Contents
- Quick List of the Best Power Towers Right Now
- The Stamina 1690 Power Tower
- XMark Power Tower With Dip Station And Pull-Up Bar
- Weider Power Tower
- XMark Fitness Power Tower With Pull-Up Station
- Body Vision PT600 Power Tower
- Power Tower Buying Guide – What to Look For
- Power Tower Workout Options
- Power Tower FAQ
- Towers Are Useful, But The Power Is In The Person
Power towers are a great way to get basic full-body workouts in a compact space.
They are ideal for home gyms, gyms, hotels, and even offices.
But what is the Best Tower for the Money?
Below I compare and review 5 of the top options.
They all have a minimalist construction, but offer everything you need for a great workout!
But, if you are short on time check this out:
Quick List of the Best Power Towers Right Now
- The Stamina 1690 Power Tower
- XMark Power Tower With Dip Station And Pull-Up Bar
- Weider Power Tower
- XMark Fitness Power Tower With Pull-Up Station
- Body Vision PT600 Power Tower
The Stamina 1690 Power Tower
The Stamina 1690 Power Tower has a small floor footprint that can be used in any convenient corner of the home.
It is exceptionally easy to assemble, and is made from basic tubular steel.
With the main stations of this tower you can work every major upper body muscle group and core.
L-bends in the frame, along with comfortable foam handles helps you get the most out of the workout.
Features
This tower targets large muscle groups including:
– Dips for strong arms and chest
– Wide-grip pull-ups for a muscular back
– High bar for power and Cross Fit-style chins
– Foot bar for sit-ups and crunches
– Shoulder-width grips for push-ups to sculpt the chest
The Stamina 1690 is a simple tower that is inspired by old school workout techniques.
Though this tower is small, it can handle heavy work loads.
Simple And Great For Beginners
This tower is also perfect for fitness beginners because of its simple frame and grip alignment..
It doesn’t take much to get a great workout with the Stamina 1690. It only takes a little imagination and know-how.
XMark Power Tower With Dip Station And Pull-Up Bar
The XMark 4434 with dip station and pull-up bar, is versatile and simple, but it has the addition of a more complete station for supported leg lifts.
Tubular steel construction is perfect for compact towers, and this model’s frame is extra sturdy because of square, non-corrosion steel.
A longer footprint means this tower can handle explosive maneuvers and heavier bodies.
Features
– L-handles for perfect push-ups
– Wide, medium, and close-grip chins
– A bar for hanging leg raises
– Comfortable and balanced dip and triceps extension handles
– Leg lifts with padded forearm and back supports
How Does It Compare To The Other Towers?
The most noticeable difference between this power tower and others is the elimination of the “shake factor.” Square steel tube construction absorbs side-to-side motion while performing exercises.
This is very important when learning to perform exercises correctly, and while capitalizing on the explosiveness of every movement.
Built To Last
Tower materials and construction are important, and this tower stands out.
Each section of this tower is secured and held together with a pin-and-rivet instead of the typical wingnut tightening method. This is an indication of thick and high-grade steel components that will last.
>>> See Price and Reviews on Amazon! <<<
Weider Power Tower
Joe and Ben Weider designed a line of fitness equipment that took its cue from the demands of world class athletes like Boyer Coe, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Tom Platz. The Weider power tower is designed for experienced athletes that wants to be able to do their gym workouts anywhere.
This is a heavy tower with a wide-gauge frame perfect for hitting muscle groups that contribute to excellent physique.
Though its appropriate for world class bodybuilders and other athletes, anyone can use it and achieve great results.
The list of body parts that can be targeted on this tower are nearly endless.
Features
– Triceps, chest, and shoulder development with a sturdy dip grip
– Core, lower back, and quad development with a padded captain’s chair
– Chest, serratus, and arm sculpting with floor-level push-up grips
– Lat, bicep and shoulder targeting with a comfortable chin bar
– Explosive six-pack cutting with shin support
– Smooth coated steel tubing, and sewn vinyl pads for ultimate comfort
How Does It Compare To The Other Towers?
The Weider philosophy has always included special attention paid to equipment sturdiness and accessibility. Though it isn’t as mobile as other towers, it is a great tower to have in the home, or as a piece of side equipment in a high-volume gym.
>>> See Price and Reviews on Amazon! <<<
XMark Fitness Power Tower With Pull-Up Station
14-gauge square tube steel, and body comfort are the hallmarks of the XMark Fitness Power Tower with Pull-Up Station. All of the stations expected from a complete fitness tower are included on this model.
The difference between this model and others is the elimination of free-hanging grips, and the addition of needed padding.
All classic power tower exercises can be performed on this tower.
Features
– Varying hand position pull-ups
– Plank-style and modified floor push-ups
– Leg raises and leg-ups
– Arm Extensions
– Crunches and sit-ups
What Sets It Apart From The Rest?
The difference with this tower and others is the fluid framework, and extra padding at points where the body meets the tower itself.
First, the push-up handles are directly welded into the support frame of the base. This means added control and safety. Second, the dip handles are a natural outcropping from the frame. They are extra wide and comfortable for the hands.
The ab station’s padding is 2.5 inches thick with high-density foam and vinyl padding. Finally, extra padding is given to a calve roll bar for comfort during high-volume crunch and sit-up sessions.
I highly recommend this tower because it has the right balance between sturdiness, exercise options, comfort, and size.
>>> See Price and Reviews on Amazon! <<<Body Vision PT600 Power Tower
This tower is built for comfort and style.
The Body Vision PT600 power tower is ideal for people who like to rapidly change between exercises during intense circuit workouts.
The chin grips are placed overhead for use after a leg-lift dismount. The push-up and dip handles are located on the main frame for a quick drop into a floor routine.
Though the crunch and sit-up option found on other towers is missing from this design, these exercises are possible.
Features
– Leg lifts and leg raises
– Chins, pull-ups and kipping (modified Cross Fit swinging chins)
– Dips for chest, shoulders, or triceps
Great For Rehab And Small Fitness Centers
The most advanced feature of this tower is its adjustable height. With this option, it becomes useful for all body types and scenarios. This is a popular tower for rehab facilities, hotel fitness centers, and physical therapy and medical centers.
>>> See Price and Reviews on Amazon! <<<
Power Tower Buying Guide – What to Look For
Before you consider buying a power tower, it’s essential that you familiarize yourself with the basics of the machine.
Knowing about these basics will provide you with a better understanding of what the machine is doing for your body. This knowledge will ultimately make working with the machine much more rewarding.
Each power tower apparatus will contain the following pieces:
- One overhead bar
- Side bars
- Dip handles
These pieces act as stabilizers that anchor the various movements that you’ll perform on the apparatus. The movements will vary based on the type of area of the body you’re concentrating on, such as your arms, your abs, or your back.
These components will function strictly as stabilizers and aren’t necessarily something that can be manipulated to adjust to your evolving exercise needs. When you’re ready to increase difficulty, you could add weight to your body via a weighted belt or holding a dumbbell between your legs.
Of course, knowing the components that make up a power tower is half the battle. It’s essential that the equipment you purchase is sturdy enough to withstand whatever paces you plan to put the device through.
First and foremost, a quality power tower will provide you with grounded stability regardless of what your weight or workout regimen.
You don’t want a device that you feel may wobble or slip during your workout. This should be a non-factor – you shouldn’t even be in a position where you think of such things potentially occurring.
Set-up and tear down is another element you should consider when purchasing a power tower. Disassembling and re-assembling equipment is not an uncommon practice with these devices, and a change of scenery when you exercise is not a bad thing.
You’ll want to find a power tower that will allow you to perform these tasks efficiently and without worry that things do not decrease in stability over time.
This element also ties into another key power tower element – storage. If you are only occasionally using the equipment as part of your overarching workout routine, you might want to tuck it away when it’s not in use. A proper power tower will allow you to do this with little to no fuss.
Even though using the power tower the right way will cause you to work up a sweat, it shouldn’t provide you with total discomfort. Padded hand grips and proper support for your arms and backs are vital for an enjoyable workout experience.
Power Tower Workout Options
So you have a power tower – congratulations! Now, here comes the fun part: figuring out just how you should work out with the device. Obviously, since the endgame with a power tower is to build up muscles, you’ll already know the types of workouts you’ll be engaged in will target specific muscle groups.
There are five basic exercises you can perform on a power tower:
- Chin-ups
- Pull-ups
- Hand Stand Push-Ups
- Dips
- Hanging Leg Raises
Chin-ups and pull-ups target the same muscles; namely, the upper back, arms, and rear shoulders. Its functionality is the same as it was when you were in your high school gym class. Simply grab the bar, pull your body up until your chin goes above the bar, pause for a second, and drop back down.
Hand-stand pushups concentrate their focus on arm and shoulder muscles, although the nature of the workout also provides love to the abs and lower back. This exercise is a bit tricky, since there is a hand-stand involved, yet this is where the dip handles come in. You’ll place your feet on the handles overhead for stability purposes, and they’ll raise and lower with each push-up completed.
Dips focus on your triceps and pecs. This exercise is akin to the rings exercise in gymnastics, as you’ll use the power tower’s dip bars to elevate yourself off the ground and “dip” yourself toward the floor without touching the ground. Reps for this exercise should be contained within three to five “dips” per set.
Hanging leg raises are all about working the abs, and this is the routine that seems to be a natural fit for the tower power – most machines allow you to do this routine in multiple places. The endgame of this routine is to raise your legs off the ground and extend them forward so that your body makes an “L” shape. Ideally, you’ll want to hold the pose for 60 seconds, although you may find yourself only capable of holding the pose for about 15 seconds when you first start out.
Power Tower FAQ
Is a body weight tower right for me?
It is if you’re looking to engage in a workout regimen that emphasizes muscle building or maintenance. If you’re looking for tools to help you lose or maintain weight, you may want to consider something different.
What’s the weight limit for a power tower?
A typical power tower can hold up to a range of 250 to 300 pounds. However, because this is a range and not a rule of thumb per se, it’s wise to double check and make sure the power tower you’re looking at specifically lists the amount of weight it can hold.
Can I get injured on a body weight tower?
As is the case with any piece of exercise equipment, sustaining an injury using the device is a possibility. As always, it’s important to utilize common sense and safe practices during your workout routine. You may also want to consider working with a partner or a spotter for some of the trickier routines.
Towers Are Useful, But The Power Is In The Person
These five power towers present many options for those who want a single piece of home fitness equipment with multiple options.
They can all give you a great upper body and core workout, all you need to bring is your own motivation.
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