pull-up bar, designed to be wall mounted and support a range of explosive movements. It features a multi-position grip, with a number of different bars to target different muscle groups and keep your exercise selection fresh.
It features a silver gloss finish on the bars, with the frame being 1.2 metres wide. Mirafit includes all the necessary wall fittings, so you’ll just need a good solid wall to screw into.
Once in place, this pull-up bar is able to support a maximum user weight of 150kg. If you’re looking for an option that can unlock a wide range of movements, this could be what you’re looking for.
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Corength Pull Up and Dip Station
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Built with a standalone style, this premium pull-up station is designed for anyone that doesn’t want to try and work around wall attachments.
It features a classic pull-up bar, as well as a dip station. There are also arm holders with pads to keep you secure while doing leg raises to target the core, plus there’s an adjustable backrest to accommodate different heights.
The design is said to be able to support a maximum weight of 150kg.