Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar

8.5
8.5 score
[Editors rating (8.5)] = (Garage Gym Ideas - Ultimate Home Gym Design) score (8.5)/10


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Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar Review Facts

My new year’s resolution this time last year was to do more exercise. In planning how to do it, I realized that my biggest barrier was the hassle of traveling to and from the gym. That’s when I made the decision to set up a home gym. Sourcing the gear to fill out my basement was going great until I began thinking about my back training. I knew I had to have a decent piece of gear to get my pull-ups done. I also knew that the marketplace is filled with dubious contraptions that could be potentially fatal. Thank goodness I stumbled upon a company called Iron Gym. The very name gave me confidence. Iron Gym sounds like heavy-duty, right? Well, that’s all I needed to make my decision. Turns out it was one smart investment.

Check out our Iron Gym Total Body Workout Bar review to the get low down on whether the Iron Gym deserves to be hanging in your home gym.

Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros

Multi grip options, including neutral grip for hammer pull ups all you to work your back from a range of angles.
Extra wide grip on extreme version allows you to work your lats wider than normal.
Solid construction and rigid lock in design gives you peace of mind that you will be totally secure when you perform the movement.
Hand grips at all gripping positions allows you to maintain a firm grip even when you are sweating.
Ab straps included to allow you to perform a raft of core exercises safely and securely.

Cons

Requires a rather thick door frame lip (three inches)
Dipping bar is too low

Overview

The Iron Gym Total Body Workout bar comes in a regular and as an extreme pull up bar. Both units come completely disassembled. The assembly instructions are clear and both units can be put together in less than 15 minutes. The standard version of the bar features three grip positions; standard, neutral and wide. Parallel grips allow for hammer pull ups, which are one of the most effective ways of doing the movement.

The extreme pull up bar features an extra wide grip that allows you to take your arms beyond the width of the door frame. Both versions make use of the counterweight of your body to securely lock the bar in place. They also both feature a clip that locks that cross plate in place above the door frame. The metal framework of both units is heavy duty and robust.

Both bars will work on doors with widths between 24 and 32 inches. The bar is not adjustable on either version of the Pull Up Bar. The lip of the door frame needs to be completely flat and about three inches thick. Both versions of the Iron Gym include ab straps to allow you to work your core. You can use the detached curved bar for deeper push ups and for dips. However, you won’t really get enough movement out of the dip range of motion to have an effect.

The Key Benefits

Stability – You’ll be relying on a small piece of metal to support your body weight for multiple reps, so you need to have confidence that it’s not going to let you down. The bar should feel rock solid to the pull, with no sway or wobble.

Maximum Weight – You need the bar to support your body weight now and you and some extra plates when you get stronger. The doorway pull up bar standard max weight is 300 pounds.

Attachment Method – Most doorway pull up bars feature an over the door frame hanging support system. You need to know the minimum width door trim required. If it’s more than an inch, you’ll be limiting your doorway options.

Door Trim Disturbance – The last thing you want is a damaged doorway, especially if you are renting your property (that’s a recipe for losing your deposit!). Check reviews to see how much, if any, scratching or indentations users have had to put up with.

Multi grip options – Look for a bar that offers options beyond a straight bar handle. Curved ends along with extra parallel bars for a neutral grip will take your back training to a whole new level.

Extra Features – Some bars allow you to do extra exercises when the unit is dismantled from the bar. Push-ups, dips, and crunches along with a bunch of core exercises will extend the uses of your investment.

Extreme Version

The major difference between the Iron Gym and the Iron Gym Extreme is that the latter version of the bar comes with an extended wip grip handle set-up that allows you to do pull ups beyond the outer width of the doorway. The cost difference is normally about $10. That extra ten bucks will give you the opportunity to work your back a lot more intensely.

Conclusion

The Iron Gym Pull Up Bar is an extremely impressive unit for the serious home athlete. It offers an attractive range of pull up options to put it on par with more pricey alternatives. The extra wide grip of the extreme version is certainly worth the extra ten dollar investment.

Just make sure that your doorway framing is able to support this unit before your throw down your hard earned cash. If it is, you will get many years of service out of the Iron Pull Up Bar. Don’t forget to check this out for the review of best doorway pull up bar.