A power tower combines pulling, pushing and abs in one square metre. Here are 12 exercises grouped by station, then a full session for two levels.
The stations of a power tower
- The pull-up bar, at the top: all your pulling, and hanging ab work.
- The dip handles, in the middle: pushing and core work in a support.
- The backrest and armrests, on some models: ab work, with your back supported.
Many models only have the first two stations. You then do your ab work hanging from the bar or in a support on the handles.
The 12 exercises at a glance
| Exercise | Station | What it works |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Dead hang | Bar | Grip, shoulders |
| 2. Overhand pull-up | Bar | Back |
| 3. Underhand pull-up | Bar | Biceps, back |
| 4. Close-grip pull-up | Bar | Arms |
| 5. Hanging knee raise | Bar | Abs |
| 6. Hanging leg raise | Bar | Abs |
| 7. Straight-arm support hold | Handles | Shoulders, core |
| 8. Dips | Handles | Chest, triceps |
| 9. Negative dips | Handles | Lowering strength |
| 10. Supported knee raise | Handles | Abs |
| 11. L-sit | Handles | Abs, triceps |
| 12. Backrest knee raise | Armrests | Abs |
6 exercises on the pull-up bar
1. The dead hang
Grab the bar and hang, arms straight, shoulders away from your ears. Aim for 3 sets of 20 to 30 seconds.
2. The overhand pull-up
Palms facing away, hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Pull until your chin clears the bar, lower to straight arms. Can't do a pull-up yet? Follow our method to get your first pull-up.
3. The underhand pull-up
Palms facing you, hands shoulder-width apart. Your biceps help more: it's often the easiest grip.
4. The close-grip pull-up
Hands close together, overhand or underhand. The effort shifts to your arms.
5. The hanging knee raise
Hanging, bring your knees up towards your chest, then lower slowly. Don't swing: on a free-standing pull-up bar, momentum moves the whole frame.
6. The hanging leg raise
Same movement, legs straight, up to horizontal. Move on to this version when you can do 3 sets of 12 knee raises.
You'll find more variations in our 15 pull-up bar exercises.
5 exercises on the dip handles
7. The straight-arm support hold
Get up on the handles, arms straight, shoulders down, and hold. It's the foundation for everything that follows. Aim for 3 sets of 20 to 30 seconds.
8. Dips
From the support, bend your elbows backwards, leaning your torso slightly forward. Stop when your shoulders reach elbow height, then push back up. The full technique is in our guide to dips for beginners.
9. Negative dips
You only do the lowering part, over 5 seconds, then put your feet down to get back up. It's the exercise to do until you can manage a full dip.
10. The supported knee raise
In a straight-arm support, bring your knees up towards your chest. Your abs work, and your shoulders hold your whole bodyweight.
11. The L-sit
In a support, straighten your legs in front of you, horizontal, and hold. Start with a few seconds, one leg at a time if needed.
1 exercise on the armrests
12. The backrest knee raise
If your model has a backrest and armrests: forearms resting, back supported, bring your knees up towards your chest. It's the easiest version, because your arms don't limit the effort. Straighten your legs to make it harder.
The full session
| Block | Beginner | Intermediate |
|---|---|---|
| Pulling | Negative pull-ups 3 × 3 to 5 | Overhand pull-ups 4 × 5 to 8 |
| Pushing | Negative dips 3 × 5 | Dips 4 × 6 to 10 |
| Pulling | Dead hang 3 × 20 to 30 s | Underhand pull-ups 3 × 6 to 8 |
| Abs | Hanging knee raise 3 × 8 to 10 | Hanging leg raise 3 × 8 |
| Core | Straight-arm support hold 3 × 20 s | L-sit 3 × 10 s |
- Two to three sessions a week, with a rest day in between.
- 90 seconds' rest between sets.
- Add squats and lunges next to the station: 3 sets of 15. The power tower doesn't work your legs.
For a detailed week across three levels, follow our full-body programme.
Setting up and using your station properly
- Height. When you hang from the bar with straight arms, your feet don't touch the floor. Also leave room to get your head over the bar.
- Floor. Flat and hard. Check all four feet are on the ground.
- Pins. Check them before every session.
- Pace. Go up and down under control, without swinging.
- Load. Check your station's stated maximum load, often 150 kg: keep a margin if you add weight.
TipIf your station moves during pull-ups, switch sides. Many users find it more stable when they stand on the side opposite the dip handles. Try both and keep the more stable one.
Common mistakeSwinging to squeeze out reps. On a free-standing pull-up bar, momentum moves the frame. Muscle-ups and kipping pull-ups are done on a bar fixed to the wall or outdoors.
Going further
- A resistance band hooked onto the bar assists you on pull-ups. See our pull-up resistance band.
- Foam floor tiles protect your floor. Check the station stays stable on them.
- No wall you can drill? That's exactly when a station makes sense: read pull-up bar on plasterboard.
Mentioned in this guide
Foldable Power Tower for Pull Ups and Dips150 kg · 168 to 214 cm, 8 positions · 95 × 95 cm118,90 €
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