The 10 Best Paralette Exercises to Build Strength, Coordination, and Balance

Sure, we love our power racks, dumbbells, and barbells — but calisthenics proves you don't need much to get seriously strong. One small piece of equipment can take that strength even further: paralette bars. They're basically a compact and portable version of the parallel bar used in gymnastics, and they unlock a huge range of bodyweight exercises.

Whether you've just ordered a set or have a pair eyeing you from the corner of your home gym, we've got parallete exercises to help you build strength, endurance, flexibility, and control.

Top 10 Exercises with Parallettes for Calisthenics

To up the ante on your bodyweight training — like tossing on a weighted vest when walking — parallettes can help by adding new angles, deeper ranges of motion, and more challenging leverage to exercises you may already know. To help kick off your training, we've got the best exercises with parallettes for every level.

1. Parallettes Push-Ups

LEVEL: Beginner

The classic push-up gets a mini makeover, providing access to a deeper range of motion, increased core engagement and shoulder stability, and limiting wrist strain. This move targets the deltoids, triceps, upper back, and core, with engagement from the serratus anterior at the top of the movement when you round your upper-back.

[Read More: How to Get Better at Push-Ups]

How to:

• Set the parallettes up about shoulder-width apart or elbow to fingertip.
• Grab the middle of each parallette with a neutral grip, wrists facing one another.
• Place your feet back and engage your core, making a nice straight line from head to heels.
• Lower with control keeping your forearms vertical. Pause at the bottom.
• Push-up, and at the top — for an added bonus — round your upper-back.

2. Parallettes Dips

LEVEL: Beginner

The triceps, anterior deltoids, and pectoralis major get fired up with this move, with some engagement from your core, biceps, and forearms. While we'll detail this movement with legs extended, a simple regression is to bend your knees and use your feet to assist.

[Read More: Benefits of Adding Dips into Your Workout]

How to:

• Set the parallettes about shoulder-width apart or elbow to fingertip.
• Place hands on parallettes and extend feet out in front.
• Maintain a tall posture as you bend your elbows to lower your butt to the floor.
• Keep your elbows as close to your body as possible as you lower and lift.

3. Parallettes Inverted Row

LEVEL: Beginner

Target your back — the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezzius, and posterior deltoids — and biceps with the inverted row on parallettes. If the version with legs extended is too difficult, try a regression by bending your knees, planting your feet on the floor, and using your legs to assist with each rep.

How to:

• Set the parallettes about shoulder-width apart and sit between them with legs extended.
• Grab the outside of each parallette, lift your hips creating a flat line from shoulders to heels as you engage your core, glutes, and hamstrings.
• Lead with your chest as you pull yourself up towards the parallettes, retracting your shoulder blades (squeezing them together).
• Pause at the top, then lower back to start.

4. Parallettes Mountain Climbers

LEVEL: Beginner

The rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis fire up in this move with support from your shoulders, chest, and hip flexors. Plus, when done with speed, while still maintaining form, you'll reap the benefits of increased cardiovascular endurance.

[Read More: Cardio vs. Strength Training]

How to:

• Set the parallettes about shoulder-width apart.
• Grap the parallettes with a neutral grip, wrists facing inwards.
• Engage your core and make a straight line from shoulders to heels.
• Using your core, drive your knees in one at a time.

5. Burpee Over Parallette

LEVEL: Beginner

This explosive movement is a full-body powerhouse, engaging your pectorals, triceps, and anterior deltoids during the push-up, and your quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings as you jump over the parallettes. Your core and obliques will also engage to keep you in control throughout the movement.

How to:

• Set up one parallette.
• Drop down into a chest-to-ground burpee beside the parallette and pop back up.
• Facing forward, jump sideways with both feet over the parallette.
• On the other side, drop down into a burpee and repeat.

6. Parallettes Shoot Through

LEVEL: Beginner

The parallette shoot through incorporates the parallette push-up with the parallette dip, connecting both moves seamlessly via a controlled tuck and jump. You'll work your triceps, deltoids, pectoralis major, upper back, and core with this one.

How to:

• Start in a high plank on the parallettes and complete a push-up.
• Maintaining your hold on the parallettes, engage your core as you tuck your knees in and jump your legs across.
• Land with legs extended in a reverse high plank.
• Complete a dip, then tuck your knees in as you hop back to start.

7. Parallettes Tuck Swing

LEVEL: Beginner-Intermediate

This tucked swing can be progressed to a planche hold on the back swing or a big back-swing to a handstand. But before we get there, let's start with the basics of this move. 

How to:

• Set the parallettes about shoulder-width apart, step between them and grab both sides.
• Press into the parallettes with locked out elbows and engage your core as you bring your knees to your chest.
• Swing forward and back. For a more advanced progression, position your body into a planche position on the backswing.

8. Parallettes Elevated Pike Push-Up

LEVEL: Intermediate

This parallette push-up progression shifts the focus and increases resistance, targeting your deltoids, pectorals, triceps, upper trapezius, and core. In addition to parallette bars, you'll need a plyo box, bench, or other strudy elevated surface to rest your feet on.

How to:

• Set the parallettes about shoulder-width apart, with a plyo box about a foot or two away.
• Take a neutral grip on the parallettes and step back onto the box.
• Engage your core, drop your head, send your hips high, and fully extend your arms.
• Maintain the bend at your hips as you bend at the elbows, lowering your head to the ground. Then, press back up.

9. Parallettes L-sits

LEVEL: Intermediate-Advanced

Your core and hip flexors take center stage with this one, with assistance from your quads, glutes, triceps, shoulders, and traps. To prep for this move, consider stretching out your hamstrings — which, if tight, can keep you from sitting up straight.

How to:

• Set the parallettes about shoulder-width apart and sit between them with legs extended.
• Grip the top of the parallettes and press up, lifting your butt off the floor and locking out your elbows.
• Lift your chest, engage your core, point your toes, and flex the muscles in your legs as you lift them off the floor.

10. Parallettes Elbow Lever

LEVEL: Intermediate-Advanced

Yes, this move is more advanced than others we've touched on, but with proper form it's easier than it looks. Outside of having adequate strength and balance, the trick to this move is the placement of the elbows just inside the hip bones. Once you master this move, you can progress to a single arm variation.

How to:

• Set the parallettes about shoulder-width apart.
• With feet on the ground, bend over to grab the parallettes with wrists facing in.
• Bend your elbows and rest them right inside your hip bones.
• Lean forward, retract your shoulders, and engage your core and legs as you gently kick your feet up off the floor.

Benefits of Paralletes

Benefits, you ask? These bars may seem simple, but they can open up a world of training versatility. Here are a few of their benefits:

• Expanded training variety
• Compact and portable
• Beginner-friendly
• Challenges stability and balance
• Wrist-friendly holds
• Deeper range of motion
  

Common Mistakes with Parallette Exercises

You want to be air bound, holding impressive planches and handstands ASAP — we get it. But before rushing into parallette training, be sure to avoid these common mistakes:

Rushing through progressions: Master the basics before diving into more advanced moves. This will help build the necessary balance and strength needed to nail progressions.

Wrist positioning: Support your lifts with a neutral, rather than bent, wrist. This can help reduce strain and discomfort.

Technique is key: To avoid injury, it's important to approach each move with proper technique. If you're having to use momentum when momentum isn't required, consider a regression to help build a stronger base of strength.

Takeaway

Parallettes pack a surprising amount of versatility into a portable, compact package, giving you access to calisthenic training that can build strength, increase coordination and endurance, and build rock-solid balance and stability. Whether you're chasing your first L-sit or leveling up to advanced balance skills, adding parallette exercises into your routine can make bodyweight training more fun and effective.

FAQs

How do I choose the best parallettes for my home gym?

Not to toot our own horn, but the REP® parallette bars are sturdy, durable, portable, and ready to help you build strength and grow your calisthenics training. Similar to REP's entire line of home equipment, these gymnastic bars are built for to last.

What are the main benefits of using parallettes for calisthenics training?

Parallettes allow you to to train with a deeper range of motion, give you access to wrist-friendly setups, support balance training, and provide a wide range of exercise variety.