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It seems that, with each passing day, the fitness market becomes ever more saturated with equipment promising new ways to transform your body. The infomercials and advertisements for these products can be enticing, however many of these products are expensive and target only one muscle group.
Those which pledge total-body workouts tend to be bulky and complicated, requiring arduous set-up and presenting storage issues. Trying to decide on the right combination of equipment for your personal fitness goals can be exhausting in itself. When it comes to fitness, it can be easy to forget that sometimes the best answer is also the simplest.
Enter the Power Tower.
The Power Tower is a versatile piece of equipment which offers a complete and well-rounded workout without an intricate mess of cables or plates. Comprised of a pullup bar, dip station, and pushup bars conveniently attached to one frame, Power Towers are an essential apparatus that can be found in nearly every commercial gym but are also ideal options for those who wish to workout in the comfort of their own homes.
Weider Power Tower
Gold Gym XR 10.9 Power Tower
Bowflex BodyTower
XMark Fitness XM-4434 Power Tower
Stamina 1690 Power TowerPower Tower Reviews
Stamina 1690 Power Tower
Overview: The Stamina 1690 Power Tower is the one of the most basic examples of a Power Tower. Without any accessories or additional frills, this is a great option for those on a tight budget or those who want to keep things as simple as possible.
Dimensions: 49 inches Long x 42.5 Wide x 81 Tall
Warranty: Five-year frame/90 days’ parts
Features:
- Weight limit: 250 lbs.
- Product weight: 61 lbs.
- Foam hand grips
Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Quick assembly
- Uncomplicated design
Cons:
- The tools that come with the product are reportedly subpar; assembly may require the use of your own tools
- Pushup/dip bars are set wide, possibly making this model less suitable for smaller people
- With use, this model may begin to squeak
Bowflex Body Tower
Overview: The Bowflex Body Tower is probably the most diverse Power Tower on the market. It comes with several accessories and the dip station bars are adjustable, providing even more exercises as well as the ability to tailor each move to your needs.
Dimensions: 50L x 50W x 77T
Warranty: 6-week Buy Back Guarantee/Warranty covers all defects in material or workmanship but does not cover commercial use or misuse by the consumer
Features:
- Weight limit: 300 lbs.
- Product weight: 120 lbs.
- Padded back rest
· Foam-padded nylon sling straps and hand grips with carabiners and D-ring hardware
· Adjustable horizontal bars with foam padding
Pros:
- Product comes with a placard detailed exercises which can be attached to the Power Tower, as well as a workout guide featuring ten additional exercises
- Adjustable bars and accessories provide unparalleled exercise modification capabilities
- Wide base offers increased stability
Cons:
- Due to the height of this Power Tower, taller users may have to modify pullups
- No neutral grips for leg/knee raises
- No foot steps or pushup bars, although the adjustable horizontal bar may account for this
Gold's Gym XR 10.9 Power Tower
Overview: The Gold’s Gym XR 10.9 Power Tower comes from a trusted name in the fitness industry. The design is perhaps more visually appealing than some of the other Power Towers and the price is very reasonable in comparison so similar models.
Dimensions: 57L x 41W x 84H
Warranty: 90 days’ workmanship and materials
Features:
- Weight limit: 250 lbs.
- Product weight: 99 lbs.
- Pullup bar and dip station on opposite sides of frame
- Foam grip pullup bar and dip handles
- Padded back rest
Pros:
- Double-sided frame eliminates potential problems for taller users
- Back rest provides form support during leg raises/knee lifts
Cons:
- Narrow base may increase instability
- Double-sided frame may present an issue if you have limited storage space
Weider Power Tower
Overview: The Weider Power Tower is a beginner-friendly high-end Power Tower that allows you to focus on your form while you increase your strength.
Dimensions: 57L x 41W x 84H
Warranty: Lifetime frame warranty, one-year parts warranty
Features:
- Weight limit: 600 lbs.
- Product weight: 112 lbs.
- Parallel grip for narrow-grip parallel pullups
Pros:
- Weight assist attachment allows for you to focus on form and perform many more reps
- Extremely stable base
- Parallel grip allows for yet another way to target your muscles
Cons:
- Assembly is more complicated than simpler models
- Large frame
XMark Power Tower with Dip Station
Overview: The XMark Power Tower with Dip Station is a standard, high quality Power Tower that strikes a balance between simplicity and comfort.
Dimensions: 54.5in x 48in x 86in
Warranty: Lifetime frame warranty, one-year parts warranty
Features:
· Product weight: 84 lbs.
· Pullup bar and dip station on opposite sides of frame
· Padded back rest and arm rests
Pros:
· Easy assembly
· Excellent warranty
· Back rest offers form support during leg/knee raises
Cons:
· Narrow base may increase wobbling
· Higher price than similar models
What muscle groups can you target with a Power Tower?
Power Towers provide everything you need to successfully target your entire upper body and core. With a Power Tower, you can implement a variety of exercises aimed at developing your chest, triceps, biceps, back, shoulders, upper abs, lower abs, and obliques. The exercises available with the Power Tower all require the manipulation of your own body-weight and are compound movements, which recruit more muscles and joints than isolation exercises. That means you get more bang for your buck!
What exercises can you do with a Power Tower?
A standard Power Tower offers the ability to perform a vast variety of exercises as well as the option of modifying these exercises to either make them easier or to increase the difficulty. Power Towers are typically comprised of three sections: a pull-up bar at the top of the frame, a dip station in the middle, and pushup bars at the bottom. You may think that this only allows for those three exercises, however there are many variations of these exercises as well as others that you can perform to ensure you are getting a complete workout. You can see one of our workout programs for the power tower here.
- Wide-grip pullup
- Narrow-grip pullup
- Side-to-side pullup
- Parallel-grip pullup
- Chin-up
- Dip
- Pushup
- Leg raise
- Knee raise
- Oblique leg/knee raise
- Windshield wiper
- Sit-up
As I mentioned before, all of these exercises can be modified to accommodate your specific goals and limitations. Some Power Towers also come with accessories such as arm slings or adjustable bars to facilitate ever more exercises and modifications.
Pre-Purchase Considerations
If you elect to buy a Power Tower of your own, there are several important elements you will need to take into account before you make a decision on the best fit for you.
Dimensions
Power Towers come in a variety of sizes and designs. Some Power Towers can be placed against a wall, as the pullup bar and dip station are on the same side, while others are on opposite sides of the frame.
The size of Power Tower frames fluctuates. You should compare the measurements of the space you plan to keep your Power Tower with the dimensions of whichever model you choose.
Furthermore, your own height may play a role in your decision. Some Power Towers may not be suitable for people of certain heights, as the bars of the dip station may be set too close together for taller people or too far apart for those of shorter stature. Taller people should also have to be wary of the distance between the pullup bar and dip station, so they can avoid hitting their head while doing dips.
Warranty
When procuring any big-ticket items, you will want to guarantee that your investment is protected. Most Power Towers come with a manufacturer’s warranty to certify the quality of the product. In addition, if you purchase from a source other than the manufacturer, the retailer may offer added coverage. These warranties vary in length and what they will cover, so make sure that you familiarize yourself with the details of the warranty before you spend your hard-earned money!
Price
The cost of Power Towers ranges from just under $100 to over $800. As with everything, you get what you pay for. The more expensive models of Power Towers come equipped with various accessories and may be more reliable, whereas the lower-priced models offer a more simplistic design and may be less durable.
Stable Base
If you decide to purchase a Power Tower, it is absolutely vital that it will be able to support you! Each model of Power Tower has its own weight limit—most are around 250lbs. While the likelihood of a Power Tower frame breaking is low, as they are usually made of steel, it may be helpful to read customer reviews to determine if the model you choose holds steady during exercise. Additionally, there are ways to stabilize the base post-purchase, such as placing a sandbag or weighted plates on the feet of the frame to keep it from shaking while you work out.
Modifications and Accessories
As we discussed previously, each model of Power Tower varies in design and some come with add-on accessories to modify exercises. The most basic Power Tower will essentially consist of only the frame: pullup bar, dip station, and pushup bars. Some additional features you may find on Power Towers include:
- Padded back rest for dips/leg raises
- Padded arm rests on dip station
- Foam grips
- Arm slings
- Hand grips
- Adjustable bars to modify difficulty/accommodate different heights
- Counter-resistance knee-pad platform to allow for assisted pullups/dips
Conclusion
You would be hard-pressed to find a more versatile and easy-to-understand piece of exercise equipment than the Power Tower. Power Towers take the guesswork out of building a well-rounded fitness routine and would be an excellent addition to any home gym.