Hi I’m Chris G’s wife, just wondering what’s the best doorway chin-up bar?
Get the kind with the supports that wrap up and around the top of the door jam. If you get the one that simply goes into a doorway and you twist it to tighten it you are asking for the plaster to split at the corners of the doorway at the top. I like the utility of the P90X version.
http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_gear/p90x_chin_up_bar_sem1.do?code=YAHOO_SEM_P90XCHINUP
Dave
We eventually bit the bullet and bolted one to the wall. The door mounted versions felt a trifle sketchy.
Buy one of the machines where you can do leg lifts and dips chin ups push ups and the like . My wife bought me one for my birthday. It is the pro-form fusion 1.5t.
Works great! Now all I need is liposuction wonder if my health insurance will pay for it. Just kidding machine is great if you have the room. Think it was around 125-150 dollars
I have the Door Gym by Creative Fitness. Works like a charm. Sets up in a minute, easy to put on and take off the door frame.
We have an iron gym from GNC, fits in the doorway, $30. Does the trick.
I have a cheap one where you screw brackets into door frame and the bar slides in and out of them fairly easily, so it can go up and come down when not needed. It works just fine, goes in easily, is secure and the slim brackets are not a problem when it is out. I think I got it at Sports Authority or similar big box store.
Similar to reggiedog, I got one at sports authority where you screw two sockets into the sides of the door frame, and the bar twists to extend and sit in them. Super secure, and I’ve taken it with me across 3 different apartments.
If you’re really set on a doorway model then the one that karma linked to looks to be pretty good.
I put up the following with about $25 worth of parts ($35 once I get a bar in there, though parts should be cheaper for those of you not living in Canuckistan…):
My requirements were a little different as I was primarily looking for a bar from which to hang my laundry to dry, but I also wanted something that would be strong enough to do chins and other bodyweight exercises should I be so inclined.
3x loop ended lag screws ~ $1.69ea
3x climbing 'biners - $5.50ea
$4 worth of tubular webbing
80" length of 1" dia steel plumbing pipe - ~$10
I have enough webbing left over to make some longer loops for other stuff as well (though they didn’t invent them TRX does a fair job of promoting some of the exercises along with their $150 version of my rig :p)
I should add that you could easily do this without 'biners or webbing, just by using whatever rope you might happen to have laying around the house. I like webbing and am comfortable with its properties, and like the convenience that carabiners afford. Still, assuming you have some rope kicking around the whole thing can be done for less than $20 - less if you don’t believe in heavy overkill (no-one “needs” 1" steel pipe).
I’ve had the Iron Gym bar for about 5 weeks. It has many pros but a couple cons.
Pros - It’s only about $30 and you can find it at many stores. Ours came from bed bath and beyond because we had a 10% off anything coupon
You don’t have to install any hardware. No drilling required
You can put it up and take it down in about 5 seconds.
It works
Cons - $30 is more expensive than some other bars
It has to go on the opposite side of the door frame than where the door swings and the door must be open so this may limit where you put it
If you have the fancy door moulding that is thicker than about 8 inches it won’t work.
Overall I like the product a lot. If you have small enough moulding and a good door to hang it from it is $30 well spent.