Top 5 Best Power Tower Reviews
Fitness is ever evolving, and it seems like new ways to get fit are popping up everywhere - some that even make us shake our heads and wonder how that could possibly work! But the tried and true, “old-school” method of body weight exercises, also known as calisthenics, is hands-down one of the most effective ways to get in shape.
The most basic moves include pull-ups, dips, push-ups, and sit-ups; the goal is to master push and pull movements while engaging multiple muscle groups. But, it can seem daunting to get the right set-up to accommodate all of the body weight exercises you want to do to get in shape.
After all, it’s not easy to find a bar in your home that will support you doing pull-ups! But thanks to the power tower, doing body weight training at home is easier than ever.
The Benefits of Power Towers
A power tower is the ultimate answer to meeting all of your body weight training needs in a smart, efficient, and functional way. The evidence as to why calisthenics is so effective is irrefutable; there is no greater mark of physical fitness than being able to master your own body weight.
Think of all classic training regimes - from military to athletic training, lifting your body weight is a must. The power tower gives you the perfect set-up to easily practice that. It comes equipped, at minimum, with stations for all key body weight moves, so you can easily work out at home, building strength and working multiple large muscle groups in your whole body.
A huge bonus is also in the gradual improvement you get from the convenience of a power tower being at home; you can practice various lifts anytime and truly build your strength and muscular endurance. They key is definitely having a piece of equipment that allows you to practice those classic push and pull movements mentioned above.
If you’re looking to lose weight, then this is a fabulous investment for you as well. Why? Well, you burn many more calories when engaging muscle groups during body weight movements than you do when isolating single muscles, as many machines at commercial gyms are designed to do.
And don’t worry, you’ll craft beautifully toned muscles from doing calisthenics. The more calories burned, the better your chances at melting fat! And, the combined functionality of a power tower means you don’t have to spend a lot of money on separate units.
What to Look for When Choosing the Best Power Tower
There are a few key things that you need to look for and consider when choosing a power tower. Look into these as you find the right product for your needs.
- Range of exercises you can do
The overall point of getting a power tower is to practice body weight exercises, but, some options are more advanced than others. The basic calisthenics exercises are: push-ups, pull ups, chin ups, dips, and sit ups.
Any power tower should have those capabilities. But you can expand upon those buy building in a backrest for ab exercises, making various grips or moveable bars for positions, and adding in “extras” like knee straps for exercises like hanging leg raises.
- Sturdiness and durability
You will be trusting the power tower with all of your body weight, so you definitely want to make sure it can hold you up! This is especially true for those on the higher end of the weight spectrum (or if you exercise with a weight vest or extra weight!), since you will be moving with more momentum than your lighter peers.
While some of the economy models have limited weight capacities around 220 pounds, higher end models typically support up to 300-400 pounds of user weight. The power tower should be manufactured from quality materials and be solid enough for you to feel comfortable during your workout.
- Comfort
We don’t mean your workout should be comfortable as in it shouldn’t challenge your muscles - we mean look for design imperfections that impede your comfortability. This could include grips being poorly made or made from spongy-foam, bars or parts sticking out, or a poor locking mechanism for interchangeable parts.
This is especially important if getting a unit with a backrest; ensure that the foam is dense and supportive so you don’t slip doing your exercise! You may also need to consider your height if you’re a taller person, as some of the units do not consider height during design.
- Assembly
Nobody wants to deal with tedious or difficult assembly times. In order to make this process as smooth as possible, look for a power tower that has a clear, easy-to-follow instruction manual as well as an excellent packaging process. This will ensure that assembly time is as least painful as possible.
- Space required
Obviously, with any equipment, the heavier/more solid/more sturdy it is, the more likely it is to require extra space. With power towers, you also have to consider the height of the unit and ensure you not only have adequate ceiling availability for the unit, but for your head when you do pull-ups! Some of the more economic models do offer folding capabilities for those of you who want to fold it for easy storage.
Best Power Tower Reviews
Ready to meet some of the best power towers on the market? Here's your guide to the top 5 models - read on to find out about their pros and cons and find the perfect fit for you!
Stamina 1690 Power Tower
The Stamina 1690 Power Tower is an excellent budget or starter model for those who are beginning calisthenics or even those who already have a solid foundation. It comes in at a budget price tag but provides the framework to easily perform the basic body weight movements: pull-ups, chin-ups, sit-ups, dips, and push-ups.
It accommodates users who weigh up to 250 pounds, presumably due to its smaller frame that's reflected in its economic price. Note that if you are heavier than that or have a large frame, this tower may not be the best option for you. It definitely has a basic build and small footprint, as well as only weighs 54 pounds, so this option also makes sense for those who are looking to save space.
One thing to note is the inward angle and close proximity of the bars by the pull-up grips; it can make things feel pretty cramped and takes some maneuvering or changing hand positions. All in all, this is still a great option - but has some specific limitations. If you're okay with those, this is a great budget-friendly power tower for your home gym!
This XMark power tower is similar to the Stamina reviewed above, but with a few upgrades and more durability. While it still provides the basic stations for pull-ups, push-ups, and dips, it also comes with a built-in back rest for users to do knee or leg raises and other challenging ab exercises. This is great for those who want to seriously develop core strength, as doing sit ups alone is not the most effective core training.
This tower also has a higher weight capacity of 350 pounds, and most users who are heavier report that it is steady and has little wobble. From gleaning many reviews, the ones who did not love this power tower reported craftsmanship issues that happen during manufacturing and fabrication - such as holes being misaligned. This can dramatically reduce the quality of your equipment, and you’d hate to be the one to get a “lemon”- especially if you find out mid-exercise!
Another wide critique is in that the foam grips are on the spongy side and make exercises and gripping much more difficult than they would be if the foam was more dense. Other than those issues, this power tower is an upgrade to the basic model and still comes in at a great price point.
2-in-1 products are sometimes hit or miss, but this Conquer power tower with inversion table capability is widely a hit. It provides the options for basic calisthenics as mentioned above, and it allows users to strap in for an inversion experience. Inverting is especially great for those who have back issues, and what a great way to combine functionality and save space by putting these two pieces of equipment together!
Another cool, useful feature of this equipment is that it can be adjusted to different users’ individual height needs. However, the weight capacity is pretty low at 220 pounds. Another critique is that the interchangeable handles don’t lock into place, and the assembly instructions aren’t very clear.
On the plus side, it can be folded for easy storage, but when set up does take up a fair amount of space. If you are on the lighter side and have plenty of floor space, you’ll love what all this piece of equipment can do for you.
An excellent choice for moderate to advanced athletes, this Bowflex power tower offers much more functionality than any of the other power towers we’ve reviewed. It allows you to do 20 different exercises and comes with knee straps so you can do the ab-scorching hanging knee raises. And, it looks really nice when put together while not being so big and bulky that it takes up a ton of floor space.
Despite having a weight capacity of 300 pounds, it tends to rock a bit during some exercises - especially if you kip (swing) on pull ups. There are also some design components that could be improved; for example, the pull-up bar is a bit too thick to be a universal grip. Also, the spacing of the dip bar can make you bump your legs if you aren’t going perfectly straight up and down.
Taller users have also found the height of the pull-up bar to be problematic, as it’s a bit too short. But those are super technical critiques and don’t necessarily outweigh the benefits of this power tower - especially considering its versatility and at the price point at which it’s offered.
Sturdy. Solid. Lifetime warranty. This Ironman power tower is definitely the ultimate investment- it largely outprices the competitors, but if you’re looking for equipment that will hold up to heavy use and last a long time, then this is the one.
Its construction is impeccable, and it holds users that weigh up to 400 pounds. It has all the basic stations for calisthenics, as well as an ergonomically designed back rest for ab exercises. It also boasts multiple grip positioning capability, so if you’re tired of regular push-ups and want to go for incline push-ups, you easily can.
The only thing to be weary of when buying this is that thanks to it being so sturdy, it does require a fair amount of space - and doesn’t have any folding or storage capability. Once it’s up, it’s up- which can be a good thing since it gives you the reminder to get your sweat on! Overall, this is the best power tower to add to your home gym and work out on for a lifetime.
We hope you’ll be able to find an awesome power tower based on the information guide as well as the reviews! Happy training to you!