Parallettes or Push up bars?

Hey guys,

I have just been thinking about getting some parallettes to do L-sit and planche work on. Would push up bars/grips be just as effective as a set of parallettes? They are a lot cheaper, but being closer to the ground will they be harder for a beginner to work on than parallettes? With the parallettes I could work in handstand pushups a lot better also.

Push up bars will be a lot easier for me to get a hold of. I would have to order some parallettes online and wait for them to arrive (and no I havent thought about making them myself, not that handy :wink: ) so I'm just wondering if it is worth going for the parallettes and doing it 'properly' or just picking up a cheap set of push up bars instead.

What do you think?

As a beginner, you can just work on the floor and dont need parallettes. But as you progress, they become a lot more useful.

I assume you mean the very short, push up grip bars? They are not very stable, but you could use them to work the basics.

What parallettes where you thinking about buying? (Price, place?)

Seriously though, just go down to Bunnings and grab some dowel and wood. I'm sure you know someone who is a handy man, of just get someone/hardware shop to drill holes in the wood to slot the dowel in.

Or you could go the PVC route. There are plenty of tutorials out there to make them.

Jules

Yeah I just meant those little hand grip push up bars.

I saw some decent looking parallettes on amazon.com for about 60 bucks, but then that obviously doesnt include shipping to Australia.

Yeah I have seen lots of people saying to just make your own. Is it really that easy? Bunnings would sort me out right Jules? Is there a particular height that is ideal? the ones I saw on Amazon were 10 inches high...

I think that if I did have some parallettes it would encourage me to use them and work on my planche and L-sit more. I find that stuff can be quite hard on my wrists at the moment.

Definitely make your own paralletes. Just find a plan for PVC paralletes on Google, head down to the hardware store, buy PVC, primer, and cement, and you've got yourself 15 dollar paralletes

Make your own, personally I hate plastic, so made my first set from wood, I just made a steel and wood set which I'll post soon.

Or you can write Rogue Australia and see when they will have some in stock again.

In any case I would also agree that the parallettes will sever you much longer and better than the handles.

For the time being, if you turn your hands outward (point middle finger 45o) it will reduce the stress on your wrists.

I prefer wooden parallettes purely for the feel (also for me they feel far more stable).

Check out the equipment forum, lots of people have made their own!