A push-up bar is a versatile fitness tool that enables you to engage many muscle groups at the same time. Using a push-up bar can strengthen your muscles and alleviate pressure on your wrists during exercises, and you will not need to leave the house to get a workout. While it may seem as though the push-up bar serves only one purpose, you can use it to perform several different exercises.
Push-Ups
The most common exercise performed on a push-up bar, push-ups strengthen your chest, shoulders, back and triceps muscles. Place your hands on the bar about shoulder-width apart, keep your toes in contact with the ground, keep your entire body in a straight line, lower your body as far as you can, press back up and repeat.
Several variations of the basic push-up challenge your upper body more. Place your feet on an elevated surface, such as an aerobic step or bench, and perform decline push-ups. Try placing your feet on a resistance ball during the decline push-up to engage your stomach muscles.
A "T" push-up tones your upper body, abdominal muscles and legs. Complete a standard push-up, lift one arm off the floor, reach for the ceiling, create a "T" shape with your arms and body, lower your arm back down to the ground and repeat on the opposite side after your next push-up.
Triceps Dips
The triceps dip exercise targets your triceps, which are located on the back of your upper arm. Sit on the floor with your back facing the push-up bar, grab the handles and straighten your legs out in front of your body. Straighten your arms to lift your bottom off of the floor, slowly lower your body towards the ground, stop just before you touch the ground, press your body back upward and repeat for 10 to 12 repetitions.
Pike Shoulder Press
The pike shoulder press strengthens your shoulder and upper back muscles. Stand facing the push-up bars with your feet shoulder-width apart, keep your legs straight, bend at the waist and place your hands on the push-up bar, raise up onto your toes and make sure your body resembles the letter "V." Slowly bend your arms to lower your upper body towards the bar, stop before your head comes into contact with the bar and press back upward. Repeat until your muscle fatigue.
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