By Patryk Barglik, founder of Fit Your Gym. Updated: October 2026.
At home, wall bars (a Swedish ladder) are mainly for stretching, mobility and core work, and as a base for accessories. If you want to climb and hang at different heights, choose a full-height ladder. If you mostly train against the wall and don't have a free strip from floor to ceiling, a shorter module is enough. For pull-ups you need a pull-up bar and for dips you need dip bars, so for strength training choose a set from the start.
Wall bars in numbers
| Full-height wooden | With pull-up bar and dip station | For children's rooms | Fit Your Gym module | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height × width | 195–230 × 64–86 cm | 210–240 cm high | small about 137 cm, full-height 190–230 cm | 48 × 80 cm |
| Depth from wall | 8–19 cm | 14–19 cm; 53–88 cm with the bar fitted | depends on accessories | 14 cm |
| Stated load | usually 100–150 kg | 100–250 kg | small 50 kg, full-height usually 100 kg; accessories 50–80 kg | 150 kg |
| Material | pine, beech, ash or birch | steel or wood | wood (pine, birch) or steel | solid ash |
| Price | about €80–700 (UK about £300–860) | about €125–650 (UK steel sets about £70–150) | about €120–530 (UK about £100–580) | €328.95–381.95 (UK £283–327) |
| Best for | climbing, hanging and stretching at every height | pull-ups, dips and stretching on one wall | supervised play and movement for children | stretching, mobility, core; a base for dip bars |
Figures are ranges from product pages of popular models in German and UK online shops (checked on 9 October 2026). Check the specification of the exact product before you buy.
Full height or a module?
A classic gym Swedish ladder runs from the floor almost to the ceiling. In shops these are usually 210–230 cm high and about 80 cm wide. You get rungs at every height, so you can climb, hang and stretch in many positions. But it takes up a whole strip of wall, and with a low ceiling the top rungs sit right under it.
A module is a short section of wall bars that you mount at the height you choose. Ours is 80 cm wide, 48 cm high and 14 cm deep from the wall. Mounted low, it works for exercises with your feet hooked in; higher up, for stretching and incline push-ups. Modules can be stacked vertically with any gap between them: the XL set has three and is designed for walls higher than 250 cm.
How to choose:
- Climbing and hanging at different heights: a full-height ladder. For children's play, choose wall bars made for children (see below).
- Stretching, mobility, core and little wall space: a module.
- Pull-ups and dips: a set with a pull-up bar and dip bars.
Leave about a metre of free space in front of the wall bars for lunges and forward bends.
Wood or steel?
- Wood is warm to the touch and looks at home in a living room. Cheaper ladders often have pine sides and beech rungs; ladders made entirely of hardwood (beech, ash, birch) cost more.
- Steel is often rated higher (some models up to 250 kg), and in the UK basic steel sets start at about £70. It looks like gym equipment, though, and steel rungs feel cold.
- Grip. Check the rung circumference or diameter, especially if you want to hang from it. The rungs on our wall bars have a circumference of 11.5 cm.
Installation: only a solid, stable wall
Wall bars transfer the load to the wall through the wall plugs, so the wall and the fixings decide how safe they are.
- Mount them on a solid, stable wall or pillar. Manufacturers often require a load-bearing wall, and some rule out plasterboard.
- Check what's in the box. Some ladders come with wall plugs for masonry; for others you have to choose and buy them separately.
- With a plasterboard (drywall) wall, have a professional assess the installation.
- In a rented home, check your tenancy agreement or ask your landlord.
Our wall bars come with a drilling template and 12 Fischer DuoPower 8×65 wall plugs with hardened 5.0×80 mm wood screws. For a solid, stable wall there is nothing extra to choose or buy.
Choose the mounting height to suit your own height. Mount the pull-up bar high enough that you can hang freely with straight legs, without your feet touching the floor.
10 exercises on wall bars
You can do each exercise on a single module, but not all of them at the same mounting height: each one says where the rung should be. Exercise 10 needs dip bars. If you have an injury or back problems, ask a physiotherapist which exercises suit you.
- Forward fold with hands on a rung. Hold a rung at hip height, step back and lower your torso with a flat back until you feel the stretch in the backs of your thighs and in your shoulders. Hold for 30–45 seconds.
- Chest opener. Stand side-on to the wall bars, put one hand on a rung at shoulder height and slowly turn your torso away. 30 seconds per side.
- Assisted deep squat. Holding a rung, sink into a deep squat with your heels on the floor and stay there for 30–60 seconds. The wall bars help you balance.
- Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch. Kneel on one knee with the other foot in front, hold a rung and shift your hips forward. 30 seconds per side.
- Incline push-ups on a rung. Put your hands on a rung at hip height, keep your body in a straight line and lower your chest to the rung. The higher the rung, the easier it is. 3 sets of 8–15.
- Rows facing the wall bars. Hold a rung at chest height, lean back on straight arms and pull your chest to the rung. The further your feet are from the wall, the easier it is. Keep a firm grip on the rung. 3 sets of 8–12.
- Bulgarian split squat. Stand with your back to the wall bars, rest your rear foot on a rung at knee height and lower yourself on the front leg. 3 sets of 8–10 per leg.
- Sit-ups with feet hooked. With the module just above the floor, hook your feet under the lowest rung and sit up. 3 sets of 10–15.
- Lying leg raises. Lie on your back with your head towards the wall bars, hold a low rung and raise your straight legs to vertical. 3 sets of 8–12.
- Dips and L-sit on dip bars. With dip bars fitted to the wall bars you can do dips and an L-sit (supporting yourself with your legs held straight out in front). These are strength exercises, so start with a few reps.
Wall bars for a children's room
Many people look for wall bars for a child's room. That is different equipment from our module.
- Children's wall bars are either small (about 137 cm, usually up to 50 kg) or full-height (190–230 cm), often with rings, a rope and a slide. Full-height sets are usually rated for about 100 kg, and accessories for 50–80 kg.
- Check the minimum age (usually 3+) and whether the manufacturer names a safety standard for gymnastic equipment, such as EN 913.
- Mount them only on a load-bearing wall and put a mat underneath.
- Our wall bars and sets are training equipment for adults. Children may use them only under adult supervision.
Our wall bars and sets
We designed the Fit Your Gym wall bars to stay on a living-room wall.
- Solid ash, handmade in Poland. Four colours: natural, brown, white and black.
- Module: 80 cm wide, 48 cm high, 14 cm from the wall. Rungs with an 11.5 cm circumference.
- Stated load capacity: 150 kg.
- Mounting kit included: drilling template and 12 Fischer DuoPower 8×65 wall plugs with 5.0×80 mm screws.
- Dip bars (65 cm long, 17 cm circumference) mount directly on the wall bars, and you set their spacing to your shoulder width. They cannot be mounted on the wall on their own.
- 2-year warranty.
| Version | What's included | Best for | Price with free delivery (October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wall bars | wall bar module | stretching, mobility, core | €328.95–381.95 (UK £283–327) |
| Wall bars + dip bars set | module + dip bars | the same + dips and L-sits | €502.95–579.95 (UK £433–498) |
| Wooden home gym set | pull-up bar + module + dip bars | full bodyweight training | €847.95–984.95 (UK £725–842) |
| Wooden home gym XL | pull-up bar + 3 modules + dip bars | walls higher than 250 cm | €1,347.95–1,574.95 (UK £1,150–1,342) |
If you only need wall bars for stretching and want to spend as little as possible, a full-height pine ladder (from about €80 in EU shops) will also do the job. Ours is for people who care about the look, hardwood and the option to add dip bars and a pull-up bar.
Choosing a pull-up bar too? Read our guide “Pull-up bar for home: wall-mounted, doorway or free-standing?”.
Frequently asked questions
What size are wall bars?
Full-height wooden wall bars in online shops are usually 210–230 cm high and about 80 cm wide. Our module is 80 cm wide and 48 cm high and sticks out 14 cm from the wall.
How much space do wall bars need?
A strip of wall as wide as the wall bars (ours: 80 cm) and about a metre of free space in front for bends and lunges.
Can wall bars be mounted on plasterboard?
The board alone will not carry the load. Our wall bars are designed for solid, stable walls; with a plasterboard wall, have a professional assess the installation.
How much weight can wall bars hold?
Wooden wall bars in popular shops are usually rated for 100–150 kg. Ours: 150 kg. The wall and the fixings matter for safety too.
Can I add dip bars to wall bars?
Yes. Our dip bars mount directly on Fit Your Gym wall bars, and you set the spacing to your shoulder width. If you don't have the wall bars yet, choose the wall bars + dip bars set.
Are wall bars suitable for children?
Our wall bars are training equipment for adults; children may use them only under adult supervision. For play, choose wall bars made for children, with a stated age and a safety standard such as EN 913.