Calisthenics equipment
What you need at each stage, one guide per tool, the brands compared, and a directory of who makes what.
Calisthenics needs less gear than almost any other strength sport, and that is exactly why the little you buy matters. One bar changes what you can train. A second tool decides which skills you can start. Buy in the wrong order and you spend money on things you will not touch for a year.
This page is the reference for the whole section. Each tool has its own guide (what it is, which types exist, how to choose, technique and questions), a brand comparison for the four main categories, and a brand directory filterable by product and country.
What to buy, in order
Four stages. Most people stay at each one for months, and that is fine.
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The first months
Nothing to buy
Push-ups, squats, lunges, planks, hollow body holds and pike push-ups cover the first two or three months. The only thing the floor cannot give you is a pull.
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First purchase
A pull-up bar
Door frame, wall-mounted or free-standing. It unlocks pull-ups, rows, dead hangs and hanging leg raises. Most people should own one before anything else. Bands bridge the gap until the first strict rep.
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Second purchase
Parallettes or rings
The second purchase depends on where you are going. Parallettes serve statics: L-sit, planche leans, handstand with neutral wrists. Rings serve pulling and pushing under instability. A dip bar is the stable alternative for dips.
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Later
Load
Once bodyweight sets are easy, a weight belt turns pull-ups and dips into streetlifting. It comes last, not first: joints need the volume before the plates.
It depends on your goal
The order above is the default. If you already know which discipline you are training for, the shopping list changes: what to buy first, what comes next, what to leave alone for now.
| Goal | Buy first | Then | Skip for now | Related |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statics | Parallettes | Rings | Weight belt, weighted vest | Front lever progression, L-sit progression |
| Freestyle | A fixed bar (outdoor or wall-mounted) | Rings | Door frame bar, parallettes | Muscle-up progression, Power moves |
| Streetlifting | Pull-up bar | Weight belt, Dip bar | Rings, parallettes | Pull-up, Dip |
| Set and reps | Pull-up bar | Dip bar, Bands | Weight belt, until bodyweight volume is easy | How to structure a workout |
Goals with a link point to the competitions in that discipline, to see what the athletes actually train.
Which tool for which skill
| Tool | What it is for | Skills | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pull-up bar | Pull-ups, rows, hanging leg raises, front lever, muscle-up | Pull-up, Chin-up, Hanging leg raise | Guide · Brands compared |
| Parallettes | L-sit, planche progressions, handstand, deep push-ups | Push-up, Pike push-up, Dip | Guide · Brands compared |
| Gymnastic rings | Ring dips, ring rows, support holds, back lever | Dip, Row, Push-up | Guide · Brands compared |
| Dip bar | Dips, set and reps work, weighted dips | Dip | Guide · Brands compared |
| Resistance bands | Assisted pull-ups and dips, mobility, skill assistance | Pull-up, Row | Guide |
| Weight belt | Weighted pull-ups and dips, streetlifting | Pull-up, Dip | Guide |
Guides by tool
- dip bar
Dip Bar for Calisthenics: Types, Height, Brands & Training
Guide to dip bars and parallel bars: standalone vs adjustable, best brands, how to choose. For dips, L-sit, and HSPU training.
- rings
Gymnastic Rings for Calisthenics: Wood vs Plastic, Training & Brands
Guide to gymnastic rings: wood vs plastic, strap setup, exercises, best brands. Everything for ring training in calisthenics.
- parallettes
Parallettes for Calisthenics: Types, Brands & Buying Guide
Complete guide to parallettes: low vs high, wood vs steel, best brands for planche and L-sit training. Choose the right pair for your level.
- pull up bar
Pull-up Bar for Calisthenics: Types, Setup & Brands
Guide to pull-up bars for home calisthenics: wall-mounted vs doorframe, best brands, setup tips. Find the right bar for your space.
- resistance bands
Resistance Bands for Calisthenics: Types, Sizes and Uses
Guide to resistance bands: assisted pull-ups and muscle-ups, which resistance to buy, loop against tube bands, and how to set them up safely.
- weight belt
Weight Belt for Calisthenics: Dip Belts, Loading and Setup
Guide to dip belts: when to start adding weight, chain against rope, how much to load, and what to check on a belt before buying.
Brands compared
One page per category listing what each brand offers, with published specs. Start from the guide if you want the criteria, from the comparison if you want the shortlist.
Tested by us
Products measured and used for weeks before writing. Our numbers, not the brand's.
All testsHow we write these pages
Guides explain the tool and how to pick one. The "brands compared" pages list what each manufacturer offers, with the specs they publish and a clear note when a number is missing. We have not tested every product, and the pages say so: no ranking, no star ratings, no prices that go stale. Product claims are checked against the brands' official pages before they go live. When a product has been used and measured, it gets a review and the directory marks it as tested.
Brands
Who makes what, where they ship from, and which of their gear we have tested. Filter the directory by product type or country.