The P90X Power Stands and the Perfect Pushup are pushup bars that elevate your hands off the floor and allow you to maintain a neutral wrist position during the pushup exercise. They have a similar design and function, but different features. The Perfect Pushup has a rotating base, while the Power Stand sits stationary.
Product Line
As of 2011, Beach Body, the maker of P90X and the Power Stand, has only one model of the Power Stand on the market, and recently released a redesigned version of the Power Stand that replaces the older version. The new Power Stand is plastic instead of metal and the handles are shorter.
The Perfect Pushup has an original version, a newer V2 version and a mobile version. As of 2011, all versions are available on the company's official website.
Features
The Power Stand and the Perfect Pushup devices are made of plastic and sell in sets of two. A circular base supports a foam covered handle. The handle of the Power Stand is angled -- one side is slightly lower than the other side. The Perfect Pushup handles rotate. As you press up, you can rotate your grip, similar to when you throw a punch. You have to decide for yourself if you find one design more comfortable than the other.
Specifications
The Power Stand handles are 7 inches high, while the Perfect Pushup handles are 4.5 inches high. The Power Stand has an 11-inch diameter base and the Perfect Pushup has an 8-inch diameter base. Because of the larger base, you might find the Power Stand to be sturdier and more stable than the Perfect Pushup. The most recent version of the Perfect Pushup, the V2, supports up to 400 lbs. The Power Stand handles support users up to 325 lbs.
Effectiveness
Both devices increase the range of motion for the pushup exercise. Because your hands are elevated off the floor, you can drop down lower. The American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit fitness organization, tested the Perfect Pushup for its effectivenss. Performing wide and standard grip pushups on the Perfect Pushup, activated the chest, triceps and shoulder muscles more than doing pushups on the floor. The researchers concluded that this increased muscle activation is due to the greater range of motion from the elevated handles, which means this benefit would transfer to the Power Stand. ACE warns that the rotating handles on the Perfect Pushup are more challenging to use and require more shoulder strength than stationary handles.
Member Comments