5 Best Push-Up Bars For Your Home Gym

Hi, and welcome to Strong Home Gym’s guide on push-up bars.

My name is Steve Hoyles, and I’ve been a personal trainer and a gym owner for over two decades now.

Today, I’ll be your guide to the push-up bar industry…

…both its shiny surface and the shady underbelly.

Your inside man, if you will…

Over the years I’ve stumbled upon all sorts of push-up bars – the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I know how and where they’re made. I own four sets myself…

More importantly…

Over the past few weeks, I’ve teamed up with some of the top industry minds to create a database and statistically compare ALL the push-up bars that deserve your attention.

All of them.

These are the total numbers – we compared over 60 push-up bars and stations in 7 quality categories.

We chose the 5 best push up bars that stand out for different needs and budgets.

These are their stories.

(cue Law & Order sound)

---

5 best push up bars

Name	Best in category	Rating (out of 100)	Price	Defining feature/characteristic
Juperbsky Push-Up Bars	Overall	77.4	$$	High capacity, height and color choices
WOODPOWER XS & WOODPOWER XL	Wooden	65	$$$$	Premium wood
Lebert Parallettes	For Calisthenics	63.7	$$$	Top value among parallettes
Withgear Folding Push-Up Bar	Portable	63.3	$$$	Folding / portable
JBM bars	Cheap	60.4	$	cheap

---

1 – Best push-up bars overall – Juperbsky

Rating: 77.4 out of 100

Who it’s for: Anyone looking for sturdy push-up bars that don’t cost a kidney.

Pros:

• Hefty build – high capacity.
• Stable.
• Two height options.

Cons:

• Handles not long enough for switching hand positions mid-set (like for clap push-ups).
• Reported cases of inconsistent sizing.

Summary

The top-rated push-up bar overall is the Juperbsky set.

The primary reason is the unparalleled balance between price and robustness/durability.

Now…robust, durable, sturdy…these are all vague terms.

Here’s the non-vague version – most push-up bars that look similar and cost about the same have a max capacity of around 500 lbs.

Juperbsky is listed at 2,200 lbs.

That’s literally a ton of weight.

The secondary reasons are threefold:

1. It’s cheaper than other sets with this kind of heft.
2. It comes in two heights – the 5.5 as a classic push-up bar and 8 inches for calisthenics.
3. They’re purrty – 5 color choices.

I wish the bars were a peg longer and the padding more welcoming for beginners – more on that in a second.

This is nitpicking and most people won’t notice it, but I measured these and the length doesn’t match the listed specs.

Even if it did, an advanced cali-athlete will probably be better off with more grip space on the parallettes (the longer version of the Juperbsky).

Compared to high-density foam (which you see in most bars), TPR is more rugged, which works for Juperbsky.

It’s also stiffer than foam and not as welcoming.

TPR has been used in protective equipment like gloves since the 60s. Even in a thin layer, it’s elastic enough to disperse impact.

A thick slab like the one on the Juperbsky will take anything a home gym can throw at it.

However…

If you’re doing push-ups at higher volumes, you might feel some palm fatigue and slipping as you get used to the handle.

You might need to chalk it up…

That especially goes if you’re transitioning from foam.

With that said, switching the TPR for foam would be a massive downgrade here.

It’s just something worth mentioning…

Specs

Dimensions (L x W x H, inches)	Two sizes: 12 x 7 x 5.5 or 13 x 8.5 x 8
Max capacity (lbs)	2,200
Weight of the bars (lbs)	~5 and ~6 for the two sizes respectively

---

2 – Best wooden push-up bars – WOODPOWER XS & WOODPOWER XL

Rating: 64 out of 100

Who it’s for: Anyone looking for a premium set of wooden push-up bars.

Pros:

• Great build and finish – handles, frame, and joints.
• Beefy beechwood (550 lbs capacity).
• Matte, non-slip wood surface.
• Propper sizing and geometry – no curves means more handle space.

Cons:

• Expensive.
• Won’t stand up to being thrown in a box like metal handles would.

Summary

Top-rated wooden push-up bars are the WOODPOWER bars – the XS push-up handles for “regular” push-ups and the parallettes for Calisthenics.

Two things – the type of wood and how they crafted it.

Beechwood is just right for gym stuff – for a few reasons:

• It’s machineable (good for shaping, which means precise joints with no wobble)
• Has solid tensile and shear strength (around 600 and 1800 psi, respectively)
• It’s moderately hard – will resist wear, gouging and chipping but won’t be brittle.
• It’s flexible – can bend without breaking.

In other words – it’s a burly piece of wood that won’t change over time.

We could dig deeper and unearth more durable woods (like pine) or harder with a softer texture (like walnut). 

Beechwood balances all that with a reasonable price.

Specifically…

It breathes enough to wick moisture without compromising the grain…

It’s hard enough to withstand tension and pressure, but pliable enough to shape…

Here’s the crux – beechwood is just right and WOODPOWER did a great job of making the most of its properties.

Just remember wood needs to be looked after more than metal.

I’ll say that and stop with the carpentry class.

Specs of the XS bars

Dimensions (L x W x H, inches)	9.06 x 5.51 x 3.94
Max capacity (lbs)	550 lbs
Weight of the bars (lbs)	2.87

Specs of the XL bars

Dimensions (L x W x H, inches)	14.96 x 8.27 x 7.87
Max capacity (lbs)	550 lbs
Weight of the bars (lbs)	5.07

---

3 – Best push-up bars for calisthenics – Parallettes by Lebert Fitness

Rating: 63.7 out of 100

Who it’s for: Anyone looking for a versatile bar set for more than push-ups.

Pros:

• Good sizing and geometry
• Cheap
• Good finish/paint
• Well-rounded online resources for beginners

Cons:

• Might be too high for advanced cali-athletes (12 inches)
• Grips could be better

Summary

The Lebert Fitness parallettes are the top-rated push-up bars for calisthenics because they nail all the crucial stuff…and on a budget, too.

I know parallettes in this price range.

I’ve seen a zillion of them, most of which are cr*p.

This Lebert set isn’t the best money can buy but you’d have to spend much more to move in quality.

And we’re all about finding value…

To get a meaningful jump in quality, you’d have to go with something like the Rogue Bolt-Together set.

That one would be an upgrade but it costs twice as much (if it sounds like your cup of tea, you can see the Rogue set here).

Specs

Dimensions (L x W x H, inches)	15.98 x 21.73 x 12.01
Max capacity (lbs)	400
Weight of the bars (lbs)	10

---

4 – Best portable push-up bars – WithGear Aluminum

Rating: 63.3 out of 100

Who it’s for: Anyone looking for a truly portable push-up bar.

Pros:

• Folds down and packs small and light.
• Made of aluminum – strong but light.
• Two grip options available (Hawk – dual bars  and Swan – single bar).
• No instabilities stemming from the folding mechanism.

Cons:

• Not as sturdy as fixed bars.
• On-arrival defects (over the years, I’ve seen this with about 1-2% of Withgear bars, which is still too high for my taste).

Summary

Withgear is the best portable push-up bar for two reasons:

1. It really is portable.
2. The portability has no implications on functionality.

Let’s unpack that…

Pretty much any push-up bar will claim portability as one of the benefits.

And that’s OK…

Most are fairly small and the portability is not a lie.

But it’s not the whole truth either…

Here’s what I mean…

You might take the Juperbsky bars to the cabin or the weekend with the inlaws.

Heck, you might even take them to the beach…once.

My point is this – most fixed bars are too bulky, and the truly portable bars fold down.

And I know a few of those (folding mechanisms, that is…)

In terms of functionality, WithGear is superior to something like the Wakauto.

The main reason for that is the grip – its thickness and length.

Specs of the Hawk (two push-up bars)

Length and height (inches)	14 x 8.2
Weight capacity (lbs)	660
Weight of the bars (lbs)	2

Specs of the Swan (single bar)

Length and height (inches)	31 x 9.2
Weight capacity (lbs)	660
Weight of the bars (lbs)	1.6

---

5 – Top pick among cheap push-up bars – JBM Handles

Rating: 59.9 out of 100

Who it’s for: Anyone looking for push-up bars that cost less than a decent lunch.

Pros:

• Cheap
• Padded bottom.
• Screw-fixed handles.

Cons:

• Material (polypropylene) doesn’t compare to steel.
• Basic foam padding.

Summary

Notice that the heading here does not contain the word “best.”

That’s intentional because there really is no “better” in this price range.

Some bars just suck a bit less, so I guess the most appropriate label for this pair would be “the least sucky cheap push-up bars.”

They do the job without slipping or bending.

That’s about it…

The foam on the frame prevents slipping and the polypropylene feels stable.

How stable?

I’d say you won’t feel any flex up to 200 lbs.

Specs

Dimensions (L x W x H, inches)	8.6 x 5.3 x 4.7
Weight capacity (lbs)	220 lbs (estimated)
Weight of the bars (lbs)	2.2 for the pair

---

Buyer’s guide to choosing push-up bars

Below is a guide on things to consider when buying push-up bars.

I’m writing it with three goals:

1. To help with the search if none of our picks fit the bill.
2. To stress the depth of our research process (followed by a section on the rating methodology).
3. Geek out without being judged.

Let’s go…

10 primary factors of choosing the right push-up bar

1 – Types of push-up bars, stands and stations

(no specific number of points in our ratings)

Choosing the push-up bar bar is the first step in the buying process. It’s also a slippery slope because there’s no one unifying criteria.

To keep it tight and useful, I’m making this intentionally imperfect and simplistic.

You’ll forgive me for mixing and matching…

THE most important classification is functionality-based:

1. Classic two-piece sets
2. Parallettes
3. Rotating handles
4. Curved-bottom handles
5. Folding bars

All other push-up bars are subcategories that can fit into one of the above.

We’ll kick things off by looking at one key difference between #1 and #2 (and what it means for you).

Let’s keep it simple…

Classic/regular push-up bars – THE way to go for most people

The good ole two-piece set that started it all. It’s about mixing up the grips and getting some extra depth on push-up exercises.

They’re 4-6 inches high.

Parallettes for push-ups – a cat in a bag

The main difference between parallettes and classic push-up bars is the height. Parallettes are higher because they’re made with calisthenics in mind.

They’re also more versatile, provided that you are a Cali-athlete that can actually perform all the advanced stuff like L-sits and all the crazy push-up variations (typewriter, archer, one-arm, clap, robot, tiger-bend, etc.).

They’re too high for getting the most out of your classic push-up, which is why some brands adjust the geometry to allow for push-ups (by placing the parallettes in a prone position, like in the image below).

2 – Fixed and rotating push-up bars

(no specific number of points in our ratings)

Unless you have an existing wrist injury (or are prone to it), there’s no inherent advantage to a rotating push-up bar.

Some rotating handles are just two pieces of plastic, while some feature a steel ball-bearing system.

You’ll see them advertised as activating more this-or-that.

Nevertheless…

I’ve seen no proof of this – in real-life or studies.

In fact, you could make the case that the instability makes it harder to isolate the triceps or the chest.

The rotation will probably activate some more stabilizers and fire up the forearms, but that’s about it.

No big deal…

So, if you’re buying rotating handles for chest or triceps isolation…don’t.

They also require a lot more in the way of technique and movement control.

They’re for more advanced users only… and even then there are better ways to advance the movements.

3  – Materials of push-up bars

(0 to 6.8 points in our ratings)

Most push-up bars that offer good value for your buck are made of steel alloys.

That’s because the balance between durability, longevity, and material price is superior to wood and aluminum.

All reasons for getting anything other than steel bars fall into three groups:

1. Budgeting
2. Aesthetics
3. How it feels in-hand

I’ll be more specific…

Aluminum bars are cheaper and they do the job. They’re also lighter, less durable or resistant to scratches than steel alloys.

All-wood and wood-steel combos look awesome and have a warm feel. The naturally grippy wood means less risk of slipping and no need for padding.

If you choose wood, go with cherry, beech, pine, or maple.

4 – Weight capacity of push-up bars

(0 to 17.2 points in our ratings)

The top-tier push-up bars have a weight capacity of 500 to over 2,000 lbs (comparison graph below).

An average male grizzly is about 600 pounds, which means our top pick can take almost four bears doing push-ups on it.

The average female grizzly is around 450 lbs, which means 3 out of 7 picks qualify.

It’s just to make a point – no good push-up bar will bend or break under the weight of a human.

Heck, most bad ones won’t…

I’ve had plastic and metal bars, and although metal is better, I can’t say the plastic ones have been bad.

They will, however, feel very different in terms of stability. A high-capacity bar like Juperbsky will have zero flex and no wobble.

That’s what separates the average from the great ones.

5 – Height of push-up stations

(no specific number of points in our ratings)

The ideal push-up bar height for 99% of people will be in the 4-6” range.

For parallettes, the height range is 6-12 inches.

The underlying goal is deceptively simple – build upper body strength through a planned push-up routine using only your body weight.

A well-chosen bar allows you to perform deeper push-ups (compared to floor surface) without adding wrist strain.

Future of push-up bars – modular, height-adjustable designs.

Height-adjustable designs (like the mini bars from BaseBlocks)  are coming and I see them taking a nice bite of the market in 5 years or so.

Right now, these designs are yet to pass the test of time. Also, they’re still only available in Europe.

Don’t sweat the height too much

Reading about certain topics feels like we’re getting dumber as a species. The height of classic push-up bars is one of them.

Hate to say it, but it’s true…

You can always put a board/plate underneath the bars to make them higher.

You can also put your legs on the said board and lower the depth.

Note: Parallette height is a different story…one that goes beyond the scope of this guide.

6 – Length of the bars

(no specific number of points in our ratings)

Any bar with 5+ inches of grip space is good for classic push-ups. You’d need hands like a bear (yep, bears again) for 5 inches to be too small.

Even the cheap bars clear that minimum.

In those terms, the most stable bars will be longer than 10 inches (overall length).

Note that the graph below lists the overall lengths of the bars. The curved bars like Juperbrsky will have a shorter grip – typically less than half the overall length.

Bars with no curve, like the WOODPOWER, will have a longer grip. This makes them better for some advanced shenanigans, like clap-push-ups.

Again, 5-8 inches will be enough for most people.

*That’s not a rule set in stone…it’s just an empirical guideline based on my experience.

7 – Finish of the bars – coats vs. padding

(no specific number of points in our ratings)

The 4 main types of grip finish on push-up bars are:

1. Padded – typical for slick metal bars.
2. Powder coats – metal bars with some grit (like the Rogue Bolt Together Parallettes).
3. Wood – typical for…well…wooden bars (duh!).
4. Plastic

Go with a well padded bar if your go-to is the “regular” push-up, especially if you’re doing them in higher volumes.

Bare metal and wood are hard and can cause pain with prolonged use (like a 30 minute push-up session).

If you need the freedom to move your hands along the bar, go with wood or powder coats.

If you go with plastic rotating bars, choose a set with some extra friction – this can mean a pattern in the plastic or rubberized handles.

Bonus tip: The other side of the “grip coin” is the bars’ diameter, with 1.4-1.6 inches being the sweet spot. The thicker bars will be more comfortable and cause less wrist strain.

8 – Portability of push-up bars

(no specific number of points in our ratings)

I’m not a fan of talking about “portability” when there’s a direct trade-off.

Here’s what I mean….

Smaller and lighter push-up bars are also less versatile and not as stable.

So, I’ll keep this simple…

There are two points to make here:

1. All classic two-piece designs are portable.
2. To truly move the “portability needle” get a folding push-up bar like the Withgear. You can throw this in your backpack and hit the beach.

9 – Warranty terms

(0 to 10.3 points in our ratings)

Warranty terms you get on push-up bars are an indicator of materials and build more than anything else.

In other words – there’s little to no chance you’ll break or bend any of these.

I have only one rule here – if you’re getting wooden bars, make sure they’re covered for at least a year.

10 – Price of push-up bars

(0 to 24.1 points in our ratings)

The cost of push-up bars ranges from $10 to $150.

You’ll find the best value in the $40-70 range.

Note: The only price comparison that makes sense is within each bar category.

With that said, the price comparison graph below is a useful reference.

---

Methodology – how we assess and rate push-up bars

I’ll take a moment here to go over the steps we took to create this guide.

I do it to make 3 points:

1. There’s actual first-hand experiences with the push-up bar on the other side of the ratings.
2. We are different in an industry of sames – the StrongHomeGym team is dedicated to transparency and honesty.
3. None of the push-up bar picks are random. There’s a pool of data behind it.

Here’s what we did to rate and pick the 7 best push-up bars:

1. We set out to create the biggest push-up bar database possible.

We looked at 35 sources and chose 60+ push-up bars that are worth your money.

I’m intentionally not specifying the number because the database is alive – new bars are added to it in every update and some are discarded if we notice a change in quality.

Note: The list of 60+ bars is prefiltered. It could’ve been 100s but we intentionally limited it based on first-hand experiences.

2. We defined the criteria to rate the push-up bars against.

This step was more challenging than usual because we looked to compare across different types of push-up bars.

We ended up with 7 primary rating factors that work across the board and 26 data points in total for each bar* (to apply on a case-to-case basis).

What that means specifically…

We had to complicate the statistics on our side so that it remains clean and simple on your end; i.e. this page.

• An example of a data point – gauge of the steel.
• Examples of primary rating factors are: material of the bars, padding, max capacity, price, etc.

3. We collected all the data for all the bars.

To be precise:

a. 1550+ total data points
b. 420 rated factors

4. We created a rating formula.

Not all factors that can be quantified carry the same “weight.”

For example, height/elevation of a push-up bar carries a maximum of 3.4 points, while the warranty and price carry much more – 10.3 and 24.1 respectively.

5. We presented the fruit of our work (the formula) to some of the top industry experts and asked for feedback.

6. We changed and tweaked the formula until we made sure it’s an accurate representation of the quality of the push-up bars.

We did that through multiple iterations and with zero ego.

7. We decided on the number of push-up stations to present as top picks.

The goal was to cover all needs and budgets without overwhelming you with options. We set that number at 7.

8. We update the guides on the best push-up stations regularly to make sure it’s relevant.

Simply put, whenever you’re reading this, you can rest assured it’s relevant and up-to-date.

---

Other push-up bars – close-but-no-cigar

If you gleaned over the methodology”, you understand why we need the “other push-up bars” section.

It’s because only the absolute best bars made it to the top 7.

That means some great ones didn’t make the cut. It also means they might be a better fit for your specific space and needs.

Here are the honorary mentions:

• YBell Neo by PRx Performance –  a great versatile concept that can absolutely add value to your upper-body game – both for performing push-ups and as a kettlebell. The issue is availability – most sizes except the XS are out of stock as I’m writing this. We’ll keep a close eye.
• Rogue’s Formed and Bolt Together Parallettes – great stuff from Rogue as (almost) always. Too expensive for most people. If you’re a fan, you’ll love these.
• Cap Barbell Pair of Push-up bars – and out-of-the-gate candidate for the budget pick. Ultimately, it’s OK for regular push-ups but too basic for the intermediate-to-advanced athlete who wants to perform push-ups, but also mix it up with other upper-body stuff.
• Wooden Push Up Bars from PULLUP & DIP Store – popular cherry-wood bars that lost out to similar products that do more things (or offer more space for a more well-rounded upper-body workout) beyond push-up exercises.
• Push-up boards –  a whole group of push-up stands we decided to leave out because we’re planning a separate guide. Boards are the superior option for some variations like the power press push-up.

---

Best push-up bars – resume and key takeaways

We created something good here.

It did take some serious work but I believe that the result is THE most complete, data-based, experience-driven guide on push-up bars ever to hit the internet.

And I don’t say stuff like that lightly…

Here’s a quick overview of the top 3 picks:

1. At the very top, we have the beefy Juperbsky set. They’re moderately priced (2-4 times cheaper than Rogue Parallettes) and have higher weight capacity than 99% of similar bars (like 4-5 times higher).
   
   In other words, they might not look unique, but they absolutely are.
2. If wooden push-up bars are your thing, you have a sea of stations to choose from.
   
   None of them have a better balance of impeccable aesthetic and burly build than the WOODPOWER. It’s also the most “Instagrammable” set here…if that’s a word.
3. If you’re into Calisthenics or simply need something higher to play the roles of both a push-up station and parallettes, get the Lebert Fitness station bars. It’s the best value out there and nails the geometry.

Where to from here…

Kudos if you actually had the patience to read this.

You now belong to the top 1% of people who know most about push-up bars.

And it’s overwhelming, for sure…

Click here to skip back to the top picks table.

Bookmark this page if you want to come back to it another time.