Power towers are among the most valuable pieces of home exercise equipment due to their versatility and compactness. We can use them to perform the best bodyweight exercises at home to have a complete upper body workout.
However, what if, for some reason, you require another option? A power tower alternative that provides almost the same benefits. These alternatives will be discussed in this guide.
Pull-up bars, dip bars, push-up bars, and vertical knee raise stations (VKRs) form the power tower. We can perform a wide range of exercises on the power tower.
The power tower targets the back, biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest, and core muscles. Based on the exercise you perform with the power tower, the tower works different muscles.
You can train the same areas of your body with these power tower alternatives, whether you don’t like the power tower, want a more affordable option, or want one for any other reason.
- 1. TRX – The Best Overall Alternative to Power Tower
- 2. Pull Up Bar – Best Alternative for Pulling Exercises
- 3. Dip Bars – Best Alternative for Pushing Exercises
- 4. Dumbbells – For Full Body Training
- 5. Power rack – Best for Bodybuilding
- 6. Resistance band – Best Cheap Alternative
- 7. Push Up Bars – Best for Chest Training
- FAQ
1. TRX – The Best Overall Alternative to Power Tower
TRX, or Total Body Resistance Exercise, develops your strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, core stability, and joint stability by using your body weight and gravity as resistance. And, because of this, it is the best power tower alternative.
TRX is suitable for users of all levels. All levels of athletes benefit from TRX suspension training, whether they are professional athletes or just getting into fitness for the first time. With just a slight change in body position, you can change the load on your muscles, making this training method accessible to everyone. TRX is also great for abs workouts.
Only two adjustable bands are necessary to work every muscle in your body. They are easy to transport and can be set up anywhere.
Suspension training is the low impact due to its suspended nature, which means your joints aren’t stressed too much. Due to the low injury risk, you can train as hard as you want without causing any more damage.
With the help of the TRX, you can do all the power tower exercises and even more. So, I think TRX is the best power tower alternative on this list.
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2. Pull Up Bar – Best Alternative for Pulling Exercises
With a pull-up bar, you can do a wide variety of exercises at home because it is a simple piece of equipment. Pull-up bodyweight routines can be designed for any bar, whether it is a doorframe bar, a wall-mounted bar, or an exercise tower. You can build back and arm muscles, pull strength, and gain full-body control with various pull-up exercises. You can also use the bar for doing hanging core exercises as hanging leg raises.
A simple pull-up bar is a good alternative for those with limited space or who wish to save money. Be aware that doorway bars should be mounted on a sturdy frame, and wall-mounted versions should be installed properly.
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3. Dip Bars – Best Alternative for Pushing Exercises
Push-ups, tricep dips, arm raises, and other upper body fitness exercises can be performed with dip bars. A more stable dip bar can also be used to perform knee raises, and leg raises to strengthen your abdominal muscles. Therefore, a good dip bar can help you maintain good physical health without lifting weights.
Dip stations can be freestanding or wall-mounted. Because they are mobile and the bars can be adjusted in different locations, I prefer freestanding ones. By doing so, we will make the exercises more comfortable to use and do more types of bodyweight exercises.
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4. Dumbbells – For Full Body Training
Despite being primarily used for weight training exercises, dumbbells can also be used for various bodyweight exercises and cardio, thanks to their versatility. With the help of the dumbbells, you can strengthen all the muscles of your body. In a nutshell, you can have a full-body workout at home. Plus, they are compact.
You can do dumbbell rows instead of pull-ups to strengthen your back. Triceps extensions are a great alternative to dips. However, there is virtually no limit to how many dumbbell exercises you can perform.
The adjustable dumbbells are the best option since we can easily modify the resistance level. As a bonus, adjustable hand weights take up less space than individual dumbbell pieces stored on a rack.
Buying guide: Best adjustable dumbbells
5. Power rack – Best for Bodybuilding
This piece of equipment allows you to lift heavy weights safely and lets you lift heavy weights. It is far more versatile than other gym equipment. Besides back squats and front squats, it’s also suitable for shoulder presses, deadlifts, bench presses, and heavy rows. This equipment is a lifters paradise.
With a power cage, you can perform the same bodyweight exercises as if you were using a power tower. Racks feature dip and pull-up bars.
The downside of power racks is that they are pretty expensive and need a lot of space. Nevertheless, you get home gym equipment that is suitable for all types of strength training. If you want to build serious muscle mass, you should get a rack at home.
Shopping guide: Best power racks for home
6. Resistance band – Best Cheap Alternative
Resistance bands are elastic bands that can be used for strength training. Physical therapy also uses them, specifically for injured people and cardiac rehab patients, to allow slow strength rebuilding after injuries.
The resistance band is an effective fitness tool for improving strength, flexibility, and stability. As long as you challenge yourself, you can work out just as effectively with resistance bands as free weights.
There are different resistance bands – from light to really strong – so each person can find the proper resistance.
Resistance bands are cheap and don’t take up any space.
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7. Push Up Bars – Best for Chest Training
There are many benefits to using push-up bars. While doing push-ups, your wrists and forearms are lined up. The range of motion (ROM) is increased, making push-ups harder and more effective. By doing so, they work the chest and wrists more effectively.
This tool can help you a lot if you’re trying to focus on your chest. The push-up bar is cheap but not very versatile.
FAQ
Do I need a power tower?
A power tower is essential to the operation of any gym, whether it is a home gym or a commercial gym. It is a multifunctional machine that can be used for several exercises. You can do practically all exercises for building muscle strength in the upper body and abdominals on this machine.
What muscles are worked by a power tower?
Specifically, pull-ups exercise the chest, latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and rhomboid muscles, as well as the biceps, forearms, and chest. Dips improve your chest, shoulders, triceps, upper back, and lower back muscles. When performing vertical knee lifts, your primary target is the rectus abdominis muscle. You use a lot of muscles to stabilize your body and help your rectus abdominis lift your knees. Muscles like obliques, abductors, and trapezoids make up the synergists.
To sum up
Ultimately, I found the TRX to be the best alternative to a power tower. It combines cardio, strength, and explosive training into one piece of equipment, which is convenient if you don’t have the space or inclination to build a home gym consisting of a squat rack, bench press, pull-up bar, dip bar, and dumbbells. As a bodyweight train enthusiast, I can use the TRX system to work out all body parts while building functional strength.
Sources
- Carbonnier, Anders, and Ninni Martinsson. “Examining muscle activation for Hang Clean and three different TRX Power Exercises: A validation study.” (2012).
- Ronai, Peter, and Eric Scibek. “The pull-up.” Strength & Conditioning Journal 36.3 (2014): 88-90.
Last update on 2023-10-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API