The Calisthenics Series Part 1: Parallel Bars

25th June 2025

Ideal for developing strength, mobility and functional fitness, our Parallel bars can be used an enjoyed by everyone from complete beginners to exercise, to seasoned outdoor gym goers.

With over 50 different exercise options to choose from, your only limit is your imagination and determination to try them all.

Parallel bars are accessibility friendly too as wheelchair users can use the bars with the wheelchair stationed beneath them, offering truly inclusive training options.

Body Benefits

Parallel bars offer a full upper body workout with a range options to provide different movements that target different muscles:

• Dips to strengthen the chest, triceps, and shoulders,
• Static holds like L sits or V sits to heavily engage the core, and 
• Dynamic moves such as leg raises to help improve hip flexibility. 

Grip and forearm strength are also improved during every session. 

Getting to Grips with the Parallel Bars 

Parallel bars are highly effective for building strength, but they also demand significant physical effort. For beginners, we advise starting slowly—begin with just one or two repetitions and gradually increase as your strength improves over time. Always exercise within your current capabilities, and be sure to consult your general practitioner or healthcare professional before starting any new exercise program.

50 Ways to Use our Parallel Bars

Upper Body 

1. Dips – Lower your body by bending your elbows, then press back up.
2. Straight bar dips – Perform dips with both hands on a single bar behind your back.
3. Archer dips – Lower with most weight on one side while the other arm stays extended.
4. Assisted dips – Use feet or a resistance band to reduce bodyweight as you dip.
5. L-sit dips – Hold an L-sit and perform controlled dips without dropping your legs.
6. Planche dips – Lean forward into a planche and perform dips while holding balance.
7. Pseudo planche push ups – Lean shoulders forward over hands and do push ups.
8. Planche lean – Lean forward in support position until your shoulders pass your hands.
9. Tuck planche – Hold yourself off the bars with bent knees and arms locked out.
10. Straddle planche – Hold your body horizontal with legs apart and arms straight.
11. Full planche – Hold a horizontal body position with straight legs and locked arms.

Core

1. L-sit – Support yourself with locked arms while holding legs out straight at 90 degrees.
2. V-sit – Lift your legs higher than an L-sit and point toes upward.
3. Tuck sit – Sit position with knees pulled to chest and feet off the bars.
4. Leg raises – Lift legs straight up to 90 degrees or higher while holding yourself up.
5. Toes to bar – Raise straight legs until toes touch the bars.
6. Windshield wipers – Raise legs then twist side to side in a controlled motion.
7. L-sit to tuck planche – Transition from L-sit into a tucked planche position.
8. L-sit scissors – Alternate legs up and down while maintaining an L-sit.
9. Support holds – Hold your body upright above the bars with arms fully extended.

Dynamic Skills

1. Swing throughs – Swing your legs forward and back through the bars while holding on.
2. Russian dips – Dip down below the bars with forearms resting, then push back up.
3. Bar transfers – Shift your body weight from one bar to the other while supported.
4. Shoulder shrugs – Keep arms straight and lift your body by engaging your shoulders.
5. L-sit to handstand – Kick or press from an L-sit into a handstand above the bars.
6. Tuck planche to handstand – Lift from a tucked planche up into a vertical handstand.
7. Swing to handstand – Use momentum from a swing to transition into a handstand.

Push Ups & Leverages

1. Incline push ups – Perform push ups with hands elevated on the bars.
2. Decline push ups – Place feet on bars and hands on the ground for decline push ups.
3. Archer push ups – Push up with most of your weight on one arm as the other extends.
4. Wide grip push ups – Do push ups with hands wide apart to target the chest more.
5. Pseudo planche push ups – Lean shoulders forward and perform push ups slowly.
6. Explosive push ups – Push up with force so hands briefly leave the bars.
7. Clap push ups – Push off the bars and clap mid-air before landing back on the bars.

Leg & Balance Work

1. Assisted pistol squats – Hold the bars while doing single-leg squats for balance.
2. Balance holds on bars – Stand or kneel on the bars and maintain balance.
3. Step overs – Step laterally over one bar to the other, alternating sides.

Isometric & Static Holds

1. Support hold – Hold yourself at the top of a dip with arms locked.
2. Elbow lever – Balance on your elbows with your torso and legs hovering horizontally.
3. Handstand (tuck/straight/straddle) – Balance vertically upside down on the bars.
4. Bent arm planche – Hold your body horizontally with bent elbows supporting you.
5. Manna progression – Pull legs back and up past the torso while supporting yourself.

Mobility & Rehab

1. Scapula retractions – Pull shoulder blades together without bending your arms.
2. Controlled negative dips – Lower yourself slowly and under control from a dip position.
3. Joint rotations – Use the bars to gently rotate shoulders or wrists for mobility.
4. Shoulder mobility drills – Use bars to stretch and open up shoulders through active range.
5. Hanging decompression – Hang from bars to stretch and decompress the spine.

Advanced Skills

1. Handstand push ups – Lower and press back up while holding a handstand on bars.
2. Press to handstand – Lift from an L-sit or straddle up into a controlled handstand.
3. Hefesto – Pull up behind your back into an inverted straight-arm position.

Does Using the Parallel Bars Burn Calories?

Absolutely! 

When you use the Parallel Bars you activate multiple muscle groups simultaneously which is classed as a compound exercise. 

Compound exercises generally burn more calories than exercising isolated muscles. 

An exercise plan incorporating dips, push ups and core holds can burn up to 300 calories per hour depending on the intensity of your workout. 

These exercises also activate ‘post workout calorie burn’ due to their full body demand and, of course, they can be excellent for building muscle mass.

Need Funding?

Thinking of adding an outdoor gym to your green space or local park and overwhelmed by where to start with funding?

Check out our dedicated funding page. You may be eligible for grants or matched funding and our Free Funding Guide shares every opportunity by region, to help zoom in on your best choices. 

In many cases you will be able to secure part funding or even full funding to get your outdoor gym project launched. 

Make an Enquiry

If you would like to discuss the benefits of installing an outdoor gym in your public park or green space, our experienced team would be delighted to take your call on 01483 608 860. 

Alternatively, you can complete our online enquiry form.

About Us

Fresh Air Fitness has been designing, manufacturing, and installing outdoor gym equipment since 2007. All equipment is tested to ISO 9001 and certified to EN1176 and EN16630 standards.

The Parallel Bars, like all of our products, come with a full structural warranty of up to 25 years. 

We offer a complete project management service from our first phonecall and meeting on our site visit all the way to helping you choose the right products for your needs and then getting a convenient installation day booked in. Our After-Care service ensures upgrades, fast parts and spares, as and when required.

Find Out Who Uses Our Equipment

Explore our Case Studies to see how councils, schools, SEND schools and departments and the NHS, are all tapping into the many benefits associated with outdoor fitness when you use an outdoor gym.