Thick Vs Thin Pull-Up Bar – Everything You Need To Know
I am fortunate enough to have visited hundreds of calisthenics parks and joined various gyms that all facilitate a pull-up bar. And one thing I noticed, more in my early days, was that bar exercises were easier to do at one gym compared to another.
At first, I thought it was fatigue, but this wasn’t the case. So, I spent hours researching and found how big of an impact the thickness of a pull-up bar has on the ease of exercise. If you would like the short and simple answer:
The thicker the bar, the more challenging you’ll find your pull-up. This is because it’s much harder to grip, which puts more tension in your forearms and reduces balance. Because of this, it’s not uncommon to be able to pull up on one bar, and not another.
… as soon as I understood this, my curiosity spiked higher. As a result, I found out the optimal pull-up bar thickness, the benefits of using both, and the impact each has on your forearms. I have explained everything I have researched and experienced about pull-up bar thickness in this article.
How Thick Should A Bar Be For Pull-Ups
The standard thickness of a pull-up bar is between 1.2″and -1.8″ in diameter. This size is the middle ground between comfortable grip strength and forearm engagement. You’ll typically find these pull-up bars in places like commercial gyms, parks, and specialized sports centers.
Calisthenics Worldwide has summarised the measurements perfectly. Below is the range of diameter for each pull-up bar.
| Thin Pull-Up Bar | Standard Pull-Up Bar | Thick Pull-Up Bar |
| 0.8” to 1” | 1.2” to 1.8” | 2” plus |
But, just because this is the standard, doesn’t mean it’s what’s best for you. It certainly ins’t for me!
In my opinion, I believe the standard should be thinner – I prefer using a 1″ thick pull-up bar. This thickness gives me the perfect grip and balance. Because of this, my concentration remains 100% on form, rather than my fingers trying not to slip off the bar!
I feel you should always prioritize your pull-up technique by using a thin bar which is easier to grip – even if it means you don’t engage your forearms as much. This makes the most out of the exercise and you’ll see better improvements in your upper back, arms, and deltoids.
Besides, nobody does pull-ups for forearm gains anyway. And, if you do you can supplement this by doing some forearm curls!
How To Chose The Right Pull-Up Bar Size For You
I understand not everyone has the same physique as me. So, I recommend experimenting with different size pull-up bars to see if you feel the same way. But if that’s not possible, you should at least consider these factors:
- Hand Size: The larger your handspan is, the thicker the bar should be. An average handspan is 7.5″-7″. If yours is less or more, a 1.25″ may not be best for you.
- Wrist Comfort: If you aren’t comfortable with an average diameter bar, you shouldn’t force yourself to use it. The whole reason I find 1″ diameter the best is because it balances comfort and grip strength best. So, if you aren’t comfortable, you must find an alternative that best suits you.
- Progression: If you’re new to bar exercise, there might be an initial adaptation period as your grip strength adjusts to the increased demand. Starting with a thinner bar (0.8″ diameter) and gradually progressing to a thicker one is a better approach.
Will A Thick Pull-Up Bar Strengthen Your Grip Strength
A thicker bar needs more forearm strength as your fingers can’t wrap around the circumference of the bar, so they must grip tighter to hold your body weight.
On paper, it seems very linear – the more forearm you want to be engaged, the thicker the bar should be.
But in reality, this isn’t the case.
If your fingers don’t wrap all the way around a bar, it sacrifices your form, increases the risk of slipping, and fastens the rate of callus growth. All these contribute to you being unable to hold the bar for long, so your workout becomes shorter and less intense.
Because of this, it’s imperative to find a bar that peaks forearm tension but doesn’t sacrifice your form. Sometimes you are better off using a thinner bar. Even though your forearms are under less tension, you can hold the bar much longer and conduct more complex bar exercises than a thicker bar.
Summary: So yes, a thick pull-up bar will strengthen your grip strength; however, if it is too thick (around 2.7″ or more on an average-sized hand), you end up causing more harm than good.
Is A Thin Pull-Up Good For Practicing Technique
Yes, using a thin pull-up bar (0.8” to 1”) equips you with a comfortable hand grip so you can focus more on your form rather than holding onto the bar. A thin bar allows a loose grip, making it easier to kip and rotate your palms along the bar.
Nonetheless, there are a few exceptions when a thin bar may not always be best:
- A thin bar best suits pull-up bars. However, if you were to do, for example, tricep dips, a thicker bar is preferred. When doing dips, the thicker the bar is, the flatter your palm rests on it, making it easier to balance.
- Don’t be picky. If only thick pull-up bars are available, you shouldn’t let this prevent you from practicing your technique.
- An extremely particular situation: when a thin bar is wet and a thick bar is dry, it is best to practice on the thicker bar. Even though it is harder to grip dry, a wet pull-up bar is nearly impossible to hold for long periods.
You can get creative with it too, e.g., I had a swing rack and a pull-up bar next to one another. And even though the swing isn’t intended for calisthenics, I tried our first muscle-ups on it as it was far thinner than the pull-up bar.
Benefits Of A Thick Bar Over A Thin Bar
The pros of using a thick bar over a thin one include:
Strengthens Grip
If you can grip a pull-up bar without compromising your form, losing balance, or slipping, it strengthens your forearms faster than a thinner one. However, this is only to the point until you start to fall, lose form, etc. A stronger grip benefits weight lifters and calisthenics athletes as it improves their ability to hold their bodyweight/dumbbells.
Improves Versatility
Especially for beginners, starting with thicker pull-up bars enables you to work out on all bars. By jumping straight into the deep end, it can’t get worse, making thinner bars considerably easier to exercise with. As a result, you can use whatever equipment gyms provide.
Aesthetically Pleasing
In my perspective, once you have perfected your technique on a thicker bar, it’s visually more pleasing to watch than using a thinner bar. As the bar has more girth, rotating your palms along the bar seems more smooth and flawless.
Benefits Of A Thin Bar Over A Thick Bar
Looking at the reverse, the pros of a thin bar over a thick one entail:
Slower Callus Growth
Thin pull-up bars stop you from using a death grip. This is because your palms have enough grip to hold your bodyweight without squeezing onto the bar. Therefore, you generate less friction between your skin and the bar, so calluses grow at a much slower rate. This benefits calisthenics and weight lifting, preventing hand infection or soreness in the long run.
Thinner Bars Are More Versatile
You can always make a thin bar thicker, but you can’t make a thick bar thinner. Training on a thin bar offers the flexibility to alter the thickness of the bar in case you find it not challenging enough or uncomfortable. You can do this using foam grips or similar.
Easier To Practice Techniques
As mentioned, a thinner bar should be your go-to if you want to practice any tricks, alter your form, or improve your technique. As thinner bars demand less forearm strength, you can spend more time on the motion of the move – rather than exhausting your muscles.
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