If you are looking for a great way to get in a workout at home, then the doorway pull-up bar needs to be in your arsenal. As a primary back exercise, the doorway pull-up bar will help work several muscles including the shoulders, traps, back, abs. You can also use many of our recommended doorway pull-up bars to perform many other exercises including push-ups, chin-ups, and dips.
Table of Contents
What is a Doorway Pull-Up Bar?
A doorway pull-up bar is a bar that you connect to your door frame via a slip-in design or screwing into the door frame. It allows you to get a great workout at home even on those days you can’t make it to the gym. Each model has different uses and variations, so we decided to break down the best pull-up bars to eliminate the confusion.
Let’s get into the list!
Our Pick: Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout
Why We love it
Iron Gym has made one of the most popular pull up bars on the market. It has a rugged design that is long-lasting. The Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar is strong and durable. It covers all the basic grips you need in a doorway pull-up bar without getting too fancy and adding grips you may never use. You can use it for other exercises as well, which makes it a versatile bodyweight gym.
What are the pros?
- Turns any doorway into a personal gym
- Installs in seconds.
- It can be used for push-ups, chin-ups, dips, crunches, and more.
- Three grip positions, narrow, wide, and neutral.
- Soft Foam grips
- Uses leverage to hold against the doorway so there are no screws and no damage to your door.
- Has everything most people need
What are the cons?
- Less Grips than other options
Who is it best for?
Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar is great for anyone looking to get a total upper body workout at home. It has all the basic doorway pull-up bar needs, without breaking the bank. Check out the latest price here:
Runner Up: Prosource Fit Multi-Grip Chin-Up/Pull-Up Bar
Why We Love It
Prosource Fit Multi-Grip Chin-Up/Pull-Up Bar, Heavy Duty Doorway Trainer has 12 different grips to help perform a total back workout in the comfort of your home. Each grip has a foam handle for comfort during those tough workouts. It also can strengthen the entire upper body with pull-ups, sit-ups, push-ups, dips, and leg raises. Included is a lifetime warranty so this will be the last pull-up bar you have to buy!
What are the Pros?
- 12 comfortable grips & various handles
- Allows you to perform wide, hammer, close-grip exercises and much more
- It can also be used as a total body gym.
- Strengthen the entire upper body and abs with pull-ups, sit-ups, push-ups, dips, and leg raises
- Easy to Assemble and install
- Made of high-grade steel & built to last.
- it holds up to 300 lb
- Includes a limited lifetime warranty
- Great bang for your buck
- No screws or damage to the door
What are the Cons?
- More grips than needed for beginners
Who is it best for?
Prosource Fit Multi-Grip Chin-Up/Pull-Up Bar, Heavy Duty Doorway Trainer is great for those who are looking to get a total body workout at home. Anyone who loves to do many different pull-up variations will love the 12 handles on this doorway pull-up bar. Check out the latest price here!
Runner-Up: Ultimate Body Press XL Doorway Pull Up Bar with Elevated Bar & Adjustable Width
Why We love it
Ultimate Body Press XL Doorway Pull Up Bar has superb build quality. The elevated handle is a great feature for people who’s door frames are lower than 8 feet. While still providing multiple grips, this doorway pull-up bar will fit the needs of most people. Not only that, you can buy additional accessories such as resistance bands, ab straps, and gymnastic rings, to mix up your workout.
What are the Pros?
- Elevated Bar sets 1” above door trim and 10” from the wall and fully leverages your doorway opening for full range of motion moves.
- Premium heavy steel tubing supports up to 300 pounds.
- Quickly switch between doorway and floor exercises
- Can purchase optional accessories (Resistance Trainers, Ab Straps and Gymnastic Rings)
- Has a 10-year warranty
- Multiple Grips for different pull up variations
What are the Cons?
- The bulkiest doorway pull up bar on our list
Who is it best for?
This is a great doorway pull-up bar for people who are over 6 feet tall. The elevated handle that sits 1” above the door frame allows taller people to get the full range of motion, without worrying about their knees touching the ground. Especially, if they have a shorter door height. Check out the latest price here!
Heavy-Duty Pick: Iron Age Pull-Up Bar
Why We love it
Iron age pull-up bar has the sturdiest build on our list. The Iron age also has the highest bar height, measuring 6 inches above the door frame. It also can hold up to 440 pounds, the highest weight limit on our list. Making this ideal for big and tall people. Thus pull-up bar includes their smart hook technology, which secures the bar like no other pull up bar on our list.
What are the Pros?
- Zero assemblies required.
- Foldable design for easy storage
- The upper handlebar is 6 inches higher than traditional pull-up bars
- Great for taller people
- Protective pads also prevent damage to the door frame.
- Extremely Sturdy
- Multiple uses include push-ups and sit-ups.
- Great for bigger people as it can hold 440 pounds
What are the Cons?
- Does not have as many handle variations as some other models
Who is it best for?
This is the best doorway pull-up bar for big and tall people, measuring 6 inches above the door frame and having a maximum capacity of 440 pounds. If you are looking for a tough built pull-up bar, then Iron Age Pull-Up Bar Doorway is perfect for you. Check out the latest price here!
Budget Pick: Sunny Health & Fitness Door Way Chin Up and Pull Up Bar
Why We love it
A great budget option, the Sunny Health & Fitness Door Way Chin Up and Pull Up Bar is the traditional home pull up bar you know and love. It is the lowest priced option on our list.
What are the Pros?
- Adjustable length to fit any door
- Easiest pull-up bar to store with a telescoping design
- Lowest Price
What are the Cons?
- Must screw into the door
- Only Holds 220 Pounds
Who is it best for?
The Sunny Health & Fitness Door Way Chin Up and Pull Up Bar is best for budget shoppers who just want to do standard pull-ups and chin-ups. Check out the latest price here!
What Body Part Do Pull-Ups Strengthen?
Pull-Ups are a fantastic exercise to strengthen your upper body. They specifically target your back and traps. Back strength is key to developing a great physique and pull-ups are one of the best overall exercises for you back. A great back will complement your chest, shoulders, and abdominals.
Pull-ups are a great strength exercise for everyday functionality. A strong back is important when bending, lifting, or just reaching for something.
How Often Should You Do Pull-Ups?
I do pull-ups at least two times a week. This ensures I am working the back muscle consistently throughout the week. For beginners, we recommend you start with one day a week with good form until you feel more comfortable. If you follow the pull-up routine in this article, you will develop a strong back in no time. The key is to make sure that you are consistent. Those who are not consistent with their pull-up routine will never make any progress.
Do pull-ups work any secondary muscles?
We have already established that pull-ups are one of the best movements for your back but they also work a few secondary muscles as well. The traps and shoulders get work as secondary muscles, yet the prime secondary muscle is the bicep. The biceps get plenty of love during a pull-up. This is especially true in reverse grip pull-ups which actually uses the bicep as one of the primary muscles. Many strength training programs will put their back and bicep programs on the same day since each muscle is strengthened using a “pulling” motion.
How Do I Perform a Proper Pull-Up?
Here is a fantastic instructional video on how to perform a pull up:
Who Are Pull-Ups Good For?
Pull-ups are a great exercise for all ages. They are a great way for kids to start their fitness journey. Teaching kids proper form is crucial for their fitness journey to make sure they have to proper baseline.
Pull-Ups are fantastic for adults and seniors as well. If someone is not strong enough to perform a pull-up, they can also do assisted pull-ups using an assisted pull-up machine. These are great to build up the strength to perform the pull-up correctly. I love to do assisted pull-ups with a very slow motion to keep my muscles under tension longer. The longer your muscle is under tension the more it will break down and grow.
Before deciding to purchase a doorway pull-up bar, ensure that your door frame is secure enough to hold the pull-up bar and your bodyweight.
What is a Good Pull-Up Routine with a Pull-Up Bar?
As with any exercises we recommend, if you stick to the program you will build a much stronger and defined back. I recommend performing pull-ups one day a week if you are a beginner. After the first 4-8 weeks, you can begin to perform the pull-up routine in its entirety (twice per week).
What are some variations of pull-ups?
- Wide Grip Pull-ups
- Close Grip pull-ups
- Underhand grip pull-ups/chin-ups
Wide Grip Pull-ups
Wide grip pull-ups are my personal favorite pull-up to perform. They really isolate your lats without working too many of the secondary muscles like biceps or shoulders. Try these out if you really want to build up a strong back.
To perform wide-grips pull-ups on a doorway pull-up bar, firmly grip a sturdy bar at the wide grip. Your hands should be wider than your shoulders. From here, allow your body to hang with your arms straight, then slowly begin to pull your body upward until your chin is over the bar. To really feel the burn, you can pause at the top of the rep for 1 second. Then lower your body back down to the bottom and allow your body to hang with your arms straight. That is one rep.
Pro tip: When doing wide grip pull-ups, focus on pulling with your elbows. This will help you work the back more.
Close Grip Pull-Ups
Close-grip pull-ups really help focus on your lower lats. To have a really well rounded back, you need to make sure to work your lower lats.
To Perform a close grip pull-up on a doorway pull-up bar, grab a sturdy bar inside your shoulder width. From here, allow your body to hang with your arms straight, then pull your body upward until your chin is over the bar. Make sure not to rock your body. Slow and controlled is the name of the game!
Then lower your body back down to the bottom and allow your body to hang with your arms straight. That is one rep.
Pro Tip: The closer together you bring your hands, the harder it gets!
Underhand Grip Pull-Ups/Chin-Ups
Underhand grip pull-ups really work the biceps and back together. If you think about the underhand grip, when you pull your body over the bar, you are mimicking the bicep curl movement.
To perform the underhand grip pull-ups, grip your hands with your palms facing your body. Make sure the bar is sturdy. Then allow your body to hang with your arms straight. Pull your body up until your chin reaches above the bar.
Then lower your body back down until your body is hanging and arms are straight. This is one rep.
Pro Tip: This is a great exercise to incorporate on the same day you work your biceps!
This program is to be performed two times per week:
Monday:
- Wide Grip Pull-Ups (Hands outside Shoulder Width) – 4 Sets of as many reps as possible
- Close Grip Pull-Ups (Hands inside shoulder width) – 4 Sets of as many reps as possible
- Reverse Grip pull-ups (palms facing you) – 3 Sets of as many reps as possible
- Supinated Grip – (Hands with a hammer grip) – 3 sets of as many reps as possible
Thursday:
- Shoulder Width Pull-up (hands shoulder-width) – 4 sets of as many reps as possible
- Wide Grip Pull-Ups (Hands outside Shoulder Width) – 4 sets of 5 reps with 2-second pause at the top
- Close Grip Pull-Ups: 4 sets of 5 reps – 5 seconds on the negative
Conclusion
When choosing which doorway pull-up bar is right for you, we recommend first deciding if you want your pull up bar to hook on to your door frame or screw into the door frame. Next, you will want to check the height and weight limits to ensure the bar you have chosen fits for you. Lastly, you will want to check the grip variations to fit your fitness needs. Pull-ups are an integral part of any well-rounded fitness routine. Choosing the right pull up bar will make all the difference in your back strength. Time to get fit!
