4 Ways to Shred your core using only a Pull-Up Bar
When it comes to homo gym equipment, you know you’ve hit your jackpot when you are able to find something cheap, small, easy to store or put away and that allows you to perform a big range of exercises. For all intents and purposes, the door gym is one of those pieces of equipment. It has all the qualities and purposes of a chin up/pull-up bar and more, and it does not require to be fixed to the wall, which means you can put in and and take it off anytime as desired.
While you usually think of a pull-up bar as something that targets your upper body, this equipment will do wonders to your core. With these few simple exercises you are going to be one step closer to getting the perfect, shredded 6 pack you’ve been working for.
Hanging Leg Raises
Doing hanging leg raises with straight legs puts more pressure on the discs of the spine. Therefore, if you have back issues, stick to bent knees.
HOW TO DO IT: Dead hang from the pull-up bar, with your hands about shoulder-width apart. Keep your legs together as you raise them up parallel to the floor. Pause for a count. Return your legs to hanging. Complete between eight and 12 repetitions.
Hanging Pike Raises
Take the straight leg raise up a notch by lifting your legs beyond parallel to the floor.
HOW TO DO IT: Hang from a pull-up bar and let your legs extend toward the floor. Lift your legs up past parallel position so your toes touch the bar. Keep your legs together and straight as they move. Return to a dead hang to complete one repetition. Work your way up to 12 repetitions.
Windshield Wipers
Train your obliques with gusto by using this move. Use control as you lift and sweep your legs to make sure it’s your abs doing the work, rather than momentum.
HOW TO DO IT: Hang from the pull-up bar, hands shoulder-width apart. Pull your belly in toward your spine to brace your abs. Keep your legs together as you lift your them up so that your feet are higher than the bar. Lower your legs to the right, while keeping them together. Stop when they are parallel to the floor. Draw the legs back to center, feet higher than the bar, and lower to the left. Continue to sweep them side to side for 3 to 5 repetitions.
Around the World
This move is a veritable beast. Only attempt it once you’ve managed to master the previous exercises.
HOW TO DO IT: Hang from a pull-up bar, hands shoulder-distance apart. Keep your legs together as you draw them up so that your feet are slightly higher than the bar. Rotate your legs in a controlled circle — out to the side, to a dead hang, to the other side and back up to the bar. Work up to five rotations in one direction, then switch to do five in the other.