The pull-up is both the simplest and hardest exercise humanly possible. It sounds straightforward — pulling one’s body weight up the length of the arms — and yet very few people have the upper body and core strength required to do so. Beyond that, shopping for a machine that can support stable pull-ups is a steep challenge that requires careful planning and consideration.
One of the best options for home gyms is free standing pull-up bars since they don’t require elaborate installations and are simple to put together. They’re minimal apparati with two legs supporting towers that are connected through the pull-up bar at the top. They usually land somewhere between a squat rack and a wall-mounted pull-up bar, and they’re a great option for folks interested in calisthenics over lifting heavy.
Elaborate squat racks take up a lot of space and carry expensive price tags. Pull-up bar stands have smaller footprints and are much less expensive. They also offer advantages to renters in that they do not require deposit-losing mounting and won’t damage door frames.
What the Experts Say
Sturdiness is key for mitigating the chances of not only catastrophic failure but also slower burn injuries for users who plan to put up a serious number of pull ups. Any give in the bar renders pull-ups less efficient and makes the practice harder on the end user’s body. “If you’re into pull-ups for the long haul, the more you can minimize rocking the better it is going to be for you,” said Austin-based wellness coach and Guinness Book of World Records holder Mark Jordan, who at 54 years old set the record for most pull-ups in 24-hours with a mind boggling 4,321. Jordan set his record on the most sturdy pull-up bar he could find, a part of a larger rig at a Crossfit gym. Stability is that much more crucial with free-standing pull-up bars because they’re not mounted to the wall or floor.
Chris Howell, the founder and CEO of spxfit, a premium New York City-based luxury gym design group also said it’s important to consider what grips feel comfortable when purchasing a free standing pull-up bar. Many types of traditional pull up grips can be uncomfortable for users due to injuries or body mechanics, so opting for a bar with multiple grip options — or ones that can accommodate accessories that offer more grip options — is a good idea.
One major benefit of stand alone pull-up bars is they open up a world of adaptations. As opposed to pull-up machines at the gym with less space for movement, the minimalist design allows one to increase or decrease the intensity of the workout. “You can add weight to yourself to make it harder and you can also make it easier by attaching a band to your legs and feet,” said Los Angeles-based celebrity personal trainer Benjamin Stone.
Titan Fitness T-3 Series Tall Squat Stand
Yes, this is technically a squat stand, but it deserves the best overall product win in this category because it is an ideal stand-alone pull-up bar with a footprint as small as a pull-up specific stand.
The 89-inch max pull-up bar height can accommodate super tall pull-up enthusiasts but the bar can easily be brought down for shorter athletes. The extra sturdy 47-inch by 48-inch base coupled with its bomber 11-GA steel material will minimize play and rocking back and forth. Titan Fitness stands are compatible with most of the major US-based fitness companies, Howell said, so it also comes with the option to add J-hooks or other accessories and convert it into a barebones squat rack.
Rogue MIL Pull-Up Bar Station
Who It’s For Someone who expects a lot out of their pull-up bar stand.
The Uplift: Like all things Rogue, the MIL was built to last multiple lifetimes. This specific pull-up bar stand was built to the Army’s required dimensions for the Combat Fitness Test’s leg tuck exercise, hence the super wide 62” distance between the towers. This width can benefit any user, even if they’re not training for a leg tuck event, because it increases the platform’s stability. It also has an additional handle add-on available for purchase, which makes this 146-pound setup portable when broken down.
The Hot Take: It’s remarkable that one of the sturdiest options on this list is also very portable.
CAP Barbells Power Rack
Who It’s For: Home gym enthusiasts on a budget.
The Uplift: This is another power rack, but its small footprint, straightforward design, and low price tag make it an excellent option for calisthenics enthusiasts that have no interest in using it for heavy lifting. Its 500-pound weight limit is a bit light in the rack world, but it’s incredibly stable which makes it more suitable for a pull-up enthusiast than a dead(lift) head. It offers more than enough stability for the average pull-up athlete.
The Hot Take: A super light rack that makes for a heavy-duty, affordable pull-up bar stand.
Kahn Trinh Folding Pull-Up Bar
Who It’s For: Folks who want a stand-alone pull-up bar they can stash somewhere between uses
The Uplift: This free-standing pull-up bar from Kahn Trinh folds out like a lawn chair and has an astonishing 89-inch max height and max load capacity of 440 pounds. Despite its heavy weight capacity it itself only weighs 35 pounds, making it a super compact and powerful pull-up stand option. When unfolded it has a 44-inch by 48-inch footprint, a sufficiently sturdy base for kinetic moves like kip-ups, and it can fold down in 10 seconds to the size of its base parts for easy storage.
The Hot Take: This brilliant design is super user and apartment-friendly.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pull-Up Bar Stands
Are Pull-Up Bar Stands Safe?
Pull-up bar stands are not mounted to the wall, so they’re less stable than large power racks that are drilled into their surroundings. However, with proper setup and a wide design many of them can support up to 400 or 500 pounds of weight. They also encourage proper pull-up form and the user to avoid swinging their body weight to keep the apparatus from tilting or tipping.
How Do Pull-Up Bar Stands Compare to Doorway Pull-Up Bars?
Free-standing pull-up bars tend to be sturdier than doorway pull-up bars, so heavier users should steer in that direction. It’s also important for a buyer to be honest with themselves as to whether outside factors like storage might make them use a certain piece of equipment less. “The best thing you can buy is the thing you are actually going to use the most. If you only have the space for a standalone pull-up bar to sit outside or sit downstairs or in your garage and you aren’t going to walk out there and use it, you should take that into consideration,” said Stone. “Consider any obstacle to using it before purchasing.”
How Much Do Standalone Pull-Up Bars Cost?
Like any piece of gym equipment, there’s a huge price range in terms of what one could pay. Reasonably speaking, the equipment featured here runs from $100-$500, and is around what one should expect to spend.
What Kinds of Accessories Should I Get With a Standalone Pull-Up Bar?
If a novice is just learning how to perform full bodyweight pull-ups, or would like to increase their rep range, a set of exercise bands is a must. They can look around the feet and provide an extra boost for getting the chest to chin height.
The beauty of exercise bands is that the user can choose how much help — usually ranging from five pounds to 60 pounds — they need. If the user wants to make pull-ups harder then they should look into accessories that support weighted pull-ups like weight vests.