8 push-up bar exercises to do at home | XpertsReviews.com

Push-ups are a great exercise that increases upper body strength and muscle mass. They target your upper body muscles, increase strength, and improve body composition. They also boost your metabolism, helping you burn more calories. Push-ups and other exercises that put a lot of pressure on your wrists can pose a risk of injury. Push-up bar exercises reduce this risk by keeping your wrists in a neutral position while simultaneously increasing your range of motion, making your workouts more intense. Here are some of the best push-up bar exercises you can incorporate into your workout routine.

What are push-up bars?

Push-up bars are simple yet highly effective workout products. They are essentially handles that elevate your hands during push-ups, providing a greater range of motion and activating the chest, triceps, and shoulders. Unlike traditional push-ups, push-up bars put less strain on your wrists, making them a comfortable option for many. These versatile bars can be used for a variety of exercises beyond standard push-ups, making them a valuable addition to any home gym or workout routine. A study published in the Journal of Physiotherapy Sciences It has been shown that changing the thickness of push-up bars can make exercises more effective. By adjusting the thickness of the bar to fit different people, you can better train and strengthen your muscles.

Also read: 7 Push-Up Variations for Weight Loss

8 Best Push-Up Exercises to Do at Home

Here are some effective push-up bar workout exercises suggested by fitness expert Yash Agarwal.

1. Standard pumps

• Place your hands on the push-up bars, making sure they are directly under your shoulders. Your body should form a straight line from head to heels.
• Bend your elbows and lower your body toward the floor, keeping your elbows close to your body. Lower yourself as low as you can comfortably go, aiming for a 90-degree angle at your elbows.
• Push through your palms to return to the starting position. Fully extend your arms but avoid locking your elbows.

Target: Chest, triceps, shoulders, core.

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2. Wide Grip Push-Ups

• Place your hands on the push-up bars wider than shoulder-width apart. Your body should form a straight line from head to heels.
• Bend your elbows and lower your body toward the floor. Keep your elbows pointed outward. Lower yourself until your chest almost touches the floor.
• Push through your palms to return to the starting position. Fully extend your arms but avoid locking your elbows.

Target: Outer chest, shoulders, triceps.

Also read: Here’s How to Do Push-Ups Instantly

3. Close grip push-ups

• Place your hands near the bars and lower your body until your chest almost touches the bars. Your body should form a straight line from head to heels.
• Bend your elbows and lower your body toward the floor, keeping your elbows close to your body. Go as low as you can.
• Push through your palms to return to the starting position. Fully extend your arms but avoid locking your elbows.

Target: Triceps, inner chest, shoulders.

4. Incline push-ups

• Place your feet on the floor and your hands on the raised push-up bars on a stable surface such as a bench.
• Bend your elbows and lower your body toward the floor, keeping your elbows close to your body. Go as low as you can.
• Push with your palms to return to the starting position.

Target: Lower chest, triceps, shoulders.

5. Declined push-ups

• Place your feet on the push-up bars with your hands on the floor.
• Bend your elbows and lower yourself to the floor while keeping your elbows close to your body. Go as low as you comfortably can.
• Push with your palms to return to the starting position.

Target: Upper chest, shoulders, triceps.

6. Diamond pumps

• Place your hands on bars close together under your chest in a diamond shape.
• Bend your elbows and keep them close to your body as you lower yourself to the ground. Go as low as you comfortably can.
• Push with your palms to return to the starting position.

Target: Triceps, inner part of the chest.

7. Archer Pumps

• Place one hand on the bars near your chest while extending one arm out to the side, then alternate arms.
• Perform push-ups as usual.

Target: Chest, triceps, shoulders, core.

8. Pike push-ups

• Position your body in a pike position (hips elevated) with your hands on the push-up bars and perform push-ups.

Target: Shoulders, upper chest, triceps.

Benefits of Push-Up Bar Exercises

• Push-up bars provide benefits such as increased core strength. They force you to use your abdominal muscles, which results in greater calorie burn and increased core strength.
• It engages and activates all your muscles, which promotes strength and speeds up the calorie burning process.
• Regular use of push-up bars can reduce wrist strain and allow for longer workouts.
• It improves upper body strength by increasing the intensity of push-ups.

Who Should Avoid Push-Up Bar Exercises?

Although push-up bar exercises are generally safe, the following people should avoid push-up bar exercises.

1. Push-ups put stress on your shoulder joints, which can aggravate existing shoulder injuries.
2. Push-up bars can aggravate wrist pain or conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome due to altered hand positioning and weight distribution.
3. Any recent surgery, especially that involving the upper body or trunk, may be compromised by the strain caused by push-ups.
4. Push-ups require you to hold a plank position which can strain your lower back, especially if your form isn’t perfect.
5. Push-ups can be intense and people with significant heart problems should avoid intense exercise.
6. Push-ups can make joint pain worse, especially in the elbows or shoulders.
7. Some trimesters may make push-ups uncomfortable or risky due to changes in body weight distribution and balance.