An adjustable pull up bar allows you to alter the height of the bar easily to suit the user as well as being able to fit a variety of door frame widths. With over 2000 five star ratings on Amazon, the Garren adjustable pull up bar is a safe purchase for your home gym set up.
Benefits of the Garren Adjustable Pull Up Bar:
- Discreet fitting that will sit in a doorway, but allow the door to close while installed.
- Your have the flexibility to move the bar to different places or heights as needed as it comes with three screw-in door mount kits.
- Sturdy enough to sustain 300lbs with the heavy duty mounting kits.
I’ve seen some pretty dodgy looking adjustable doorway pull up bars in my time and had a few critical things to say about them. As a pretty average 200lb guy, I’ve been skeptical about their durability – and seen plenty of home gym “fails” on the internet involving this piece of equipment! When I got to test out the Garren Fitness pull up bar, I went in with my usual cloud of suspicion, but I have to say I was impressed!
The heavy duty steel bar looks well made with a chrome finish and foam hand grips. I’m a sucker for some foam grips as I’m forever tearing my callouses off. The bar can fit doorways from 26″ to 36″ when extended and sits snugly in the door frame to allow the door to function as normal. You can easily suspend some TRX straps, rings or resistance bands from it and the cushioned grip helps stop them from sliding around too.
Installation of an adjustable pull up bar:
The Garren pull up bar comes with 2 heavy duty mounts and one medium duty door mount. I would strongly suggest only using the heavy duty mounts and purchasing extra mounting kits if you want to have more location options in your home. The medium duty door mount is rated for up to 200lbs, however Garren do not recommend installation above waist height and I agree with them here. No problem using this mounting kit for exercises where my feet are firmly planted on the ground such as incorporating the use of resistance bands and simply using the bar as an anchor point. For anything where a larger weight will be loaded, I’d use the heavy duty mounts – this includes when I’m still connected to the ground such as chest to bar rows, incline push ups or even or L-Sit pull -ups.
The heavy duty mounting cups are about 2″ in diameter so fit in most standard door jams. The screws supplied are for timber door frames so if you’re planning on fixing your pull up bar to something else such as metal or concrete, you should chat to your hardware store about the most appropriate option.
There is also an option of friction mounting (that is, no door mounts used) for floor based exercises such as foot rests for hip thrust/raises but I just don’t trust friction mounted systems at all!
Some of the adjustable pull up bars I’ve used have a tendency to spin when being used, but I didn’t find the Garren system budged at all when I tested it out. There’s a screw that needs to be tightened one the bar is in place to prevent spinning, so I guess if any movement was felt over time, it would be an easy thing to adjust. The grip position you use could also affect whether your bar spins. If you do find it needing to be tightened repeatedly, try facing the other direction or reversing your grip.
Do adjustable doorway pull up bars damage door frames?
Good question. It really does depend on your door jam, so make sure you’re fixing to something solid. Realistically, when installed properly, you shouldn’t incur any more damage that the screw holes from your mounting bracket. I personally prefer to get heavier duty screws that the ones normally supplied by equipment manufacturers, just to be on the safe side. You don’t have to use a door frame – If you have a good hallway/ thoroughfare area with some stud walls, you can fix an adjustable bar there too. If you don’t own your home, it’s always best to ask for permission from your landlord before putting holes in the walls too!
What other people are saying about the Garren Fitness Adjustable Pull Up Bar
As I mentioned earlier, this bad boy has amassed over 2000 five star reviews on Amazon, so that’s not to be sniffed at. I always like to to take a look through the reviews, both good and bad to see what others are saying. The common themes included:
⇒ When using the heavy duty mounting kit and installed correctly, this is a sturdy piece of gear that can take a solid human’s weight without any trouble.
⇒ Make sure your door jam is wide enough to fit the installation brackets/cups before drilling! Most standard doorways will have no problem, but there are always exceptions. (This goes the same for doorway width).
⇒ Slim enough to be installed and still allow a door to function and close, this pull up bar is great for knocking out a couple of reps every time you walk in and out of a room.
⇒ Always check your bar is secure before ripping into a workout. It’s common sense to always cautiously test your load before jumping up on to anything suspended in this sort of way. Houses expand and shrink with humidity, screws can loosen – it’s not worth the risk.
⇒ Being able to have multiple mounting positions gives so much more versatility for performing different exercises.
What exercises can you do with an adjustable pull up bar at home?
Of course, you probably know my now if you’ve read some of my other articles that is thing a pull up bar is one of the most versatile pieces of equipment to have in your home. The beauty of an adjustable height bar is that it opens up even more possibilities.
In an overhead (standard) position, you can do:
- Traditional pull ups with varying grip positions
- Chin ups
- Static holding from the bar (great for stretching)
- Leg raises
- Hang resistance bands, rings or TRX straps – from here the options are endless…I’ll do another article on these exercises!
In a waist height or lower mounted position, you can perform:
- Incline push ups
- Chest to bar rows with feet on floor
- L-Sit Pull Ups
- Sit ups to touch the bar
- Plank holds (great if wrist issues prevent you from pressing your palm into the ground)
- Hip thrusts with feet on the bar
- Attach resistance straps for rowing, shoulder press, leg abductor/adductor…again, once you incorporate the straps, the options are endless!
Final Word
I try to provide information so you can find the appropriate option for your home gym set up and what your needs are. As I mentioned, it’s always important to regularly test and inspect your exercise equipment to ensure your safety.
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