Are Parallettes Worth Buying for Home Bodyweight Training

Most people buy parallettes after watching someone float into an L-sit on a pair of low wooden bars and assume the bars did the work. Then the parallettes sit under the sofa for six months. I have seen that pattern in nearly every home trainer I have coached, and I have done it myself with a pair I paid far too much for.

So are parallettes worth buying? For some people, clearly yes. For others, a pair of sturdy books or a set of push-up handles does the same job for a fraction of the price. This guide lays out what parallettes actually change in your training, what to pay, which type suits which space, and the moment in your progress when they start earning their place on the floor.

What Parallettes Actually Change in a Movement

Parallettes do three specific things. They lift your hands off the floor, they put your wrists in a neutral position, and they give your fingers something to wrap around. Each of those has a real training effect.

Lifting the hands by 10 to 30 centimetres creates clearance. In an L-sit, that clearance is the difference between your heels dragging on the carpet and your legs held straight in the air. In a deep push-up, it lets your chest drop below hand level, which loads the shoulder through a longer range than a floor push-up ever can.

The neutral grip matters for anyone whose wrists complain during floor work. Pressing on a flat palm bends the wrist back to roughly 90 degrees. On a bar, the wrist stays close to straight. If floor push-ups give you a sharp ache at the base of the hand, that alone can justify the purchase.

The grip is the least discussed benefit. Wrapping your fingers around a bar lets you lean and shift weight forward with control, which is the foundation of planche leans and tuck holds.

The Honest Case Against Buying Them Early

Common advice says parallettes are essential beginner kit. I disagree. If you cannot yet do 15 clean push-ups and hold a 30 second hollow body, parallettes will not speed you up. They will simply give you a harder version of exercises you are not ready for.

A beginner's first months should be spent on the basics described in starting bodyweight training with no equipment. Floor push-ups, squats, rows under a table and planks build the base. Parallettes become useful once your training starts asking for clearance and depth, and not before.

There is also the storage question. In a small flat, a 60 centimetre pair of bars is one more object to trip over. If you already own a pull-up bar and rings, ask what problem the parallettes would solve that those do not.

Low, Medium or Tall Parallettes

Height is the decision that matters most, and most product pages bury it. Here is how the three common sizes compare in practice.

Type	Typical height	Best for	Typical price
Low	8 to 12 cm	Planche leans, push-ups, travel	15 to 35
Medium	18 to 25 cm	L-sits, tuck holds, deep push-ups	35 to 70
Tall	30 to 45 cm	Dips, L-sit to handstand work, swings	70 to 150

Prices are rough figures in pounds, dollars or euros, since they track closely across markets. For most people training at home, medium height is the sensible single pair. It is tall enough for an L-sit with straight legs if you have average hamstring flexibility, and low enough to store under a bed.

When tall bars make sense

Tall parallettes behave almost like a mini dip station. If you are already working through a dip progression at home and are tired of balancing between two kitchen chairs, a tall pair is a genuine upgrade. They are also heavier and more stable, which matters once you start swinging your legs through.

Wood, Steel or Plastic

Material decides how the bar feels in your hand and how long it survives.

Wood: warm, grippy, slightly forgiving. Beech and birch hold up well. Look for a bar diameter of 3 to 3.5 cm; anything thicker tires small hands quickly.
Steel: the most stable at tall heights, usually with powder coating or foam. Foam tears within a year of regular use, so check whether you can replace it.
Plastic: cheap and light, fine for push-ups. Most flex under a full L-sit, and the feet often slide on hard floors.

Whatever the material, test the feet. Rubber pads or a wide base that does not rock is the single best predictor of whether you will trust the bars enough to lean into them.

Five Exercises That Make Parallettes Worth Buying

If these five movements are in your plan, or about to be, parallettes are worth the money.

L-sit holds. Start with one leg bent, aim for 10 seconds with both legs straight, then build to 30.
Deficit push-ups. Lower the chest 5 to 10 cm below the bars. Three sets of 8 here hit harder than 20 floor reps.
Tuck planche leans. Shift your shoulders well past your hands and hold for 15 to 20 seconds.
Pike push-ups with depth. Feet on a step, head dropping between the bars, a bridge towards handstand push-ups.
Support holds. On tall bars, simply lock out and hold for 30 seconds to build shoulder stability for dips.

If none of these appear in your training, skip the purchase for now and revisit it in three months.

Cheaper Alternatives That Do Most of the Job

Before you spend 50 on bars, try what you already have. Two stacks of hardback books of equal height give you clearance for deficit push-ups. Two sturdy chairs with backs facing each other cover dips and support holds. A pair of hexagonal dumbbells turned on their side gives you a neutral grip that protects the wrists.

These substitutes fail at one thing: stability for L-sits and planche leans. Books slide, chairs wobble when you shift weight forward. If you find yourself wanting to lean further and not trusting the surface, that is the clearest sign you are ready for real parallettes.

A cheap pair of steel push-up handles, often under 15, is the middle ground. They cover wrist comfort and some depth but are too short and narrow for L-sit work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are parallettes worth buying for a complete beginner?

Usually not. Spend the first two to three months building floor push-ups and core strength. Parallettes add difficulty, and a beginner is better served by mastering easier versions first.

Can I make my own parallettes from plumbing pipe?

Yes, PVC pipe kits are common and cost very little. Use 3 to 4 cm diameter pipe, glue every joint, and add rubber feet. Avoid them for tall dips, as PVC flexes and can crack under full bodyweight.

Will parallettes help me do a handstand?

Indirectly. They build pressing strength and shoulder lean, which help. The balance itself still comes from wall work and plenty of time upside down, not from the bars.

The Practical Takeaway

Buy one pair of medium wooden parallettes, around 20 cm tall, once you can do 15 clean push-ups and a 30 second hollow hold, and only if L-sits or deficit work are already in your plan. Until then, books and chairs will carry you. When you do buy, check the feet, check the bar diameter, and put them somewhere you will see them every day. Equipment you can see gets used. For more ideas on what to own and what to skip, browse the rest of our gear guides.