Alexandra Ramirez
1. CITYBIRDS
Best Overall Power Tower
5/5 Product Rating
- Push up station that works the chest and triceps muscles
- Multi-grip pull up station that works the back and arm muscles
- Dip station that works the chest and triceps
- Vertical knee raise station that tones your midsection and helps users lose those stubborn inches around their waist.
The CITYBIRDS Power Tower is made of durable steel tubing that is strong and long lasting. You will have this piece of equipment for years to come with proper use and adherence to the weight restrictions. Once assembled the Power Tower measures 57” L x 41” w x 84” H. There is some assembly required but it is not terribly difficult and can be out together in a couple of hours at the most.
The padded hand grips on the different stations prevent blisters from forming on your hands and the padded arm rests provide comfort while you engage in challenging exercises that will improve the shape of your body. The cushions are durable, made from comfortable material and are made of sewn vinyl so they are easy to keep clean and sanitary as well. There is a manufacturer’s warranty included with this purchase.
– Jonathan Maxwell
2. BangTong & Li
Best Overall Power Tower – Runner Up
4.6/5 Product Rating
This power tower from BangTong & Li provides fitness lovers with a multitude of exercises that they can perform on its durable, 14 gauge steel frame with a powder coated finish that is scratch resistant.
The skid resistant rubber feet protect the flooring from getting scratched up and prevent the structure from sliding during use.
There are many different exercises you will be able to do with this versatile piece of equipment. The different stations on the Power Tower include:
- Dip station with ergonomic twin dip handles spaced 21.5” apart
- Pull up/chin up bar with narrow and wide grip
- Raised push up handles
- Covered grip posts fort vertical knee raises
The cushions are extra thick, 2” hi density cushions that are durable and stand up to heavy use. They are made from tear resistant Duraguard Vinyl that has been double stitched. All the handles on the BangTong & Li Power Tower are covered in non-slip rubber to protect your hands. If you’re looking for the perfect addition to your home gym, look no further. The exercises this power tower enables you to perform will take your workouts to the next level.
– Jonathan Maxwell
3. Body Max
Best Budget Power Tower
4.5/5 Product Rating
This is the perfect piece of equipment for your home gym or even a small commercial facility. There are several different “stations” including:
- Chin up/Pull up station with inside and wide grip hand positions
- VKR station for vertical ab knee raises
- Dip station for upper body strengthening
This Power Tower has a non-slip foot grip can double as a push up bar and traction ready grips. The height is adjustable and the padded arm cushions protect both your arms and back during your workouts.
The heavy duty steel frame is durable and will last years with proper use. Assembled, this power tower measures 57.5”L x 42.5” W x 84.63” L.
With this power tower in your home gym you will be able to perform those exercises that really work the upper body and abs in a way workout machines cannot.
The base offers stability and support and can be set up almost anywhere.
– Jonathan Maxwell
Power Tower Buying Guide
What is a Power Tower?
A Power tower is a piece of workout equipment that is designed to be used for a multitude of exercises that develop the upper body and mid section. They are usually made from durable, heavy duty steel tubing with different “stations” that the exerciser can use to perform specific exercises including
- Chin ups
- Pull ups
- Push ups
- Vertical knee lifts
- Vertical leg raises
- Dips
They are a great choice for someone that doesn’t have a lot of space for several different pieces of equipment because it is all inclusive and has all those stations in one unit. If you’re looking for a way to really give your arms and upper body and abs a n intense workout, this is the piece of equipment to consider.
Types of Power Towers
If you love doing body weight exercises such as dips and pull ups, you will love a power tower. There are a few different kinds of power towers on the market today. They are much smaller and less expensive than a power rack. With so many different choices, you may be wondering how to tell one from another. We’ll help clear that up for you.
- Glorified Pull Up Tower – This is probably the simplest of the power towers. They are typically very skinny power towers that give you a full width and full height pull up and chin up bar. Sometimes they might have a couple of dip handles half way down. They are extremely simple in design and usually very inexpensive. If all you are looking for is a way to do pull ups and chin ups, this is definitely a good choice.
- Advanced Power Tower – These intermediate power towers have a lot of additional features from the pull up tower but aren’t quite as fancy as the deluxe power towers are. Advanced power towers will typically have dip station, pull up/chin up bar and will also sometimes have a vertical knee raise area to do leg raises and knee lifts.
- Deluxe Power Towers – These fully loaded pieces of equipment come with many bells and whistles that you will love having access to. These additional things may include all of the features that are present on the advanced power towers plus weighted and resistance dip and pull up stations, tricep pulldown machines, and sometimes even motorized or assisted stations. They are the top tier of power towers and can be really expensive.
Common Power Tower Stations
There are typically several stations that power tower offers for different exercises. We have outlined these stations below and the body parts that station usually targets.
- Push Up Station – This station is for doing pushups. Pushups are bodyweight exercises that are frequently performed to build up and define the chest, shoulders, triceps and parts of the back. Most power towers have fixed push up bars but there are some models that offer push up bars that you can increase or decrease the level of the bars. That also raises and decreases the level of resistance as well so you can continue to challenge your muscles. Using the push up station on a power tower allows the body to go deeper during the pushup movement which works the chest muscles on a deeper level than doing them on the floor does. If you need the exercise to be more challenging use a weighted vest or put a chair under your feet.
- Pull Up Station – This is the most used and most popular of the stations and a lot of exercises can be performed with the pull up station. It is mainly used to perform chin ups and pull ups. There are many different variations of chin ups and pull ups that can be done. These exercises work the back, biceps, forearms and shoulders. Pull ups and chin ups will also develop and improve the strength of your grip as well. Another use for the chin up/pull up station is performing abdominal exercises. Things like leg and vertical knee raises are the most common and effective exercises performed for the midsection. You can also do twists that will work the sides of your body. Sometimes the abdominal exercises will be very difficult to accomplish but the results are outstanding.
- Dip Station – The dip station is where you can perform exercises that work the triceps, shoulders and chest. There are several variations of dips and it is a very challenging exercise if your upper body strength is not very developed but if you keep at it, you will see an increase in strength and definition as well. Depending on the power tower, it may have padded grips for extra comfort and can double as a vertical knee raise area as well. The movements are the same as the ones you do from the pull up bar but using the dip station your back is typically supported. This extra back support ensures the proper body alignment and is more comfortable as well.
Common Power Tower Features
Power towers have many different features that you should look for when researching the different models. If you are going to put one of these workout stations in your home gym, you should get the best one your budget allows with the most features and stations. Below are some of the more common features you will see on a good quality power tower.
- Padded Hand Grips – Padded hand grips on all the stations will protect your hands and be a lot more comfortable to use than if they are just hard plastic or metal. It’s easy to tear the skin of your hands; especially doing exercises like pull ups or chin ups. The padded grips reduce the likelihood of this occurring.
- A Variety of Stations – Power Towers can be super simple and just have a pull up bar or they can have a lot of bells and whistles and have many different stations such as the ones we mentioned above. The more stations a power tower has the better workout you can get from it.
- Heavy Duty Frame – Since you will be hanging from this piece of equipment, it is important to know that it can securely and safely hold you. Most power towers are constructed of heavy duty steel with weight capabilities of anywhere from 250-350 pounds depending on the model.
- Adjustable Height – A convenient feature to have is a power tower that has adjustable height settings. Not every person using it will be the same height so being able to adjust it to your specific height is very beneficial to a comfortable and good workout.
- Non-skid Base – You want to feel like the base of the power tower is secure and won’t slide around on the floor while you are using it. Non-skid feet will prevent this from happening and will also protect whatever flooring you have underneath the power tower.
- Manufacturer’s warranty – Always look for a power tower that has a warranty with it. Most of the time the warranties will be a couple of years long. This will protect against any structural defects and can give the user real peace of mind that the company stands behind their product.
- Durable padded areas – Make sure that the cushioned and padded areas are padded with durable tear resistant vinyl. This will also make it very easy to clean as well. The padded back rests and arm rests make the exercises more comfortable to perform.
Conclusion
You may or may not be familiar with power towers but if you’re looking for a way to really give your upper body a workout, a power tower will certainly do it. All three of the top rated power towers we reviewed are excellent examples of what a great power tower is.
This sturdy piece of equipment doesn’t take up too much room and you can perform a lot of exercises on it that will really give your abdominals, chest, arms, back and shoulders a great workout. The information that we’ve provided in this guide will help you sort through the different models available and match the right one to your preferences and fitness needs.
Armed with the right information you won’t have to feel uncertain and overwhelmed. Now you know what to look for in the way of stations, features and even warranties. Knowledge prevents buyer’s remorse and we have provided all the knowledge you need to make an informed decision on a great piece of workout equipment that you will have for a long time to come.
