One of the top pieces of home gym equipment is the power tower. The power tower is a tool used by lifters to train using their body weight as resistance. It’s a convenient and cheaper form of exercise that can be very valuable and functional in a living space.
But what are the top exercises to do using a power tower? Here are the exercises to add to a power tower workout:
Not knowing the top exercises for a power tower could limit your workout routine and ability to make proper gains. The benefit of this list is that if done properly, you can build a balanced workout routine to help elevate your strength, size, and ability.
This article will discuss the top exercises to use with a power tower. We will cover each exercise, the muscles used, how to perform them, and the benefits they will have in your program.
By reading to the end, you’ll also know how to properly execute each exercise to your advantage.
Now, let’s get straight to the details on the best 8 exercises for strength and power using your power tower!
Table of Contents
What Are the Muscles Worked During a Power Tower Workout?
When creating a power tower workout, also called a “power station workout,” the upper body and the core are the most common muscle groups used.
The top muscles used with power tower exercises are the:
- Pectoralis Major
- Anterior Deltoid
- Posterior Deltoid
- Triceps
- Biceps
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Trapezius
- Rectus abdominis
- Obliques
When performing pressing movements such as the dip and push up, the most common muscles are the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, and triceps.
When performing pulling movements such as the pull up, chin up, and inverted row, the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, posterior deltoid, and biceps are the most common muscles used.
The core exercises of the leg, knee, and hanging leg raises will be the rectus abdominis and obliques.
Certain movements will prioritize muscle groups based on position, motion, and resistance. Knowing which movements prioritize which muscle groups when planning a routine to maximize results for a bigger and stronger physique is important. This will be discussed below when discussing the various exercises on our list.
Anatomy of the Muscles Worked During a Power Tower Workout
As mentioned, the power tower recruits primarily upper body muscle groups, including the core. Body weight routines are noted to be some of the best ways to promote health and fitness.
Below, we will discuss each muscle group in depth and how they assist in creating movements for the best power tower workout.
Pectoralis Major
The pectoralis major is the large muscle in the chest region that performs horizontal adduction (bringing the arms toward the body's midline), shoulder flexion (raising the arms forward), and internal shoulder joint rotation. It is the key muscle in exercises like the dip and push up.
Anterior Deltoid
The anterior deltoid is one of the three parts of the deltoid muscle situated at the front of the shoulder. It is responsible for shoulder flexion (raising the arms forward) and internal rotation. With exercise, it supports various pressing motions such as the dip and push up.
Posterior Deltoid
The posterior deltoid is the back portion of the deltoid muscle, located at the rear of the shoulder. It functions in shoulder extension (moving the arms backward) and external rotation. It supports all the various pulling movements, such as the pull up, chin up, and inverted row.
Triceps
The triceps brachii is a three-headed muscle at the upper arm's back. Its main function is to be the “powerful extensor” of the elbow joint, helping to straighten the arm. With exercise, it supports various pressing motions such as the dip and push up.
Biceps
The biceps brachii is a two-headed muscle in the upper arm's front. Its primary function is elbow flexion, which involves bending the arm at the elbow joint. It is known as the “powerful flexor” of the arm, assisting the elbow joint with pulling movements such as the inverted row, pull up, and chin up.
Latissimus Dorsi
The latissimus dorsi, commonly called the lats, is a large muscle on the back. Its main function is shoulder extension (pulling the arms downward and backward) and adduction (pulling the arms toward the sides of the body). It’s one of the main muscles used for all types of pulling movements.
Trapezius
The trapezius muscle is a large muscle that covers the upper back and neck region. It has multiple functions, including shoulder elevation (shrugging the shoulders), retraction (pulling the shoulder blades together), and depression (lowering the shoulder blades). In addition to the lats, this muscle is the key muscle to help with pulling exercises.
Rectus Abdominis
The rectus abdominis, located in the front of the abdomen, primarily supports trunk flexion. This action is when the core bends during movements such as the leg raise, knee raise, and hanging leg raise. Strengthening this muscle contributes to core stability, assists in maintaining good posture, and supports movements involving the torso.
Obliques
The obliques are muscles located on the sides of the abdomen. They are divided into two groups: the external obliques and internal obliques. The obliques function in trunk rotation and torso stabilization. Strengthening the obliques enhances core stability, supports spinal alignment, and assists in movements involving twisting and side-to-side motions.
Benefits of the Power Tower Workout
As mentioned, the power tower is one of the top pieces of home gym equipment. The power tower stands tall, providing a ton of opportunities to perform exercise while taking up limited space. This convenient and (for the most part) cheaper form of exercise can be very valuable and highly functional in any living space.
The top three benefits of having a power tower are:
- Versatility
- Affordability
- Convenience
Versatility
One of the key benefits of a power tower is its versatility. A power tower workout routine offers a wide range of exercises that target different muscle groups.
With features like pull-up bars, dip bars, push-up handles, and vertical knee raise stations, a power tower allows you to perform exercises for the upper body, including the arms, chest, back, and core. This versatility makes it an excellent all-in-one equipment for strength training and bodyweight exercises.
Affordability
Power towers are generally more affordable than other complex gym machines or equipment. They provide multiple exercise options without the need for additional weights or attachments. This makes power towers cost-effective for individuals who want to set up a home gym on a tight budget.
Convenience
Power towers offer convenience in terms of both space-saving design and accessibility. These compact towers can be easily placed in a home gym, garage, or even a small apartment, requiring minimal floor space. They eliminate the need for multiple exercise equipment, saving money and space.
Not looking for a power tower, but looking for a dip station instead? Check out this article about the top dip stations in the market!
Top Pick of Power Tower
If you are ready to take your workout to the next level, consider the Sportsroyals Power Tower Dip Station. The Sportsroyals Power Tower was our pick for the best power tower of 2024. It has the best weight capacity for its price, so it never feels unstable when I use it.
It also has many features to help make it a versatile choice, such as its adjustable height and back pad, so I can set it up to best fit my form.This means anyone can use this product, from youths to adults, and it is a highly sought-after feature of any power tower.
When looking at this power tower, you can tell it has a sturdy build, as the length of the legs helps support the rack to keep it upright. The legs of a power tower greatly influence stabilizing the athlete to ensure they can perform with maximum certainty.
Looking to take the next step in training? Order the Sportsroyal Power Tower Dip Station today!
Top 8 Power Tower Exercises
The top 8 power tower exercises are a mix of upper body movements, including core movements as well. Based on the setup and specs of each power tower, it is common for these machines to prioritize strength and development of the upper anatomy.
Below is a chart that highlights each movement, the muscles prioritized, and how to use a power tower.
| Exercise Name | Action of Movement | Primary Muscle Group | Secondary Muscle Group | Programming Recommendations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pull Up | Pulling Movement | Lats Traps | Biceps Posterior Deltoid | 3-5 sets of 6-10 reps |
| Chin Up | Pulling Movement | Biceps | Lats Traps Posterior Deltoid | 3-5 sets of 6-10 reps |
| Dip | Pushing Movement | Pecs Triceps | Anterior Deltoid | 3-5 sets of 6-10 reps |
| Push Ups | Pushing Movement | Pecs | Triceps Anterior Deltoid | 2-4 sets of 10-20 reps |
| Inverted Rows | Pulling Movement | Traps | Lats Biceps Posterior Deltoid | 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps |
| Knee Raise | Abdominal Flexion | Rectus abdominis | Obliques | 3 sets of 6-10 reps |
| Leg Raise | Abdominal Flexion | Rectus abdominis | Obliques | 3 sets of 6-10 reps |
| Hanging Leg Raise | Abdominal Flexion | Rectus abdominis | Obliques | 3 sets of 6-10 reps |
1. Pull Up
The pull-up is a compound exercise that targets multiple muscles in the upper body, primarily focusing on the back and arms. It involves lifting your body upward by gripping an overhead bar and bringing your chin above it. The pull-up primarily targets the latissimus dorsi and trapezius muscles.
It also engages the biceps to support the elbow joint and the posterior deltoid to support the shoulder joint. The pull-up is a challenging exercise that requires upper body strength and stability, and it is one of the top exercises most people do with their power tower.
How to Do the Pull Up
- Start by hanging from an overhead bar with your arms fully extended, using an overhand grip that is slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Initiate the movement by bending your elbows and pulling your body upward.
- Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar or as close as possible to the bar.
- Lower yourself back to the starting position with control and stability.
- Repeat the movement for the desired number of reps within the working set.
Pro Tip
If you struggle to perform the pull up, try an eccentric focused pull up that allows you to start at the top of the pull up, and lower yourself slowly each rep.
When you start at the top of the pull up, you have eliminated the hardest part: lifting yourself up initially. To compensate for this aspect of the lift, you will start at the top of the pull up but lower yourself slowly instead.
By focusing on the eccentric phase, you can build strength and improve your ability to perform more pull-ups over time. Incorporate a 4-5 second descent during each repetition, and gradually increase the time under tension as you progress. This technique helps develop the necessary strength and control to execute the pull-up properly and efficiently.
Programming Recommendations
For the general population, I would recommend 3-5 sets of 6-10 reps based on the rigor and intensity of this exercise.
2. Chin Up
The chin-up is an upper body compound exercise primarily targeting the back and arms muscles. It is similar to the pull-up but with a slight variation in grip. Because you are prioritizing an underhand grip, the chin up is primarily used to build the arms of an athlete.
Besides the arms, the chin-up engages the back muscles, including the latissimus dorsi and trapezius muscles. In addition, the posterior deltoids help with the pulling action of this exercise through the shoulder joint.
How to Do the Chin Up
- Start by hanging from an overhead bar with your arms fully extended, using an underhand grip that is slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart.
- Initiate the movement by bending your elbows and pulling your body upward.
- Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar or as close as possible to the bar.
- Lower yourself back to the starting position with control and stability.
- Repeat the movement for the desired number of reps within the working set.
Pro Tip
If you struggle to do the chin up, try doing chin ups assisted with a plyometric box or resistance bands.
When using a plyometric box or any elevated platform, make sure your feet touch the surface while hanging from the overhead bar. When you begin the movement, you can get partial assistance from your feet pushing off the elevated surface.
Access to resistance bands can help give you resistance at the bottom of the chin up as the bands are stretched with tension. Then, as you continue to perform the chin up upward, the band loses tension, and you start to feel more and more resistance.
Programming Recommendations
For the general population, I would recommend 3-5 sets of 6-10 reps based on the rigor and intensity of this exercise.
3. Dips
The dip is a highly effective exercise that primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and arms muscles. It involves lowering and raising your body using parallel bars or sturdy dip bars. The dip is a compound exercise that engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously, making it a great addition to any upper body workout routine.
How to Do the Dip
- Lift yourself up with straight arms, keeping your shoulders down and back, and your chest lifted.
- Lower your body by bending your elbows and leaning slightly forward, allowing your elbows to flare out to the sides.
- Continue lowering until your shoulders are about level with your elbows or slightly below.
- Press through your palms to push yourself back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
- Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tip
If you have mastered the dip, the next step would be to try variations such as the paused dip. This means pausing at the bottom of each rep and exaggerating the amount of tension at the bottom of each lift. This can help people get the challenge they need to elevate their performance.
Programming Recommendations
For the general population, I would recommend 3-5 sets of 6-10 reps based on the rigor and intensity of this exercise.
Need a convenient setup for your upcoming set of dips? Check out this article about the top portable dip stations available!
4. Push Ups
The push-up is a classic bodyweight exercise that targets the chest, shoulders, and arms. It involves supporting your body with your hands and lowering your chest toward the ground by bending your elbows.
With the power tower, this device provides parallel handles for you to do push-ups at the tower's base. However, push-ups are a versatile exercise that can be done anywhere without needing any equipment, making them a popular choice for building upper body strength and endurance.
How to Perform the Push Up
- Start in a plank position with your hands placed on parallel bars of the power tower..
- Lower your body toward the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
- Lower your chest until your elbows bend 90 degrees or slightly below.
- Afterward, press through your palms to push yourself back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
- Keep your neck in a neutral position and avoid arching your back or sagging your hips.
- Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tip
If you want to increase the intensity, place your feet on a stool, chair, or bench to add more resistance to this movement. The more you elevate your feet, the more weight you put on your hands to make this movement tougher.
Another option to make this movement tougher is to add a pause at the bottom of each rep to bring a tougher stimulus to the workout.
Programming Recommendations
For the general population, I would recommend 2-4 sets of 10-20 reps based on the rigor and intensity of this exercise.
5. Inverted Rows
The inverted row is an exercise that primarily targets the back and arms muscles. It involves pulling your body up towards a bar or other elevated surface while maintaining a straight line from your head to your heels.
Inverted rows are excellent for developing upper body strength, improving posture, and keeping a strong posterior chain for balanced performance.
How to Do Inverted Rows
- Depending on your setup, grab the bar or bars with an overhand or neutral grip and extend your arms fully, leaning back slightly to create a straight line from your head to your heels.
- Engage your core and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull your chest towards the bar or handles.
- Keep your elbows close to your body and pull until your chest touches the bar or handles.
- Lower yourself back down with control to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
- Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tip
Depending on your setup, the inverted row might be easy or tough to execute. Some power towers provide a straight bar attachment for stretching that can be used for the row. However, if you do not have the set up for an inverted row, use a stool, chair, or bench to place feet on and do inverted rows with dip bars.
The most common pulling exercises on the power tower are the pull up and chin up. These movements are overhead and can be very tough to perform. Being able to do the inverted row is a huge asset to any program and provides a horizontal type of resistance to add to your workout.
Programming Recommendations
For the general population, I would recommend 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps based on the rigor and intensity of this exercise.
6. Knee Raises
Knee raises are a bodyweight exercise that targets the abdominal muscles. This exercise involves lifting your knees towards your chest while gripping parallel bars and placing your forearms on padding.
Knee raises are an effective way to strengthen the core, improve stability, and enhance overall body control.
How to Perform the Knee Raises
- Grasp parallel bars while placing elbows and forearms on padding. Keep your hands about shoulder-width apart.
- Lift your knees towards your chest by flexing your hip and bending your knees.
- Focus on using your abdominal muscles to control the movement; avoid using momentum or swinging.
- Slowly lower your knees back down to the starting position with control.
- Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tip
If you feel the knee raise is easy, try doing this movement while holding resistance with your feet. This means, doing a knee raise by holding a med ball or dumbbell using the arch of your feet or in between your upper legs. This is a great way to add extra resistance for this movement.
Programming Recommendations
For the general population, I would recommend 3 sets of 6-10 reps based on the rigor and intensity of this exercise.
7. Leg Raises
Leg raises are a bodyweight exercise that targets the abdominal muscles. This exercise involves lifting your legs straight upward while gripping parallel bars and placing your forearms on padding.
Leg raises effectively strengthen the core, improve stability, and enhance overall body control.
How to Perform the Leg Raises
- Grasp parallel bars while placing elbows and forearms on padding. Keep your hands about shoulder-width apart.
- Lift your legs upward by flexing your core and raising your legs up parallel to the floor.
- Focus on using your abdominal muscles to control the movement; avoid using momentum or swinging.
- Slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position with control.
- Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tip
If you feel the leg raise is easy, try doing it while holding yourself up using the dip attachments. Typically, the leg raise is done by placing forearms on padding. If you can hold yourself up using the dip bars, you will be working not only your abdominal muscles but also your arms and shoulders. This is a great hack for a much stronger variation of this lift.
Programming Recommendations
For the general population, I would recommend 3 sets of 6-10 reps based on the rigor and intensity of this exercise.
8. Hanging Leg Raises
Leg raises are a bodyweight exercise that targets the abdominal muscles. This exercise involves lifting your legs straight upward while gripping parallel bars and placing your forearms on padding.
Leg raises effectively strengthen the core, improve stability, and enhance overall body control.
How to Perform the Hanging Leg Raises
- Grasp parallel bars while placing elbows and forearms on padding. Keep your hands about shoulder-width apart.
- Lift your legs upward by flexing your core and raising your legs up parallel to the floor.
- Focus on using your abdominal muscles to control the movement; avoid using momentum or swinging.
- Slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position with control.
- Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tip
If you feel the leg raise is easy, try doing it while holding yourself up using the dip attachments. Typically, the leg raise is done by placing forearms on padding. If you can hold yourself up using the dip bars, you will be working not only your abdominal muscles but also your arms and shoulders. This is a great hack for a much stronger variation of this lift.
Programming Recommendations
For the general population, I would recommend 3 sets of 6-10 reps based on the rigor and intensity of this exercise.
Sample Power Tower Workout Plan
Below, I will be providing three power tower workouts for people to use. Each workout will be based on a beginner, intermediate, and advanced level of athlete. Proper implementation of these exercises will elevate power tower workout results.
Beginner
For beginners, this workout will focus on easier variations to help introduce beginners to the common workouts most people will use for a power tower. The hope is for this workout to be a precursor for the intermediate and advanced workouts provided below.
- Push Ups: 3×10-12 reps
- Inverted Rows: 3×10 reps
- Pull Up Hold: 3×10-12 second hold (NOT reps)
- Eccentric Dips: 3×6 reps with a 5-second eccentric
- Knee Raises: 3×10 reps
Intermediate
For intermediate athletes, this workout will be a rigorous variation of the beginner workout that starts to introduce normal movements athletes would use on a power tower. We will also take advantage of the eccentric variation so the athlete can participate in tougher movements and get used to the challenge.
- Eccentric Pull Ups: 3×6 reps with a 5-second eccentric
- Push Ups: 3×12-15 reps
- Inverted Rows: 3×10 reps
- Dips: 3×10 reps
- Leg Raises: 3×10 reps
Advanced
I suggest an advanced workout for athletes capable of all ordinary movements on a power tower. This workout should showcase tougher variations, allowing athletes to elevate their performance to the next level.
- Paused Dips: 3×10 reps
- Eccentric Chin Ups: 3×6 s with a 5-second eccentric
- Inverted Rows: 3×10 reps
- Push Ups: 3×15-20 reps
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3×10 reps
Ready to take on your first power tower workout? Check out my article about the best power tower products currently available!
Tips for Power Tower Workout
These power tower exercises, though, can be tough and rigorous for some athletes. If this is the case, you need to consider performing variations of these exercises to decrease or increase the intensity based on the athlete.
To help those with their next power tower workout, I am providing you with three tips for success:
- Start with holds
- Try eccentric reps
- Perform jumping reps
Start with holds
If you struggle to do the various movements of the power tower, try performing “holds” instead. This means holding a specific position within a workout to learn how to tolerate and get used to specific movements.
An example of this could be the pull up. If you can’t do a pull up, hold the pull up position at the top for a series of seconds until failure. Each workout, try to hold that position longer and hopefully enough to build more muscle to perform the exercise in motion.
Try eccentric reps
If you have mastered the holding reps but still cannot perform a normal rep, try focusing on the “eccentric” portion of movement. The eccentric is the stretching phase of movement, also known as the “negative” motion of the movement.
Another way to think of this is that it's the downward phase of the movement. During that phase of the movement, though, you need to go as slow as possible to help create muscular damage that equates to fatigue you would generate during normal reps.
Perform jumping reps
After you have mastered the holding reps and eccentrics, the next step would be to try jumping reps. This is when you get a “jumping start” on each movement by getting a little momentum from a brief jump of the legs.
Imagine yourself doing the dip exercise. To do a jumping rep, have your feet touching the floor, bend the legs a little bit, and get a jump start off your feet. Use this momentum to carry you into performing the desire of the movement, which is the extension of the arms. Use this exercise variation to hopefully guide you into building the work capacity to perform normal reps.
No space for a power tower? Try mounting one of these top dip stations for elevating your next workout!
Power Tower vs Captain’s Chair
The power tower and captain's chair are two popular pieces of exercise equipment designed to enhance bodyweight workouts, but they differ in terms of functionality and versatility.
The Power Tower
The power tower stands out for its comprehensive workout capabilities, providing a wide range of movements that engage not only the core but also the upper body as well.
With pull-up bars, dip bars, push-up handles, and arm and back pads for core workouts, the power tower allows users to perform exercises targeting the back, chest, arms, shoulders, and core.
The Captain’s Chair
On the other hand, the captain's chair workout is primarily designed for core exercises, particularly knee and leg raises. With the captain's chair exercise being core-focused, its movement options are limited compared to the power tower.
Core strength is of massive importance, though, for maintaining a healthy and fit lifestyle.
While both pieces of equipment offer effective ways to strengthen the core, the power tower takes it a step further by incorporating upper body exercises like pull-ups and dips, which contribute to overall upper body strength and muscle development.
The power tower's design promotes greater movement possibilities, making it a more versatile option for individuals working multiple muscle groups in a single workout session.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is a power tower?
Based on the market, power towers can range in height from 77 inches to 93 inches. The base of the power tower depends, however, most having a square base that is 3-4 feet long and wide.
Can you build muscle using a power tower?
You can build a ton of muscle using the power tower. The power tower’s structure provides versatility to build a majority of the body’s anatomy. The power tower helps each person build their upper body and core especially.
Are power towers good for home gym?
Power towers are a great addition to any home gym. The structure of the power tower allows this device to exist in most spaces as it is built vertically and doesn’t take a lot of square footage.
Final Thoughts
Creating the right power tower workout will help you strengthen various muscle groups, such as the chest, shoulders, arms, core, and back.
Understanding the muscles involved in each power tower exercise is crucial to creating an effective workout routine for building balanced strength and size.
The power tower exercises mostly focus on upper body and core dominant movements and includes exercises like pull-ups, dips, push-ups, and more.
The power tower's versatility is one of its top benefits, allowing users to perform various exercises targeting different muscle groups. With the versatility and affordability of the power tower, it should be one of the top picks for equipment, especially in any home gym.
About The Author
Joseph Lucero is a Strength Coach and Author and owns Harvesting Strength LLC. He's CSCS Certified, and when he's not helping clients get stronger, he writes about strength and conditioning to help readers. You can connect with him on LinkedIn and Instagram. You can book a free 20-minute consultation with him to see if a custom program would help you achieve your goals.
