Parallettes: 8 Exercises for Beginners
Parallettes are small bars with a big impact. They lift your hands off the floor, take strain off your wrists thanks to the neutral grip position and give you more range of motion. That makes them just as exciting for beginners as for advanced athletes working on the L-sit, planche or handstand.
Here are 8 exercises you can start with right away.
Before you get started
- Warm up: mobilise your wrists, shoulders and hips, plus a few easy push-ups.
- Set them up securely: the parallettes must stand firmly without wobbling.
- Technique over reps: fewer clean reps are better than lots of sloppy ones.
1. Push-ups on the parallettes
The classic with a greater range of motion: because your hands are raised, you can go deeper than on the floor. Keep your body in a straight line, keep your elbows close to your body and lower yourself under control.
2. Support hold
Support yourself on the parallettes with straight arms and lift your feet off the floor; you can bend your knees. Push your shoulders down, away from your ears. Start with 3 sets of 10–20 seconds. This exercise is the foundation for the L-sit and dips.
3. Tuck sit
From the support hold, pull your knees to your chest and hold the position. This trains your abs, hip flexors and shoulders and is the first stage on the way to the L-sit.
4. L-sit (progression)
From the tuck sit, extend one leg first, then both. Your legs stay parallel to the floor. It sounds easy, but it's one of the most demanding holds in calisthenics. Work your way up in small steps.
5. Dips between the parallettes
Sit between the parallettes, grip them behind your body and lower yourself under control. To start with, keep your feet on the floor and your knees bent. The further you extend your legs, the harder it gets.
6. Pike push-ups
Walk your feet further forward so your hips are high and your body forms an inverted V. Now lower your head between the parallettes. This exercise trains your shoulders and prepares you for handstand push-ups.
7. Planche lean
From the push-up position, lean forward with straight arms until your shoulders are in front of your hands. Hold the position for a few seconds. The planche lean is the starting point for the planche and builds targeted strength in your shoulders.
8. Frog stand / crow pose
In a deep squat, rest your knees on your upper arms and slowly shift your weight forward until your feet lift off. A great exercise for balance and wrist strength and a first step towards the handstand.
Sample workout for beginners
- Push-ups: 3 × 8–12
- Support hold: 3 × 15 seconds
- Pike push-ups: 3 × 6–10
- Tuck sit: 3 × 10 seconds
- Frog stand: 3 attempts of 10–20 seconds
Rest 60–90 seconds between sets. Two to three sessions per week are plenty to start with. If something hurts, listen to your body and have any pain that doesn't go away checked by a physiotherapist or a doctor.
Tip for training on the go
Parallettes are at their best when you have them with you everywhere: in the park, on holiday or at a session with your crew. With the ParaGo backpack for parallettes you can take them along safely, whether on foot or by bike. And for heavy statics such as the planche lean and L-sit, the Wrist Wraps Static Pro give your wrists extra stability.
Find out more about carrying them in our article Transporting Parallettes.
