The portable or doorway pull up bar is one of the most popular pieces of fitness gear for at home workouts but it may not be the best fit for your body or your workout goals. Luckily there are many new and improved pull up gear options that can work no matter what your fitness level or budget is or what fitness goals you have.

Pull Up Bar Options - There are 2 basic types of pull-up bars including doorway or joist mounted. The doorway pullup bar is typically portable which means you can use it in various rooms while joist mounted bars permanently attach to the wall or ceiling. Either one of these option is best for people looking to build upper body strength and for people who enjoy workout programs that incorporate pullup exercises i.e. P90X, Body for Life or Female Body Breakthrough.

Pros & Cons: The top reasons a majority of people consider pullup bars is they are very affordable and easy to install. The downside is that most people just don't have the upper body strength for traditional pullup exercises so you will need a sturdy bench or superbands to assist with pullups for months or years. Your best option in this category is the Black Mountain Products Pull Up Bar and Resistance Bands

Pull Up Stand or Free Standing Pull-Up Bars - There are 3 types of pull up stands including power towers, Lebert bars, and portable fold up stations. The main differences in this category are with height which determines how you can do pullup exercises. Power towers are very tall and take up space vertically. They can be used for pullups as well as hanging ab exercises and triceps dips. Lebert bars and fold up stations are about hip height which means you have to lay on the floor under them and bend your legs to use them which works better for most people but is not as challenging for the super fit. These can also be used for ab exercises and dips and pushups too. This option is great for people with limited upper body strength who enjoy boot camp workouts or full body exercises but still prefer the feel of a bar over suspension straps.

Pros & Cons: Stands and towers are great if you have the room for them. The main downside is that power towers require a very good level of conditioning to use and the Lebert and fold up stations limit you once you begin to get very strong. Also since Lebert bars are not attached to each other they are less sturdy. Your best option in this category is the Ultimate Body Press Dip Stand

Suspension Trainer or Hybrid Suspension Systems - There are so many options in this category that even one article on the suspension trainer would not begin to cover them all but your 4 main options are: single point anchor - straps attach to center strap which attaches to central anchor point
dual anchor point - straps attach individually to anchor point so width can be adjusted
bar anchor point- straps attach to bar that attaches to doorframe
hybrid anchors - straps attach to single point that can be locked or used as a pulley system for rotational movement
All these are great for people who enjoy fatloss workouts, core training, interval training, and full body workouts.

Pros & Cons: Suspension trainers and hybrids are the most versatile of all pulllup gear and can be used for hundreds of exercises including traditional pullups, bodyweight rows, core training, pushups, biceps, triceps, and lower body too. Most systems are affordable and portable and accommodate all fitness levels. The only downside is they require core stability which means you can't cheat or you get hurt. The best options in this category are the Rip 60 Fitness DVD & Suspension Trainer Set or the TRX Suspension Training Pro Pack featured in the video here.