Big, burly bodybuilders generally don't do them. Neither do little old blue-haired ladies. Nor does anyone in between. That's because, as strength training goes, the pull-up, the king of the back exercises, is quite difficult. But the benefits of this rigorous, compound body-weight movement -- which targets the latissimus dorsi along with a host of supporting muscles -- are so pronounced for posture, balance, flexibility and overall upper-body strength that everyone should try to do at least one or two at home. After all, pull-up bars are among the least expensive of all home-training equipment, require no space other than a few inches of a door frame, and will even help you blast your abs via hanging leg lifts. A couple of the models reviewed below offer some surprising innovations that make pull-ups more convenient and doable for all ages and fitness levels. And, of course, they all double as great coat hangers in a pinch.
Get the hang of pull-up bars
GEAR
-- Roy M. Wallack
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The old-fashioned bar
Altus 3-in-1 Chin-Up + Push-Up + Sit-Up Bar: Simple, age-old design featuring a telescoping aluminum tube suspended in place between two brackets on each side of a door jam.
Likes: Basic, simple, safe design. Affix two brackets in the door jam via five screws each and slip the bar in place. Thin neoprene hand pads are comfortable. With bar solidly in place, you can confidently place a lot of torque on it; do knee raises-leg lifts and rotate legs through your arms, like you're back on the monkey bars. Two extra brackets give you the option of positioning the bar low to hook ankles for sit-ups or 3 feet off the ground for Australian pull-ups, in which you hang your body at a sub-45-degree angle in plank position with feet on the floor and pull up -- a great movement for all, including beginners.
Dislikes: Each bracket requires the drilling of five holes in the door jam for wood screws.
Price: $19.99 to $29.99. (800) 654-3955; www.altusathletic.com.
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A well-rounded program
Perfect PullUp Complete System: A unique system featuring a hanging padded bar and rotating handle grips. The bar is attached to hinged struts and moves in an arc from standard vertical pull-up position to waist level, for use with horizontal Australian pull-ups.
