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Let’s look at some questions that you might want to know about using monkey bars.

Which muscles do monkey bars work?

Monkey bars are a great exercise for building upper body strength, particularly in the arms, shoulders, chest, and back muscles. When you perform monkey bars, you engage various muscle groups, including:

  1. Latissimus dorsi: These are the largest muscles in your back, located on each side of the spine. They help you pull your body weight up and across the monkey bars.
  2. Biceps: These muscles are located in the front of your upper arm, and they help you bend your elbow and lift your body weight.
  3. Forearms: The muscles in your forearms help you grip the bars and control your movements.
  4. Shoulders: Your shoulder muscles, including the deltoids and rotator cuff muscles, help you stabilize and move your arms while performing monkey bars.
  5. Chest: The pectoral muscles in your chest also help you lift and move your body weight across the monkey bars.

Overall, monkey bars provide an effective upper body workout that targets multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

What age can a child do monkey bars?

The ability to do monkey bars can vary depending on the child’s physical development and coordination. Most children will develop the necessary strength and coordination to use monkey bars by the age of 5 or 6 years old. However, some children may be able to use monkey bars as early as 3 or 4 years old, while others may not be able to do so until they are 7 or 8 years old.

It’s important to note that children should always be supervised when using playground equipment, including monkey bars. They should also be encouraged to use proper form and technique to avoid injury. If you’re unsure whether your child is ready to use monkey bars, you can consult with a pediatrician or physical therapist to determine if they have the necessary strength and coordination.

Why are monkey bars harder for adults?

Monkey bars may be harder for adults than for children for a few reasons:

  1. Decreased upper body strength: As we age, our muscle mass tends to decrease, and we may lose some of our upper body strength. This can make it more challenging to pull our body weight across the monkey bars.
  2. Reduced flexibility: Adults may have reduced flexibility in their shoulders and back, making it harder to perform the required movements to swing from bar to bar.
  3. Fear of falling: Adults may be more risk-averse and have a greater fear of falling, which can make them more hesitant to use monkey bars.
  4. Lack of practice: Children tend to play on monkey bars more frequently than adults do, which means they may have developed more strength, coordination, and confidence over time.

It’s worth noting that some adults may still be able to use monkey bars with ease, particularly those who have maintained their strength and flexibility through regular exercise. However, for many adults, monkey bars may pose a greater challenge than they did during childhood.

How long should you hang on monkey bars?

The amount of time you should hang on monkey bars depends on your fitness level and goals. If you are just starting out, you may want to begin with short hanging intervals and gradually increase the time as you build strength. A good starting point for beginners might be to hang for 10-15 seconds at a time.

For more advanced exercisers, hanging on monkey bars can be used as a form of isometric training, which involves holding a static position to build strength. In this case, you may want to aim for longer hanging intervals of 30 seconds or more.

It’s important to listen to your body and avoid overdoing it when working out on monkey bars. If you feel any discomfort or pain in your shoulders, back, or arms, it’s best to stop hanging and rest for a while. You can also consult with a fitness professional to determine the best hanging time and technique based on your fitness level and goals.

Why can’t some children do monkey bars?

There are several reasons why some children may have difficulty doing monkey bars:

  1. Lack of upper body strength: Monkey bars require a lot of upper body strength, and some children may not yet have developed the strength needed to pull themselves up and swing from bar to bar.
  2. Poor grip strength: Children with weak grip strength may have difficulty holding onto the bars, which can make it challenging to move across the monkey bars.
  3. Poor coordination: Coordinating the movements required for monkey bars can be challenging for some children, particularly if they have not yet developed good motor skills.
  4. Fear of falling: Some children may be afraid of falling while using monkey bars, which can make them hesitant to try.
  5. Physical disabilities: Children with certain physical disabilities, such as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy, may not have the strength or coordination required to use monkey bars.

It’s important to note that every child develops at their own pace, and some may take longer to develop the strength and coordination needed for monkey bars. If your child is having difficulty with monkey bars, you can encourage them to keep trying, but it’s also important to be supportive and help them find other forms of physical activity that they enjoy and feel comfortable with.

How to do monkey bars for beginners!

If you’re a beginner, the following steps can help you learn how to do monkey bars:

  1. Start with a low bar: Look for a set of monkey bars where the first bar is low to the ground, so you can practice hanging and swinging without falling from a high distance.
  2. Hang from the first bar: Grasp the first bar with both hands, keeping your arms straight and your feet off the ground. Try to hang for a few seconds at a time, focusing on maintaining a tight grip and engaging your core muscles.
  3. Move to the next bar: Once you feel comfortable hanging from the first bar, swing your body forward to grab the second bar. Keep your arms straight as you swing, and try to land your feet on the ground when you let go of the first bar.
  4. Practice swinging: Once you can move from bar to bar with your feet on the ground, start practicing swinging from one bar to the next without touching the ground. Use your momentum to swing forward and backward, keeping your body in a straight line and engaging your core muscles.
  5. Build up your strength: To improve your strength for monkey bars, you can also try doing pull-ups, push-ups, and other upper body exercises.

Remember to always practice safety when using monkey bars. Make sure the bars are secure and stable, and avoid using them in wet or slippery conditions. It’s also a good idea to have a spotter or to use safety mats to prevent injury in case of a fall.

Are monkey bars better than pull ups?

Monkey bars and pull-ups are both effective upper body exercises, but they target slightly different muscle groups.

Pull-ups primarily work your back, shoulders, and biceps, while monkey bars engage these muscles as well as your forearms, grip, and core. Monkey bars also provide an additional challenge by requiring you to move from bar to bar, which can help improve your coordination and overall body control.

Which exercise is “better” really depends on your fitness goals and personal preferences. If you’re looking to build upper body strength and specifically target your back and biceps, pull-ups may be a more focused exercise for you. However, if you’re looking for a full-body workout that challenges your grip strength and coordination, monkey bars may be a better option.

It’s also worth noting that both exercises can be scaled to suit your fitness level. For example, if you’re just starting out, you may want to begin with assisted pull-ups or hanging on monkey bars for short intervals, and gradually work up to more challenging variations as you build strength and confidence.

How to do monkey bars without hurting your hands

Hanging and swinging on monkey bars can be tough on your hands, particularly if you’re new to the exercise or haven’t built up calluses yet. Here are some tips to help you avoid hurting your hands while doing monkey bars:

  1. Use a grip aid: Wearing gloves, using chalk, or applying grip spray can all help improve your grip and reduce friction between your hands and the bars.
  2. Build up your grip strength: The stronger your grip, the easier it will be to hold onto the bars without causing discomfort. You can build grip strength by doing exercises like grip strengtheners, farmer’s walks, and hanging from a bar for increasing intervals of time.
  3. Use proper technique: Avoid gripping the bars too tightly or clenching your hands into a fist, which can strain your muscles and make it harder to hold on. Instead, try to keep your hands relaxed and open, with your fingers spread apart and your thumbs wrapped around the bar.
  4. Take breaks as needed: If your hands start to feel sore or tired, take a break and stretch your fingers and wrists. You can also switch to a different exercise for a few minutes before returning to the monkey bars.
  5. Gradually increase your time on the bars: If you’re new to monkey bars or haven’t done them in a while, start with short intervals of hanging and swinging, and gradually increase the amount of time you spend on the bars as your hands become more accustomed to the exercise.
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Bespoke Pull Up Bar and Parallel Bar Gym

Case Study : Ivan – Callisthenics Athlete and Personal Trainer in Kent

·        Product Purchased : Separate Pull Up Bar and Parallel Bars

·        Tallest Bar Height : 2.5m

·        Added Extras: None

·        Who is using : Adults / Calisthenics Athletes

·        Age : 18+

About the Customer

Ivan is a keen and accomplished calisthenics athlete and personal trainer.  After moving out of London to Canterbury he was frustrated with the lack of good quality calisthenics equipment in the local parks and the local area.  He approached the local council but had no luck in convincing them of the merits of installing calisthenics equipment. 

Designing the Perfect Outdoor Gym

This is where Xorbars came to his rescue.  Ivan contacted us and specifically wanted a standalone high Pull Up Bar and separate Parallel Bars for his training and for the development of calisthenics training videos which he and his team are working on. 

Under normal circumstances, we generally prefer that Pull Up Bars are NOT separate i.e. we like to attach multiple posts and bars for greater stability and maximum life span.  It is not a ‘must’ but our general advice is ‘the more posts and bars connected the stronger and longer the equipment will last’.  That said, we agreed with Ivan to put the posts 1 meter into the ground with a solid concrete base and footings in order to give the greatest support possible.   

Ivan chose our longest length bars to optimise his gym and opted for 3 x 6.5ft (2 meters) Bars.  This is the longest length of pull up bar in the Xorbars range.  He also opted for a high height of 2.5m from the ground.  As standard we put pull up bars in at 2.35m.

The Parallel Bars were installed at a height of 1.2m.   We often put a bar in between the posts of our parallel bars.  This is called our 16inch bar.  This can be added to the Parallels as a step-up bar for performing exercises like negative dips if needed and/or for children to use more easily.

On the Day of Installation 

​The location for Ivan’s Pull Up and Parallel Bars were in a back field a fair distance from the property. This vital information came through on our Pre-Installation Survey, it was pre-arranged that Water and Electricity would be run up to the site, so installation was straight forward.

Due to the exceptionally hot Summer the UK had experienced, the ground for all installations had been baked which made this Summer’s installs a challenge. On several installs our installer arrived the evening prior to install day to measure out and dig pilot holes and get water into the ground, this approach helped digging the footings the next day.

What Did the Customer Say About Us?

Another five-star review and very happy Xorbars customer !

Very good quality bars and a great service. I have used a few times in the past as have my friends. I would definitely use again. As a professional athlete I’m very pleased.

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Which garden gym is great for training and kids play…?

 

  • Case Study : Ben – Kent
  • Product Purchased : Bespoke Assault Gym with Pegboard
  • Tallest Bar Height : 2.35m
  •  Added Extras: Pegboard, Grab Hold / Foot Up, Rope
  • Who is using : Adults for training / Kids for playing
  • Age : 8+

About The Customer

Ben is a keen runner but wanted to add some at home resistance training to his exercise repertoire. He was also looking for something he and his three girls could use together. Xorbars has the ideal solution, in this Case Study we’ll go through all aspects of the Assault gym.

Designing For Training and Play

What’s a great gym to suit training and family play…? The Assault Gym is a great starting point for both of these. Ben ordered the Assault gym online and then got in touch to discuss adding some extras such as the addition of a Pegboard.

Can Pegboards be added to any gym? Yes, Pegboards add that next level of training to Xorbars and can replace a 5ft or 3.5ft Pull Up Bar or can be added on to any gym with an extra post.

On this Assault gym, we replaced a 5ft Pull Up Bar at one end of the gym to give another element of difficulty and skill to conquer, the length of the Pegboard then determines the length of the Pull Up Bar and Parallel Bars that run parallel on this gym. 

Xorbars Birch Pegboards come in 3.5ft or 5ft widths and provide years of calisthenics training to help you sculpt the perfect athletic body. We supply two Ash pegs to go with your Pegboard and upon installation it is treated with a wood preservative to keep protected from the elements. Pegs need to be stored indoors, in a dry environment and not left in the Pegboard outside, where they can swell.

What length are the Xorbars Monkey Bars? One set of Monkey Bars measures just over two metres and the great thing with the Assault Gym, it has two sets with a mini bar in the middle connecting them – this gives over four metres of hang time! 

The Assault is our largest Monkey Bar Gym and Monkey Bars were a must for the girls aged 8, 10 and 11. 

What height are Monkey Bars? The bars can be installed at a height of up to 2.35 metres which is a great height for the girls’ ages, providing a challenge for them but at a safe height for jumping down from. 

As with any of our Monkey Bar gyms , you will find that children will love to climb all over them, hang upside down and crawl along the top, amongst using the bars in the traditional way. Ben wanted a pull up bar to be able to train whilst the girls played on the monkey bar, so the Assault gym was perfect.

Did you know? The Assault Gym was used by Nike in their 2019 TV Advertising and uses 2 x monkey bars at different heights with a connecting bar for transitions. With 3 x pull up bars at varying heights and parallel bars, this garden gym is ideal for all the family or any calisthenics enthusiast. 

What else can i add to my Xorbars Gym? The girls wanted a set of Gymnastic rings which can go on either the pull up bar or the monkey bars (these are readily available from various online retailers). They are also great for dad too as there are a massive array of exercises that can incorporate into his training. 

Ropes Swings are a great addition to all our gyms too, Ben opted for our Premium Handmade Premium Rope Swing to hang from the Monkey Bars. This is made to measure by specialist craftsmen in Norfolk. 

Once your garden gym has been installed, our installer James confirms the length and then they get to work splicing together your rope and sending it directly to you. Because the ropes are made to your exact height requirements it means that you wont have lots of unsightly rope laying on the floor underneath the pull up bar – the maximum drop is 3 meters. There is a splice at the top of the rope (a bit like a noose) so all you have to do is throw the rope over the bar, thread it through the noose and pull.  You can also tie knots in as desired to make it easier for children to climb or leave it as is for a more challenging element on your garden gym. The rope will NOT damage the paintwork on your bars.

As above, Pegboards can be incorporated too, on this Assault gym we added in at one end of the gym to give an extra skill for the kids to learn and a real challenge for Ben to master. 

The Parallel Bars were installed at 1.2m which is the standard height, this allows plenty of height even for our taller customers to use for negative dips. 

On Installation Day

The gym was placed in an area of the garden that wasn’t currently used. It was tucked away close to trees and will have bark laid around the whole area, so it also acts as a great base for the kids.  Access for this gym was a dream with James being able to drive right onto the site of installation.

What Did the Customer Say About Us…?

Ben and the children were delighted with their new Assault Garden Gym and gave Xorbars a five-star review!

Ben

Excellent service. Design and installation is top quality. Very pleased

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Bespoke Pull Up Bar and Parallel Bar Gym

·        Case Study : Ivan – Callisthenics Athlete and Personal Trainer in Kent

·        Product Purchased : Separate Pull Up Bar and Parallel Bars

·        Tallest Bar Height : 2.5m

·        Added Extras: None

·        Who is using : Adults / Calisthenics Athletes

·        Age : 18+

About the Customer

Ivan is a keen and accomplished callisthenics athlete and personal trainer.  After moving out of London to Canterbury he was frustrated with the lack of good quality callisthenics equipment in the local parks and the local area.  He approached the local council but had no luck in convincing them of the merits of installing callisthenics equipment. 

Designing the Perfect Outdoor Gym

This is where Xorbars came to his rescue.  Ivan contacted us and specifically wanted a standalone high Pull Up Bar and separate Parallel Bars for his training and for the development of callisthenics training videos which he and his team are working on. 

Under normal circumstances, we generally prefer that Pull Up Bars are NOT separate i.e. we like to attached multiple posts and bars for greater stability and maximum life span.  It is not a ‘must’ but our general advice is ‘the more posts and bars connected the stronger and longer the equipment will last’.  That said, we agreed with Ivan to put the posts 1 meter into the ground with a solid concrete base and footings in order to give the greatest support possible.   

Ivan chose our longest length bars to optimise his gym and opted for 3 x 6.5ft (2 meters) Bars.  This is the longest length of pull up bar in the Xorbars range.  He also opted for a high height of 2.5m from the ground.  As standard we put pull up bars in at 2.35m.

The Parallel Bars were installed at a height of 1.2m.   We often put a bar in between the posts of our parallel bars.  This is called our 16inch bar.  This can be added to the Parallels as a step-up bar for performing exercises like negative dips if needed and/or for children to use more easily.

On the Day of Installation 

​The location for Ivan’s Pull Up and Parallel Bars were in a back field a fair distance from the property. This vital information came through on our Pre-Installation Survey,  it was pre-arranged that Water and Electricity would be run up to the site so installation was straight forward.

Due to the exceptionally hot Summer the UK had experienced, the ground for all installations had been baked which made this Summer’s installs a challenge. On several installs our installer arrived the evening prior to install day to measure out and dig pilot holes and get water into the ground, this approach helped digging the footings the next day.

What Did the Customer Say About Us?

Another five-star review and very happy Xorbars customer !

Ivan

Very good quality bars and a great service. I have used a few times in the past as have my friends. I would definitely use again. As a professional athlete I’m very pleased.

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Case Study: Odysseus Platform Gym for Adventure & Play

  • Product Purchased : Odysseus Platform Gym
  • Tallest Bar Height : 2.4m
  • Added Extras : Pegboard, TRX Bracket, 4 x Ladder bars for accessing Monkey Bars, Boxing Bag Bracket, Foot Up/Grab Bars… this gym really does have all the bells and whistles
  • Who is using : Adults and children (recreational fun and family exercise)
  • Age : 4+
  • Customer Case Study : Chris – Staffordshire

Synopsis – The following post is by Project Manager Amy. It takes a look into all the options for a Platform Gym.

What Gym Design was our Customer Looking for?

Chris initially emailed and got in touch with Xorbars because he was just outside our usual installation zone.  He had already been researching our family friendly Zeus and Odysseus Platform gyms and thought they would be the perfect addition to his garden.  On this occasion due to the property / garden’s great access and only being a stone’s throw outside an installation zone, our installer James was willing to go the extra mile. 

With an initial design in mind, we got to work with sketching out various options, discussing what were essentials for this family’s Xorbars’s gym.  A Pegboard was on the wish list which was easily incorporated in place of a 5ft bar.  This adds a next level of difficulty to exercise and an addictive skill, great to keep the kids and adults coming back for another go! 

Xorbars Odysseus design was confirmed; one of our largest gyms, this really does have it all… a Monkey Bar section – a kids favourite pastime, a 5ft square hand cut Platform – great for den building underneath and hanging out, this sits at a height of 1.5 metres but can be lowered or lifted, parallel bars for a dip station – or for children to hang upside down, a winner in our house! and also, two 6.5ft pull up bars for the adults to really get to grips with. 

With our Odysseus gym being a large twelve post set up, we were also able to incorporate a Boxing Bag Bracket, a TRX bracket, Foot Up/Grab Hold bar for accessing the Pegboard and a second set of ladders for accessing the platform too. 

In The Future… 

The customer is also interested in adding a swing to the Monkey Bars / Pull Up Bars.  But the additions don’t stop there… This layout also goes hand in hand with the more restful addition of a Hammock, easily added to the Pull Up bars or even a Slide can be added to the platform which will keep the kids entertained for hours.

There is something to keep the whole family busy!

Three Day Build… in the rain.

Access to the site of the Gym wasn’t an issue at all with a huge private driveway leading up to the open plan garden with the site for the Odysseus being only 20 yards from the parking area.  Unloading the van and setting all materials out was simple and straight forward, water easily accessible which makes installing much easier. 

We ask a lot of questions in our Pre Installation survey’s due to not be able to visit the property prior to installation, we like to determine an straight forward plan of action and ensure we have got everything covered.  To have an area to disperse soil within a reasonable distance for our installers, makes building your Xorbars much more straight forward and knowing all the information ahead of time.

After a quick chat about the gym’s location, installer James got to work measuring out and digging the holes for the posts.  The British weather wasn’t on our side for this installation, but it didn’t dampen the fantastic Odysseus Platform Gym . Incase you were wondering… The cute dog did not help James with this installation.

And the end result…?

Adventure, Play and Exercise all in one place – Designed to combine all the benefits of our calisthenic gyms with the fun of both playing and Parkour (Jumping). There is plenty of room for adults and children to play, jump off and create.

Please get in touch if you would like my help designing your outdoor garden gym.

AMY SERCOME – XORBARS PROJECT MANAGER