Introduction
Doorway pullup bars are definitely the most common type of pullup bars in the market because of their easy installation and portable design but doorway pullup bars are also infamous for damaging the door frame.
Problem is, there are no standard dimensions of door frames, they all differ in length, width, depth, etc; this variation makes it impossible for manufacturers to design a doorway pullup bar that can perfectly fit all sizes of door frames. Knowing the right strategies can help you do pullups at home without damaging the door frame.
Can a pullup bar damage or break your door frame? Yes, doorway pullup bars can cause scuffing, paint chipping, or dent to the door frame if they are being installed incorrectly. To minimize the damage, you should always use proper padding or choose a product that is designed to match door frame dimensions.
Ahead in this article, we will talk about tips to choose the perfect pullup bar for home and how to prevent damage to your door frame.
How To Prevent Door Damage?
1- Finding a perfect doorway pullup bar
Instead of making a purchase on the basis of good reviews, you should be purchasing the doorway pullup bar on the basis of your door dimensions.
A pullup bar will surely damage the door frame if it is too wide or narrow for it. Few points that need to be kept in mind:
- Door width: measure your door with inch take and checkout if the pullup bar you are looking to purchase fits in that width.
- Distance against the wall: Pull-up bar won’t fit well if there is a wall adjacent to the door.
- The backside of the door frame: Doorway pullup bar requires support from the backside of the door too.
- Door frame depth: Does your door frame have extraordinary thickness? Make sure its not more than 8 inches.
2- Choose a product with protective pads:
In the past, doorway pullup bars have faced lots of criticism due to the damage they did to the door frames. As a result, some of the manufacturers have started manufacturing pullup bars that offer perfect padding to protect the door frame and to have a better grip.
Foam padding is the lowest quality padding that will not protect the door in the longer-term, look for a pull-up bar that is offering rubber padding and a versatile design to perfectly fit in different types of door frames.
3- Use the padding
So now you already have purchased the product and are worried about damaging your door frame over the course of time.
Here are some of the best ways to add padding to your pullup bar.
How Safe Are Over Door Pull Up Bars?
Convenience and portability come with their price. There is always a possibility of falling when you use the door pullup bar.
I learned my first pull-up with a basic doorway pullup bar but I used to take all the precautionary measures to protect myself from probable accidents. Before every pullup, I used to have some cushion on the floor (usually a bean bag) and also avoided jerks and swings.
Doorway pullup bars are not the safest option to train with but they are certainly the most affordable and easy to install. Most of the doorway pullup bars are just hooked into the door frame which can be easily unhooked. There are a number of instances when guys fell on their butts while doing the pullup with doorway pullup bars.
Fitness newbies who usually try to swing their bodies to get to the top are more vulnerable to injuries. Doorway pullups are good for people who are capable of pulling themselves up with controlled motion.
If you are worried about accidentally unhooking the pullup bar then you should invest in Rogue Jammer which can be mounted above a doorway frame.
How much weight can a door frame pull up bar hold?
How much weight can a doorway pullup bar support depend on the design and the quality of material. You can find a wide range of pullup bars that have a weight-bearing capacity of 200 lbs to 300 lbs.
If you are heavier than 220 lbs then we don’t really recommend door frame bars, they might work well in beginning but may come down after a few months of regular use. We recommend installing a wall-mounted pullup bar if safety is your priority.
A lot of pullup bars are made with cheap material, that’s why we recommend buying fitness equipment from renowned manufacturers only.
Read more: 11 Reasons To Install A pullup Bar At Home
Alternative To Doorway Pullup Bar.
Now the question is, if the doorway pullup bars are not the most secure option then what are the other alternatives do we have? Don’t worry, now we are going to discuss the stable pullup bars that can bear a lot more resistance.
Wall-mounted pull-up bar
Wall-mounted pull-up bars are my favorite, they are easy to install and works really fine with all kind of spaces.
Wall-mounted pull-up bars are quite stable and allow a wide variety of exercises. The only drawback is you need to drill down the walls to fix these type of bars.
Wall-mounted pull-up bars also provide a better platform for weighted pullups, suspension training or hanging leg raises.
A pull-up Station
If drilling your ceiling or walls is an issue for you then why not invest in a pullup station? A pull-up station can help you strengthen your upper body in all directions.
A pull-up station is a wonderful tool that allows you to train your body in a more versatile manner, it will allow you to practice pull-ups, chin-ups, muscles-ups, leg raises. You can also anchor gymnast rings on the pullup station to train the chest.
Read more: When To Start Weighted Pullups For Maximum Benefits
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