Bodyweight Exercise Equipment: What to Buy First and What to Skip

Bodyweight training is supposed to need nothing, and for the first few months that is true. Push-ups, squats, lunges and planks will take a beginner a long way with only a floor.

Then you run into the gap. There is no good way to train your back and biceps without something to pull on. I spent my first months doing push-ups and squats and wondering why my posture was getting worse instead of better. The answer was simple: I was pushing three times a week and pulling never.

That is what bodyweight exercise equipment is for. It does not replace your body as the resistance. It gives you something to hang from, lets you move through a longer range, and makes exercises easier or harder than the floor allows. This guide ranks the equipment by how much it adds, tells you what to buy first on any budget, and points out what you can safely skip.

Do you need equipment for bodyweight training?

Not to begin. Our no equipment home workout and calisthenics workout plan for beginners both work with nothing but floor space.

Equipment earns its place by solving four specific problems.

If a piece of equipment does not solve one of these, you probably do not need it yet.

It is also worth knowing that bodyweight training done progressively builds real muscle. In one study, a group doing progressively harder push-up variations for four weeks gained similar strength and muscle thickness to a group training the bench press.

Source: Kotarsky and colleagues, Effect of progressive calisthenic push-up training on muscle strength and thickness, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2018)

Bodyweight training equipment, ranked by usefulness

Prices are rough guides for mid-range products and vary by country and brand.

1. Pull-up bar

If you buy one thing, buy this. It fills the biggest hole in floor-only training and opens up pull-ups, chin-ups, dead hangs and hanging knee raises.

What to look for: a stated weight limit comfortably above your own weight, a grip about as thick as a broom handle or slightly thicker, and enough room above the bar for your head.

If you cannot do a pull-up yet, the bar is still useful. Start with dead hangs, slow lowering from the top, and band-assisted reps. Our pull-up alternatives guide lays out the progression.

2. Resistance bands

Bands do three jobs in bodyweight training, which is why they rank so high.

• Assistance. Loop a long band over the bar and place a knee or foot in it. The band takes part of your weight, so you can practise full pull-ups and dips before you are strong enough to do them alone
• Resistance. Rows, pull-aparts, presses and leg work with no bar at all
• Warm-up and mobility. Shoulder and hip preparation before training

What to buy: a set of long loop bands in three or four thicknesses. The thicker the band, the more it helps in assisted exercises. Add a pack of mini loop bands for hip and glute work. Our guide to the best resistance bands for beginners compares the types.

3. Gymnastic rings

Rings are the most versatile piece of bodyweight equipment you can own. Because the straps adjust, the same pair does rows at chest height, dips at waist height and push-ups near the floor.

• Rows, from nearly upright to nearly horizontal
• Push-ups and dips with a deeper range
• Pull-ups and chin-ups, with handles that rotate freely, which many people find kinder to elbows and shoulders
• Core work, such as knee tucks and fallouts
• Support holds, which build shoulder stability

The catch: rings are unstable, so every exercise is harder than its fixed-bar version. That is a benefit later and a hurdle at first. Start with rows and supported holds.

What to look for: wooden rings for indoor grip, or plastic if they will live outdoors. Straps with numbered markings make it easy to set both sides level. You need a pull-up bar, a beam, a sturdy tree branch or ceiling anchors to hang them from.

Suspension trainers are a close relative: two handles on adjustable straps, often with a door anchor. They are easier to set up in a flat and excellent for rows and core work, but less suited to dips and pull-ups.

4. Parallettes

Parallettes are a pair of short bars a few centimetres to about 30 cm off the floor.

• Deeper push-ups, because your chest can travel below your hands
• A neutral wrist position, which helps if flat-palm push-ups make your wrists ache
• L-sits and tuck holds for the core
• Pike push-ups and, later, handstand work

What to look for: a wide, non-slip base, a grip around 3 to 4 cm thick, and a height that suits your goal. Low versions are steadier for push-ups. Taller versions give room for L-sits. Push-up handles are a cheaper alternative that covers the wrist and range benefits only.

5. Dip bars and dip stations

Dips are one of the best bodyweight exercises for the chest, shoulders and triceps, and they need two stable, parallel supports at about waist height.

A free-standing dip station also works for inverted rows underneath the bars, knee raises and support holds. Look for a wide base, a clear weight limit and bars spaced a little wider than your shoulders.

Dips are demanding on the shoulders, so learn them gradually. Our dip exercise guide covers form, bench dips and the band-assisted version.

6. Exercise mat

Not exciting, but you will use it every session. A mat protects your knees, elbows and tailbone during planks, bridges and core work, and keeps your hands from sliding on hard floors.

Choose one around 6 to 10 mm thick for general training. Very thick, soft mats feel comfortable but make balance exercises wobbly.

7. Ab wheel

A small wheel with a handle on each side. The rollout is one of the hardest core exercises there is, because your abs must stop your lower back from sagging as your arms travel forward.

Start on your knees and roll out only as far as you can control. If you feel it in your lower back rather than your stomach, shorten the range. A wider wheel is steadier for beginners.

8. Weighted vest

When push-ups, squats and pull-ups become easy, a vest lets you keep the same exercises and add load in small steps.

This is a later purchase. It makes sense once you can do around 15 good push-ups and 8 pull-ups. Look for a vest with removable weights so you can increase gradually, and a snug fit that does not bounce. Our weighted vest training guide explains how heavy to go.

9. Jump rope

Bodyweight strength work does little for your heart and lungs unless you arrange it as a circuit. A rope is the cheapest piece of cardio equipment available and takes up no space.

A basic beaded or PVC rope is ideal for learning. To size it, stand on the middle with one foot: the handles should reach roughly to your armpits.

10. Power tower

A power tower combines a pull-up bar, dip handles and usually a padded station for knee raises in one free-standing frame.

Good if you have a garage or spare room, cannot fix anything to walls or door frames, and want everything in one place.

Less good if space is tight or your ceiling is low. Cheaper models can rock during pull-ups, so check the weight rating and the width of the base. A doorway bar plus a pair of rings does most of the same jobs for a fraction of the price and floor space.

Small extras that are worth having

Three starter kits by budget

Buy in this order rather than all at once. Each piece should be bought because your training needs it, not because it came in a bundle.

What to buy for your goal

Safety checks before you hang from anything

Equipment that fails does so suddenly, and usually when you are upside down or at the top of a rep. These checks take a minute.

• Read the weight limit and make sure it is well above your body weight, plus any vest you might add later
• Inspect the door frame. Doorway bars need a solid frame with intact trim. Do not use them on glass doors, damaged frames or thin partition walls
• Test with your feet on the floor first. Pull down hard and bounce gently before you take your full weight
• Fix wall and ceiling bars into structure, meaning studs, joists or solid masonry, with the correct bolts. Plasterboard alone will not hold. If you are unsure, ask someone qualified
• Check straps and buckles on rings and suspension trainers for fraying and slipping
• Inspect bands for nicks and cracks before each session
• Clear the space around and below you
• Set parallettes and dip bars on a level, non-slip surface

Free substitutes you already own

You can test whether you will use something before paying for it.

These are fine for trying an exercise. For regular training, purpose-made equipment is safer and more comfortable.

What to skip, at least for now

• Single-exercise gadgets, such as sit-up frames and twisting boards. A mat does the same job
• Very cheap power towers with narrow bases and no stated weight limit
• Sauna belts and waist trimmers. They do not burn fat
• Electrical muscle stimulators sold as a replacement for exercise
• A weighted vest in your first few months. Master the movements first
• Several versions of the same thing. A bar and rings cover pulling. You do not also need a tower

If you are setting up a wider home gym with weights as well, our guide to the best home gym equipment for beginners covers dumbbells, benches and more, and do you need equipment to work out at home looks at the question from the start.

A first workout with the 50-dollar kit

Three times a week, with a rest day between sessions. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets.

Add a rep to each set when you can. When you reach the top of the range, use a thinner band for the pull-ups or move to a harder push-up variation. Our sets and reps guide explains how to progress.

Looking after your equipment

• Bands: store them away from sunlight and radiators, keep them dry, and replace them at the first sign of cracking
• Wooden rings and parallettes: keep them dry and brush off chalk. Do not leave wood outdoors
• Straps: check stitching and buckles every few weeks
• Doorway bars: take them down between sessions if they mark the frame, and check the contact pads
• Bolted bars: retighten the fixings after the first few weeks of use, then every few months
• Mats: wipe them down with mild soapy water and let them dry flat

The bottom line

You do not need equipment to start bodyweight training, and you should not let a shopping list delay your first workout.

When you are ready to buy, begin with the gap that floor exercises cannot fill: pulling. A doorway pull-up bar and a set of long bands cost about as much as one month at a gym and turn a push-only routine into a balanced one. Rings are the best next step, followed by parallettes if your wrists or your push-ups need them.

Buy one piece at a time, check what you hang from, and add the next item only when your training asks for it.

For how to use the wheel safely, see our guide to ab wheel exercises.

Frequently asked questions

What equipment do I need for bodyweight exercises?

None to begin with. The most useful additions are a pull-up bar, which makes back and biceps training possible, and a set of resistance bands, which make hard exercises easier to learn. Rings, parallettes and a mat are good next steps.

What is the best piece of bodyweight training equipment?

For most people, a pull-up bar, because pulling is the one movement you cannot train well on the floor. Gymnastic rings are the most versatile single item if you have somewhere to hang them, since they cover rows, pull-ups, push-ups and dips.

Are doorway pull-up bars safe?

They are safe when used on a solid door frame with intact trim and within the stated weight limit. Test the bar with your feet on the floor before each session. Avoid damaged or very thin frames, and consider a wall-mounted or free-standing bar if your doorways are unsuitable.

Are gymnastic rings good for beginners?

Yes, if you start with the right exercises. Ring rows and supported holds are beginner-friendly and can be made as easy as you need by adjusting the strap height. Ring dips and ring pull-ups are much harder and can wait until you have built some strength.

How much does a home bodyweight gym cost?

A basic setup of a doorway pull-up bar and resistance bands costs around 50 dollars. Adding rings and a mat brings it to roughly 120 dollars, and a complete kit with parallettes, an ab wheel and a jump rope is about 250 dollars.

Is a power tower worth it?

It can be, if you have the floor space and ceiling height and cannot attach anything to a door or wall. For small homes, a doorway bar and a pair of rings do most of the same jobs for much less money and space.

Can you build muscle with bodyweight equipment?

Yes. Muscle grows when exercises are hard enough and get harder over time. Equipment such as rings, bands and a weighted vest lets you keep progressing bodyweight exercises. Research has found progressive push-up training can match bench press training for early strength and muscle gains.

What can I use instead of a pull-up bar?

For rows, a sturdy table, a pair of rings or a suspension trainer on a door anchor, or a long resistance band fixed to a post. These train the same back and biceps muscles while you build up to hanging exercises.

What’s next?

Reading is the easy part. Pick one of these and do it today.

Use a free toolWorkout Schedule PlannerLay out a realistic training week in about thirty seconds.Follow a plan4-Week Beginner ProgramShort sessions, walking and rest days, laid out day by day. You can get each week by email too.Read nextBodyweight Chest Exercises: 12 Moves and 3 Workouts (No Equipment)The guide that fits best with this one.