Stall Bars = Pull up + Leg Raises + Bodyweight
From doing pull-ups to leg raises, stall bars (or any bar setup) are a great addition to your DIY gym! Many of us haven’t used them before so you might be curious about some actual exercises you can perform on them. Check out these exercises you can do the next time you use the stall bars!
Do more than just a pull-up
Stall bars happen to be one of the simplest pieces of DIY gym equipment you can use.
They offer a great opportunity to exercise using your own body weight. If your goal is to build muscle or strengthen your core, stall bars are the right tools to bring speedy results.
That being said, some of the exercises below can be quite challenging for the beginners out there but with a little practice, you can master them! Here are some stall bars exercises you simply can’t afford to miss:
1. Leg Raises
Leg raises are an amazing exercise that targets your abs and is great on the stall bars. They involve simple movements that are demanding on your core. Leg raises start by holding on to the highest bar you can reach. Hang in this position ensuring that your feet don’t touch the floor.
Bend your knees inwards and raise them to your chest, as high as you can. Repeat 10 times per set. Alternatively, you can try the straight leg raises by keeping your legs straight. Lift your feet to hip level and repeat 10 times per set.
2. Straight Leg Circles
Straight leg circles refer to a variation of leg raises that add more tension to your oblique muscles. Instead of pulling your knees up to your chest, you should start pulling them to the left and then to the right before dropping them on the other side.
In this exercise, you will appear to be cycling with your feet free in the air. Perform the same number of circles on either side of your body.
3. Hanging Body Lifts
Hanging body lifts target your upper abdominal muscles along with your entire core. Hanging on the bar like during leg raises, move your feet forward while trying to keep your whole body in line. This exercise focuses on lifting your hips instead of your feet and will help reduce hip pain.
This static movement should be performed slowly by lifting your body off the stall bars and then slowly returning to the starting point. By maintaining the inline position of your body, your range of movement doesn’t need to be great and the pace should be slow.
Begin with 5 repetitions per set and aim at 12.
4. Body Drops
Let’s do somebody drops on the stall bars! Body drops are similar to hanging body lifts but the movement is exactly the opposite. Lie on the ground face up with the top of your head towards the bars. Grab the bottom bar with your hands and then lift up your lower body, as if you are standing with your shoulders.
Repeat 5 times per set and aim at 12.
5. Stall Bar Inversion
For this exercise, start by standing in front of the stall bars with your back to the bars. From there, lean against the bars with your back, and hold the bar that is on the same level as your hands. Lift your legs upward, such that you are hanging upside down on the bar. Gently drop your legs back and repeat 5 times per set, with your target being 12 reps in each set.
To increase the safety of the exercise, have a friend stand by you when performing the stall bar inversion.
6. Human Flag
Think a pull-up is hard? Try this: the human flag is for experts only!
This full-body exercise starts by having you stand with your side to the stall bars with the arm closest to the bar straight. Grab the bar underhand at the level of your hips, with the other arm straight all the way to reach the bar above your head. This means the other hand should grab one of the upper stall bars. Bend your upper arm as you drag towards the bars while pushing off with your lower arm.
You should ensure the upper arm is straightened when lifting your feet off the floor.
Wrap-Up
These six exercises create an amazing at-home workout program (you can even include a normal pull-up).
Plus, they should give you several ideas on how to use stall bars the next time you visit a gym.
Be stronger, healthier, and happier!
- Pull Up: Stall Bars for Your DIY Gym! - September 1, 2015
- 6 Tips For How To Set Up A Home Gym - July 21, 2015
- 7 Ideas for the Healthiest Breakfast - June 19, 2015
