The Power Tower is the bodyweight training equivalent of the Power Rack. A Power Rack forms the foundation of a serious weight lifter’s training experience. For those who rely on the body they were born with to get their workout, the Power Tower performs the same function.
Finding the best Power Tower to suit your needs can make the difference between training success and failure. The right unit will allow you take your bodyweight training above and beyond what you can do with just your arms and legs.
Summary: The Best Power Towers
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What is a Power Tower?
A Power Tower is a piece of training equipment that allows you to perform bodyweight exercises that require you to be suspended from the ground or gripping a support. They come in a number of variants, but they all feature a chin-up / pull-up bar.
The majority of Power Towers will also have a dip station at around the halfway point of the uprights. A padded back support will usually also allow for hanging knee raises, along with padded forearm rests.
Towers that are a step up from the most basic model will feature variety in the chin-up bar gripping options. They may have a bar with angled ends or even a pair of forward facing horizontal bars to allow you to do close grips palms facing each other pull-ups.
The most advanced Power Towers come complete with pulley resistance for exercises such as triceps push-downs. The dip and chin-up stations may also come with weighted resistance.
What to Look For in a Power Tower?
Before starting to search for a power tower, you should clarify to yourself what functions you need out of your ideal tower. Are you just after a unit that you can do chin-ups and dips on? You should also know what your space requirements are and whether you will be needing an assisted workout feature in the equipment.
Construction: Your Power Tower will be suspending you in thin air, so it’s important that it be rigidly put together. You should look for 2-inch square steel tubing uprights. A tower that is made of as few separate parts as possible will also be sturdier.
Comfort: The Pull Up Bar should feature a range of hand grips in various positions. This will secure your grip and prevent sweat from making you slip.
You should look for thick padding on the hand rests. This is especially important when you are performing moves like hanging knee raises where your elbows are resting on the handle pads.
A thick comfortable back pad will allow you to keep your spine supported and in a neutral position when doing forward facing hanging abdominal work.
Counter Weight: A good Power Tower will be well counter weighted. This will ensure that the unit doesn’t tip forward when you are doing moves like weighted dips and pull-ups. There may also be times when you want to do band exercises on the tower. Having a weight stand on the back of the tower will allow you to easily counterbalance the unit.
Weight Capacity: Be aware of the maximum weight capacity of the Tower you are considering. In addition to handling your own body weight, the unit should be able to take any extra plates that you might strap to yourself when doing pull-ups and dips.
Power Tower Reviews
Our Rating
Weider has a reputation for excellence in the fitness industry and the Power Tower lives up to that reputation. It is a well-built, solid machine that does all the basics well and comes in at a good price.
Design
The Weider Power Tower features a pull-up bar with angled padded handles. The dip station includes horizontal handles that allow you to get a full range of motion. A push-up station with padded grips allows you to perform push-ups with a fuller stretch than just using the floor. The vertical knee raise station also features padded hand and arms rests along with a thick back support.
Value for money
The Weider Power Tower can be purchased for under $140.
This price represents excellent value for money, making the Weider Power Tower one of the most complete, affordable towers we came across.
Build quality
The Weider Power Tower is solidly constructed from tubular steel. All parts fit together easily and the finished unit is robust and reliable. The sewn vinyl cushions are made from thick, comfortable material and are built to last.
The Weider Power Tower has a weight limit of 300 pounds. This could be a problem if people are wanting to do exercises such as dips and pull-ups with extra weight attached.
Pros
- Push-up station with padded grips
- Solid construction
- Easy to assemble
- Well padded
Cons
- Has a large footprint (57” x 41” x 84”)
- Weight limit of 300 pounds
Our Rating
The X-Mark Power Tower features a very sturdy main frame and bolts together securely. It features all the basics along with extras such as a sit-up bar. Pull-up clearance height may be a problem for tall people, however.
Design
The X-Mark Power Tower is an extremely robust unit that features all the exercise options you’d expect in a Power Tower – pull-ups, dips, knee raises, push-ups – and adds in a sit-up bar. It features both a narrow and wide grip pull-up bar. The angled leg bracing provides a superior level of support.
Value for money
The X-Mark Power Tower can be purchased for around $210. This puts it in the mid-range price bracket, a little higher than similar units such as the Weider Power Tower (which doesn’t have a sit-up bar).
Build quality
The X-Mark Power Tower main frame is built from 14-gauge steel. All pads make use of extra thick high-density cushioning. Double-stitched tear-resistant Duraguard vinyl ensures that pads won’t break apart.
The unit is finished in a scratch-resistant powder coat.
Pros
- Sturdy 14-gauge steel mainframe
- Includes sit-up bar
- Close and wide grip pull-up options
Cons
- The height of the pull-up bar may not provide enough clearance for people over 6’2”
Our Rating
The Stamina Power Tower is the most economical tower we came across. It’s a no-frills unit that will give you all the basics at a great price.
Design
The Stamina Power Tower features a simple, minimalistic design that makes it both affordable and functional. The unit takes up less space than most power towers. It doesn’t have a knee raise option, but does offer pull-ups, dips, sit-ups, and push-ups.
Value for money
The Stamina Power Tower is available for around $90. This represents extremely good value for a basic power tower that is strong and reliable.
Build quality
The Stamina Power Tower has a tough steel frame to provide good support when you are hanging from it. Nonslip end caps are provided and the tower is nicely counterbalanced to ensure that it won’t tip over. The unit is lightweight at just 54 pounds and is also compact.
Pros
- Very good value
- Strong frame
- Sit-up bar
- Compact design
Cons
- No knee raise option
- No back support
Our Rating
The Bowflex BodyTower is a heavy-duty tower for the serious user. It offers a lot of exercise variety, looks very stylish and comes with extras that you don’t see with other towers (sling straps and a workout placard for example).
If your budget allows, this is a smart training investment.
Design
The Bowflex BodyTower is a very solid stable tower that will not rock or wobble when in use. The Bowflex Tower is designed to support eight basic movements, including squats, leg raises, and dips. It also comes with EZ-adjust horizontal bars that allow you to add a whole new dimension to your workout.
The Bowflex BodyTower comes with sling straps to allow you to be supported by your elbows for ab work. Many users find this more comfortable than resting the forearms on the horizontal bars.
The arms of the tower can be easily adjusted for maximum comfort. There is a handy workout placard on the back of the Tower.
Value for money
The Bowflex BodyTower can be purchased for around $250. This makes it the most expensive power tower the we reviewed. However, it is also the most versatile, offering up to twenty exercise options.
Build quality
The Bowflex BodyTower is a very sturdy, robust unit. The main frame is constructed of commercial-grade steel. It has a 300-pound maximum user weight. The unit measures 50” x 77” x 50”. The total weight of the unit is 120 pounds.
Pros
- Very solid construction
- Adjustable height arms
- Sling straps for ab work
- Squat option
- 20 exercise options
Cons
- Expensive
- No arm pads for elbow rest
Our Rating
The Body Champ Power Tower is a functional, solid basic tower that will allow you to do the main tower exercises. It is well priced and well made.
Design
The Body Champ Power Tower has a minimalistic design. It features 4 stations that cover the basic tower exercises – pull-ups, dips, knee raises, and push-ups. Foam pads and grips provide comfort and prevent undue joint stress.
The mid-line handles can be folded down for clear and free chin up exercises. The handles of the pull-up bar are anatomically angled to reduce shoulder stress when doing pull ups.
Value for money
The Body Champ Power Tower is available for around $110. This puts it at the lower end of the towers we have reviewed, though still not as affordable as the Stamina Power Tower. However, the Body Champ Power Tower provides a back support and elbow brace for ab work, which the Stamina Power Tower does not.
Build quality
The heavy-duty steel frame of the Body Champ provides for a sturdy, reliable workout. Padding is covered in marbled faux-leather with accented stitching.
The unit fits together easily and the bolts hold the individual components in place securely.
Pros
- Minimalistic and functional
- Back support and elbow brace
- Anatomically angled pull-up bar handles
Cons
- Limited exercise options
Conclusion
A Power Tower will allow you to extend your bodyweight workout options to include such bodyweight heavy hitters as pull-ups, dips, and hanging raises. You’ll also have a sturdy platform from which to attach bands or a suspension trainer.
Make your Power Tower choice on the basis of our top 5 selections, and you’ll be able to buy with confidence.
Do you own one of these Power Towers? Or is there another brand that you think should be in our Top 5? We’d love to hear your opinion. Share your thoughts in the comments section below.