Horizontal Bars:

The Horizontal Bars are closely associated with chin-ups, one of the most basic pulling exercises. Chin-ups are one of the best tests of a person's strength to weight ratio -- a primary indicator of upper body strength.

Hold onto high bar, use the arms to pull up until the chin is level with or above the bar. Lower again and repeat according to your capability. This exercise can be done with two hand grips, forward or reverse, each strengthening different muscles. The forward grip (backs of hands facing you) places more emphasis on the trapezius and muscles of the back, whereas the reverse, underhand grip is narrower and places focus on the biceps.

The Horizontal Bars can also host many more exercises, including shoulder and arm stretching, improving the grip, the hanging leg lift which strengthens the abdominal muscles. Additionially, simply hanging by the arms to stretch the lower back and align the spine is a great benefit to the lower back.

Introduce yourself to all the exercises gradually, avoiding undue stress. Slowly build the number of repetitions. Most people find chin-ups very difficult, especially those with higher body weight. As necessary, use the ground to help boost upward motion. Many individuals will need to start out using the strength and stretch bars with the feet planted on the ground to develop the pulling action with less resistance.