Or maybe you are just starting out with Calisthenics and are looking for quality equipment on which to train?
Either way, a portable dip station is a great investment for your personal gym.
When most people think of equipment for building strength, they tend to think about the bench press, squat racks, and other machines commonly found in gyms.
What people often neglect to think about are “simple” bars on which we as Calisthenics practitioners train and how doing “simple” exercises on these “simple” bars allows us to build incredible strength using nothing but our body weight.
Let’s go over some key things that you should know about them before you jump in and purchase one.
What exercises can be done…
Although simple in design, with this “simple” piece of equipment you’ll have several exercise options. In addition to the regular dips that target the chest and arms, you can also do some serious abdominal exercises such as L Sits or bent leg raises.
To change things up, you can throw in some Isometric holds, i.e. holding the dip for a few seconds.
Pros:
- Can be easily moved so good for those who typically don’t workout in one place.
- May be more cost effective than a pull-up dip station.
- Are good for shorter individuals as you can find them at lower levels than most pull up/dip stations.
- Due to the lower center of gravity, the portable bars are often more stable than the Power Tower combination Pull Up Dip Stations
Cons:
- Because they are portable, they may not be quite as sturdy as wall mounted dip bars.
- You will have to bend the knees more when using most models of these, which may not be as comfortable for some individuals.
What To Look For…
When purchasing a set of dip bars, you’ll want to first and foremost check their overall load rating to ensure that they will be able to support your weight. This shouldn’t be an issue if you buy one of the top quality models but you should still check.
In addition to that, look for a set that has a very solid base of support. This is what will keep them steady as you do the dips and reduce the risk of them toppling over. Not only does this look “uncool” but you risk getting an injury that will set back your training.
Finally, you’ll also want to make sure that the metal surfaces have a corrosion resistant coating. This will prevent your bars rusting and ensure that they last for many years.
I prefer my bars not to have any padding on them but some bars do have this. This is personal preference but I recommend either buying a different brand or removing the padding. If you are concerned about blisters there are a couple of options:
- Purchase and wear a set of weightlifting gloves. These are easily found and are usually pretty cheap. I doubt you can get them in the dress shop where you must usually hang out though!
- Take a concrete pill and harden the #@%! up! Sure you might get some blisters when you first start out, but your hands will harden up over time which is a good thing anyway.
Top Brands…
The top brands for personal or home use that I recommend are listed below:
- Product: Lebert Equalizer
- Price: $99.99 USD (Retail) for the standard yellow version, or $124.95 USD for the Black XXL model
- Cheapest Place to Buy: The Strength & Stability Amazon Store
- My Rating: 4.5 out of 5
- User Rating: 4.5 out of 5
- Description: The Lebert Equalizer is a great bit of kit and can be used for a whole range of exercises, not just dips. It comes in the regular yellow version, and a XXL version for people over 6′ tall. The XXL version is black which is cool. Because of the ability to knock out more tan just dips, the fact that it has been manufactured to such a high standard, and because the price is very reasonable makes this my #1 pick! Check out the Lebert Equalizer video below this ranking list.
- Product: Black Mountain Dip Station
- Price: $149.99 USD (Retail)
- Cheapest Place to Buy: The Strength & Stability Amazon Store
- My Rating: 4.5 out of 5
- User Rating: 4.5 out of 5
- Description: The Black Mountain entry into the portable dip stand market is a good one. It is high quality and has a nice finish but won’t break the bank (if you get it on sale). Its my #2 pick!
- Product: Ultimate Body Press Dip Station
- Price: $89.99 USD (Retail)
- Cheapest Place to Buy: The Strength & Stability Amazon Store
- My Rating: 4 out of 5
- User Rating: 4 out of 5
- Description: The portable dip station from Ultimate Body Press is light, sturdy and relatively inexpensive. Its a very good option but isn’t quite as nice as the Black Mountain entry but its close! It comes in 3rd.
- Product: TDS Dip Station
- Price: $147.45 USD (Retail)
- Cheapest Place to Buy: The Strength & Stability Amazon Store
- My Rating: 4.5 out of 5
- User Rating: 5 out of 5
- Description: The TDS entry is heavier and less portable than some of the other options listed here. It is “commercial level” solid and you’ll be doing well to damage this one! As you would expect from TDS, it is a high quality, well constructed option but is pricey.
Because the Lebert Equalizer is my #1 pick, I thought I would include the video below to show you how verstile it is, and how it is unlkely that you’ll ever “go out of it”.
Bear in mind though that in this video it is being used by Frank Medrano, one of the modern day masters of Calisthenics training.
Frank is very…very good at what he does and you shouldn’t expect to knock out workouts like this one on the Lebert Equalizer without years of Calisthenics training…HOWEVER, the video does showcase just how versatile this piece of equipment is compared to some of the other bars shown here.
Conclusion…
So there you have it….
If you want a portable, light weight and relatively low cost option on which to knock out dips, L sits, or bent knee raises look no further than a quality portable dip station. You won’t regret buying a set of these as they are definitely worth the investment.
If you want to find out more about any of the models listed here, just click on any of the links in the ratings list above.
However, if you want something more permanent or sturdy, you’ll need to look at the wall mounted dip bars.
Provided you choose wisely, you will get great use out of this piece of equipment and see excellent functional strength gains.
I hope that this article has helped you to decide on which portable dip station is right for you.
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Train hard, fight easy.
Jeremy.
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This is a great site! The design is clean and neat with everything readily available. You have provided a wealth of helpful information. I have always been very active going from full impact aerobics, swimming, track and field, to yoga, pilates, and currently core strengthening workouts so I understand most of the terms you are using.
I will definitely re-visit you site.
Marion
Marion,
Glad you like the site. I certainly want to provide people with quality information that will help them reach their fitness goals. If you want to know more feel free to flick me an email. Jeremy