Door Gym

GRIP POSITIONS

Basic Workout

 

Reverse Close-Grip Pull-up:
(works the lower portion of the latissimus dorsi, the back muscles that wrap around the sides of the upper body. This move also hits the biceps)

Lock the Door Gym into your doorway and grab the bar with your palms facing toward you, hands about 6 inches apart. Pull yourself up until the bar is directly under your chin. Hold for a second, then slowly lower yourself down. [This move can be reversed by turning your hands so that your palms face away from you rather than towards you.]

Underhand Medium-Grip Pull-up
(works the outer sweep of the back):

Lock the Door Gym into your doorway and grab the bar with your hands about 18 to 24 inches apart, palms facing toward you. Pull yourself up until your chest is directly under the bar. Hold for a second, then slowly lower yourself down. Neutral-Grip Pull-up (works the middle and upper portions of the back): Grab the Door Gym by its' set of parallel handles (a set of bars that ordinary pull-up bars don't have, by the way). Pull yourself up until the bar is under your chin. Hold for a second, then slowly lower yourself down.

Wide-Grip Pull-up
(works the upper back, biceps and forearms):

Lock the Door Gym into your doorway and grab the bar with your palms facing forward and your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Pull yourself up until the bar is under your chin. Hold for a second, then slowly lower yourself down.

Legs Up Push-up
(works the upper chest, plus the shoulders and triceps)

Kneel on the floor with your back to a step and the Door Gym on the floor in front of you. Grab the handles of the Door Gym and place your feet on the step. Next, lower your upper body as near to the floor as you can by bending your elbows, keeping your knees locked and your body rigid throughout. Press yourself back up and repeat for as many repetitions as you can.

Legs Down Push-up
(works the lower chest, plus the shoulders and triceps)

Kneel on the floor facing a wide, long step or a sturdy box about 8-12 inches off the floor. Place the Door Gym on the step in front of you, then get yourself into a push-up position, extending your legs behind you. Lower yourself down by bending your elbows, keeping your knees locked and body straight as you go. Press yourself back up and repeat.

Pull-up Crunches
(works the upper abdominals)

Lie flat on your back with your feet together and legs bent at a 90-degree angle, tucking your feet underneath the Door Gym. Place your hands lightly along the sides of your head and you're ready to start. Slowly curl your head and shoulders off the ground towards your legs as far as you can. Next, slowly extend your arms out in front of you and lightly grab behind your knees. Slowly pull yourself forward an extra inch or two, hold for a second, then lower yourself back down an inch. Place your hands back alongside your head and lower yourself back to the floor.

Crunches
(works the upper abdominals)

Lie flat on the floor and fold your arms across your chest. Bend your knees so that both feet rest flat on the floor, tucking your feet underneath the Door Gym. This is the starting position. Slowly curl your torso forward, raising your head and shoulder blades off the floor.

Hanging Leg Raises
(works the lower abdominals)

Hang from the Door Gym with your arms and legs straight. Keeping your feet together, bend your knees and slowly raise them to your chest. Pause for two seconds, then slowly lower them back down until your legs are once again straight.

Hanging Twists
(works the lower abdominals and obliques, the love handles):

Hang from the Door Gym with your arms and legs straight. Keeping your feet together, bend your knees and slowly raise them to your chest, twisting your body to the left as you go. Pause for two seconds, then slowly lower them back down until your legs are straight. Repeat the exercise, this time twisting your body to the right.