12 Best Push Up Bar Workouts (For All Levels)

What Muscles Do Push Up Bar Exercises Target?

Push-up bars enhance the motion range of your push-up, and the science behind the consequent result is quite simple: improving your motion range in any exercise builds your muscles and makes you stronger faster. 

A push-up is one of the most beneficial and simplest exercises to perform to gain muscle and strength. Exercises using a push-up bar use your body weight as resistance and work your core and upper body simultaneously.  

In a typical push-up bars workout, these muscles are targeted: 

The best thing about the push-up bar exercises is that it will be hard for your body and you to get used to them. There are various push-up bars exercise variations that target every muscle differently.  

1. Push-Ups 

The most renowned exercise for push-up bars is doing a push-up. The most significant benefit of doing it on the parallettes is going deeper than traditional push-ups and getting a much higher muscle stimulus.  

I've always found the increased muscle stimulus results in greater strength and muscle building potential. I love how the movement works my chest muscles through a large range of motion. 

Another great thing about doing push-up exercises with a push-up bar is that you will be able to adjust your hands' position to perform narrow or wide push-ups. I've found this useful for clients who suffer from shoulder injuries, so they can simply use a neutral grip position instead.

Benefits:

• Uses a wide range of motion.
• Multiple hand positions.
• Excellent for muscle building.

How to do it:

1. Set up the push-up bars on the floor (shoulder width apart). 
2. Hold on to each handle and assume the push-up position. 
3. Slowly lower your body to the floor until you're roughly 1inch from the floor. 
4. Push your body upwards back to the starting position. 
5. Repeat. 

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2. Pike Push-Ups 

The pike push-ups can also be performed without using a push-up bar. However, once again, you benefit from an extensive motion range. Just keep the legs stretched to execute your pike push-up exercise correctly.  

I've found that the elevated hand position provides you with more head space, which increases your range of motion compared to regular pike push-ups. The additional range of motion will result in more muscle stimulus and therefore more muscle growth. 

Sounds good to me!

During this movement, you'll be placing more emphasis on your shoulders. This is one of my favourite body weight shoulder movements. 

Benefits:

• Develops your shoulders.
• Uses your body weight. 

How to do it:

1. Place your push-up bars shoulder width apart. 
2. Hold them and assume a push-up position. 
3. Keeping your legs straight, walk your feet towards your hands so your body is at 90 degrees.
4. Perform a push-up, lowering your head towards the ground. 
5. Push yourself up to the starting position and repeat.

3. L-Sit 

Among all the exercises to do with push-up bars, I believe the L-sit is among the most basic calisthenics exercises. However, I think it's rather difficult as it requires a strong core and upper body.

I've found that it's a brilliant exercise to perform if you want to become stronger and eventually perform more advanced calisthenics movements like the front lever. 

This exercise employs the use of muscles all over your body since it requires high body tension.

Benefits:

• Uses your entire body. 
• Strengthens your core. 
• One of the most basic calisthenic movements.

How to do it:

1. Set the push-up bars to hip width. 
2. Sit in between them and place both hands on a handle.
3. Keeping your legs straight, lift your body from the floor by straightening your arms. 
4. Hold for a set amount of time. 
5. Relax and lower yourself back to the floor. 
6. Rest and repeat.

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4. Tucked Planche

In my opinion, the tucked planche is among the most advanced calisthenics push-up bar exercises on this list This exercise bears a resemblance to the frog stand. However, there is one key difference: you do not place your knees on your elbows.

I believe this makes the tucked planche much more challenging as there's greater stress on your wrists. As there is more force being placed on your wrist joints, it's not suitable for anybody with wrist injuries. When I had a wrist injury, I found this movement only aggravated my joints. 

Benefits:

• Ideal for more advanced lifters.
• Uses your entire body. 
• Develops a super strong core.

How to do it:

1. Kneel with the push-up bars placed either side of your hips. 
2. Place your hands on the bars and grip them using a neutral grip. 
3. Lift your body weight from the floor and keep your knees tucked. 
4. Lean forward slightly so that your arms are angled. 
5. Hold this position for a set amount of time and relax. 
6. Rest and repeat.

5. Handstand Push Ups 

Handstand push-ups are among the more advanced exercises to do with push-up bars (for obvious reasons), and therefore they must not be done until you can comfortably perform regular push-ups and have excellent upper body strength. 

I've found one of the easiest ways to perform handstand push-ups is by placing the bars a couple of inches from the wall. 

By using the wall for support, it'll not only boost your confidence, but it'll help guide you during the movement. I always perform the handstand push-ups against the wall, even after years of performing them. 

Benefits:

• Develops your shoulders.
• Strengthens your core. 
• Ideal for advanced lifters.

How to do it:

1. Place the push-up bars shoulder width apart and a few inches from a wall. 
2. Face the wall and place both hands on the push-up bars.
3. Extend your arms and straighten your body until you're fully inverted. 
4. Slowly lower your head towards the ground by bending your elbows. 
5. Stop just before your head touches the floor or when your elbows are at 90 degrees. 
6. Push yourself upwards to the starting position and repeat.
   

6. Frog Stand 

There are various exercises to do with push-up bars, which become a basis for numerous others, and such is the case for the frog stand.

It's a precursor for various exercise skills, including the handstand and tucked planche (as mentioned earlier in the article). Ideally, you can improve your body tension and develop a feel for multiple advanced skills.  

To do a frog stand, you must grab push-up bar grips and then support yourself via your knees on elbows. Initially, this exercise might feel unfamiliar and awkward for you since it requires some form of balance.

However, with time you can work towards complete extension of your arms. Use the elbows less and less to support the knees until there is no longer a need to rest them.  

Benefits:

• Ideal for developing strength for other calisthenic movements.
• Uses your entire body. 

how to do it:

1. Set the push-up bars to shoulder width. 
2. Grab the bars with a neutral grip. 
3. Lean forward slightly and remove your feet from the floor. 
4. Place your knees against your elbows and use them to support your body weight. 
5. Hold the position for a set time and relax. 
6. Repeat.

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7. Handstand 

The handstand is one of my favorite body weight exercises for demonstrating complete upper body strength. Many of my clients find doing a handstand on parallettes (or push-up bars) is much more comfortable since you have better control and traction and can easily push yourself back in case of losing your balance. 

I've also found that the wrist position is much more comfortable and it doesn't irritate my wrist joints as much as the regular handstand. 

The handstand needs a combination of balance and strength, along with a lot of time, patience, and practice to learn.  

Once you master this movement I truly believe you'll be a master of your body weight. 

Benefits:

• Allows you to truly master your body weight. 
• Develops a lot of strength. 
• Increases your shoulder stability. 

how to do it:

1. Place two push-up bars shoulder width apart. 
2. Grab each using a neutral grip and lift your body weight off of the floor. 
3. Completely straighten your body so you're fully inverted. 
4. Hold for a select amount of time. 
5. Repeat. 

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8. Hollow Back Handstand 

One of the push-up bar exercises involving a handstand is the hollow back handstand. It requires great mobility.

If we talk about strength, the difference between a normal handstand and a hollow back handstand is not much; however, I've found there is a HUGE difference in the amount of balance you require. The balance is different since your body's center of gravity shifts, which I think makes it tougher. 

If I'm being completely honest, I'd only recommend this movement to more advanced gym-goers. It really does require A LOT of body strength (and balance). If you're new to training, it's unlikely you'll have the strength and skills to pull this movement off. 

Benefits:

• Improves balance.
• Increases body strength.
• Ideal for advanced lifters.

how to do it:

1. Place the push-up bars shoulder width.
2. Start with a normal handstand.
3. Bend the legs furthest over the head and push your shoulders in the opposite direction. If you only do it with your legs bent over, you will lose your balance quickly.
4. Hold the position and release once you've achieved the time you wanted. 
5. Rest and repeat.

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9. One Arm Handstand 

The one-arm handstand is one of the most difficult calisthenics movements in my opinion.

To do a one-arm handstand, you need a highly developed balance, and without constant training, it will be next to impossible to master the one-arm handstand. Even I can't perform this movement and I've been training for over 18 years (granted, I haven't been training to perform this movement, but it's still incredibly tough). 

If you ask me, there aren't many people I know who can do this exercise. However, if you can truly master this movement, there won't be many calisthenic exercises that you can't do. 

Benefits:

• Uses your entire body.
• Ideal for the most advanced gym goers or athletes.
• Increases your balance and coordination.

How to do it:

1. Set the push-up bars so they're shoulder width apart. 
2. Assume a handstand position with your body fully inverted. 
3. Grip the push-up bar tightly with one hand and shift your body weight to that side. 
4. Remove your other hand and hold the position. 
5. Place your other hand back down and swap sides. 
6. Repeat. 

10. Full Planche 

In the calisthenics community and especially in exercises using push-up bars, the full planche is considered a 'dream skill.' And if I'm being honest, I'd LOVE to be able to hold this position for longer than 2 seconds. 

It's as tough as it looks. 

The development from a simple straddle planche to an all-out full planche is quite profound and needs a lot of training and dedication. Trust me on this one, it'll take you a long time to achieve, but it'll be worth every second. 

However, the most beneficial thing about full planche is not being discouraged by slow progress. For certain athletes, mastering the full planche may take years, whereas, for others, it only takes a few months.  

Benefits:

• Uses your whole body.
• Strengthens your shoulder and wrist joints.
• Engages your core. 

How to do it:

1. Hold on to the push-up bars using a shoulder width neutral grip.
2. Lift your body weight from the floor and straighten your arms. 
3. Lean forward slightly and straighten your body until it's parallel to the floor. 
4. Hold this position for as long as you can.
5. Return to the starting position and repeat.

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11. Straddle Planche 

In the calisthenics community, most people aim to master the straddle planche. Though this push-up bar exercise takes some strength and time to learn, an essential part of it is arm strength, which includes the forearms and biceps.

This strength is also required for other exercises such as the human flag, front lever, or iron cross.

Straddle planche also needs a strong core and powerful shoulders; that is why an extremely good tucked planche is required to start working on your straddle planche.  

I've used this movement as a stepping stone to the full planche, and I believe it works incredibly well as it helps you develop the necessary core strength to attempt the tougher calisthenic movements on this list.

Benefits:

• Improves bicep and tricep strength. 
• Develops your core stability. 
• Excellent stepping stone for the full planche.

How to do it:

1. Hold on to the push-up bars using a shoulder width neutral grip. 
2. Lift your body from the floor and tilt forward slightly. 
3. Straighten your legs and open them wide. 
4. Hold the position for a set amount of time and relax. 
5. Repeat.

12. One Arm Handstand Flag 

If you're new to calisthenics, I can tell you immediately, this movement won't be for you.  As it's a single arm movement, it's incredibly tough and I don't know many people who can perform the one-arm handstand flag.

This makes the exercise best suited for advanced gym goers and athletes. 

I like to think of this movement as a mixture of a handstand and human flag.  Once you master the other push-up bars exercise variations on this list, it's only a matter time before you set your sights on mastering this one.

While it trains each arm separately, it works your entire body. There won't be a single muscle fiber that's not fired up during this exercise. 

In my opinion, your mobility will be most beneficial to you if you're thinking of mastering the one-arm handstand flag. The balance may be somewhat unusual initially; however, you will soon develop a feeling for it.

benefits:

• Works every single muscle fiber in your body. 
• Suitable for advanced gym goers.
• Increases your balance and mobility.

how to do it:

1. Set up the push-up bars in a shoulder width position. 
2. Hold the bars using a neutral grip. 
3. Lift your body weight from the floor until your legs are completely in line with your body. 
4. Shift your weight to one side. 
5. Remove one hand from the push-up bars. 
6. Slowly bring your legs to one side so you're in the flag position. 
7. Hold and return to the starting position. 
8. Repeat with the opposite side.