Parallettes are small
gymnastics
Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, shou ...
devices, employed in pairs, used primarily to simulate the
parallel bars
Parallel bars are floor apparatus consisting of two wooden bars slightly over long and positioned at roughly head height. Parallel bars are used in artistic gymnastics and also for physical therapy and home exercise. Gymnasts may optionally we ...
that can be found in professional
gymnasiums
A gymnasium, also known as a gym, is an indoor location for athletics. The word is derived from the ancient Greek term " gymnasium". They are commonly found in athletic and fitness centres, and as activity and learning spaces in educational ins ...
. Parallettes are similar to pushup bars, or
dip bar
A dip bar is a piece of fitness equipment that consists of a U-shaped bar, usually about 1" (2.5 cm) in diameter, which surrounds the user's body at the waist. It is designed for the performance of, and named after, the dip exercise.
In addition ...
s, but they are generally longer and lower to the ground.
Aside from their appeal as equipment for gymnasts, parallettes are also appropriate for other athletes who wish to develop strength by means of bodyweight exercises.
Typical exercises done on parallettes include
L-sit {{Unreferenced, date=September 2011
The L-sit is an acrobatic body position in which all body weight rests on the hands, with the torso held in a slightly forward-leaning orientation, with legs held horizontally so that each leg forms a nominal r ...
s, V-sits,
Planche_(exercise)
A planche is a skill in gymnastics and calisthenics in which the body is held parallel to the ground, while being supported above the floor by straight arms. It is a move that requires significant strength and balance.
There are many variation ...
style holds, handstand presses, and
handstand pushup
The handstand push-up (press-up) - also called the vertical push-up (press-up) or the inverted push-up (press-up) also called "commandos"- is a type of push-up exercise where the body is positioned in a handstand. For a true handstand, the exerci ...
s.
Body weight is always supported on the hands, but some parallette exercises are excellent core and leg strengtheners as well.
Although parallettes can be purchased from a number of commercial sources, they are simple to fabricate from commonly available materials such as
PVC pipe. Consequently, both professional and home gyms will often utilize low-cost, "homemade" parallettes.
See also
*
Gymnastic ring
The rings, also known as still rings (in contrast to flying rings), is an artistic gymnastics apparatus and the event that uses it. It is traditionally used only by male gymnasts, due to its extreme upper body strength requirements. Gymnasts oft ...
s
References
External links
PDF instructions for homemade parallettes
Gymnastics apparatus
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