Pull up bars a.k.a monkey bars are the most versatile and effective workouts tools that can accommodate tonnes of bodyweight exercises. They are adaptable and easy-to-use for he athletes of every fitness level. Walk a block and you can find it in a park or playground as well.
However, those in the public places are over-crowded and unable to tolerate your weight. Don’t worry, you can buy very own high quality pull up bar at a very reasonable price. Check these ones by RDX:
Pull up bars are a bit tricky ones when it comes to their proper installation and set up. If you are setting a pull up bar for the very first time, here is the detailed guide for you:
Read here: How To Install Pull Up Bar In 5 Easy Steps
Pull up bar is incredibly efficient and yet the most underestimated piece of equipment. However, most of the gyms have now removed this old-school equipment completely. This is why many athletes are unaware of the variation of pull up bar exercises.
Related: 5 Ways To Use Pull Up Bars For Training
Monkey bars exercises are ahead of others as they target the specific muscle groups to hone a trimmer body.
Though you can use pull up bars for various bodyweight and weight loss workouts, here we have compiled a list of 5 muscle building exercises you can do with monkey bar. Try out these killer moves to unlock your dream physique.
*Don’t forget to make sure that the pull-up bar is fixed properly.
1. Bar Muscleups
To execute the muscleups, there are a dozen of ways like close grip, underhand grip, narrow grip, and split grip. However, this one is basic bar muscleup based on a kipping pull up.
- Put your hands slightly wider than the shoulder-width in an overhand grip.
- Slightly pull back the legs.
- Now pull your chest over the pull up bar with extreme force.
- Now that your chest is over the bar, stretch your arms straight such that your waist and bar are parallel.
- Drop back down and then back up again.
- Repeat it 2-4 times depending your complexity level.
- You must try to do at least 10 sets.
- 30sec-1 min rest for beginners with fewer sets. However, 3-5 min rest is advised for advanced athletes with higher sets.
2. Typewriters
Typewriters are the modified pull-ups that you probably never heard of.
- Pull up toward your right hand.
- Bend your right arm but keep the left one straight.
- Now push over to the left side. Use right tricep to push from the right.
- Now slowly let down your left arm (bent).
- Now do the same for the left side by reversing the movements.
- You are done with a rep.
- Try to do atleast 5 reps and 5 sets.
- For beginners, resting time is from 30sec to 1min with fewer sets. However, advanced athletes must complete the higher sets with 3-5 min.
3. Traveling Dips
Go slow with the traveling dips if you want to do hard training.
- Hold one of the parallel bars with a hand.
- Now take a down dip.
- Take out your right arm and move towards your right.
- Dip again.
- Now do the same with your left arm.
- Dip again.
- keep on repeating the same pattern throughout the length of pull up bar.
- Facing the same direction, work in the reverse direction when coming back to your starting position (1 dip=1 rep)
- Perform at least 5-10 reps with 5-10 sets.
- Beginners with fewer sets can rest for around 30sec-1min. Advanced athletes with higher sets can rest for 3-5 minutes.
4. Bar Hangs
Start this exercises from 1-2 sets and gradually increase the intensity by staying on the bar for up to 10 minutes.
- Make a wide overhand grip.
- Simply dead hang from the bar for almost 30 seconds.
- Keep on incrementing the duration by 10-second intervals.
- You must do at least 5 sets.
- The starters who do fewer sets are advised to take 30sec to 1min break. However, advanced athletes with higher sets can rest for almost 3-5 minutes.
5. Assisted Pistols
Once you are a pro, you can even add weight to the exercise or lose the bar.
- Place your left foot at almost a distance of 1 foot away from the vertical pole attached to the monkey bars.
- Hold onto the bar at the hip height while keeping your arms straight.
- To the side of the pole, raise up your right leg out in the front.
- Stretch through the heel when you squat butt to heel.
- Do almost 5-10 reps with each side.
- Recommended number of sets is 5.
- If you are taking fewer steps, rest for 30sec to 1 min. But for those taking the higher sets, an ideal break time is 3-5 min.
Don’t overtrain and keep your exercises simple and easy. If you are just a beginner, don’t start with these advanced moves. Else, you might suffer the same fate as this man here: