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Parallel Bar Exercises For Fitness

By: Jennifer Potts

Break Studios Contributing Writer

Parallel bar exercises for fitness can help get your upper body in shape. When you complete parallel bar exercises, you will be building several muscle groups in your upper body at one time. These muscle groups include your pectorals, triceps, biceps and traps, to name a few. You will also be building up the muscles in your core.

  1.  Get regulation sized parallel bars. When you exercises using parallel bars, you should be using the appropriate size. These bars should be about 195 centimeters high and 350 centimeters long. You should adjust the height of the parallel bars to correspond with your own height.
  2. Start with parallel bar dips. Parallel bar dips are a simple exercise that can help you get used to the parallel bars while building your upper body strength. To do a dip, hold onto the parallel bars with each hand and dip your body by bending both elbows at once. Be sure to pick up your legs so they’re not touching the ground as you dip.
  3. Get lower. When you first start your parallel bar dips, you will most likely not be able to get as low you can physically go. Once you build up some upper body strength, you should be able to get even lower so that your chin is almost even with the top of the parallel bars.
  4. Learn some simple parallel bar drills. Completing actual drills will help you get the most of your parallel bar exercises for fitness. For example, the basket swing drill involves gripping the parallel bars on each side and rotating your body so that your legs are pointed upward. Then, swing your body down beneath the parallel bars. Before starting actual drills, be sure you have the upper body strength to support yourself.

Tips:

  • Get help from professionals. To learn more parallel bar drills, consult with gymnasts and coaches. You may even be able to take a class at your local health center.
  • The more drills you learn, the better your exercise routine will become.
Posted on: Feb. 26, 2011