14 Power Tower & Captain's Chair Exercises for Upper Body Strength

Quick Answer: A power tower is a multi-station bodyweight setup that usually includes a pull-up bar, dip bars, and often a Captain’s Chair (knee raise station). Use it to build upper body strength (pull-ups, chin-ups, dips), core strength (knee raises, leg raises), and even add push-ups from the base handles. If you can progress reps first, then add load (vest, belt, dumbbell, band), a power tower can be a legit muscle-building tool.

Safety note: If you have shoulder pain, elbow pain, a history of hernia, or low back issues, start conservative and keep everything slow and controlled. Stop if you feel sharp pain, numbness, or tingling. Warm up before you train.

Table of Contents:

• What’s a Power Tower?
• What’s a Captain’s Chair?
• Power Tower vs Captain’s Chair
• Benefits of Power Towers
• 14 Best Power Tower and Captain’s Chair Exercises
• Captain’s Chair Workout + Power Tower Workout
• Buying Guide: What to Look For
• Final Note

What’s a Power Tower?

The Power Tower is a piece of gym equipment you’ve probably seen without knowing the name. It usually combines a pull-up bar, a dip station, a knee raise station (often called a Captain’s Chair), and sometimes push-up grips at the base.

The basic purpose is simple: give you one stable platform to complete multiple bodyweight exercises that build upper body strength and core strength.

Most power towers combine three stations:

• Pull-up bar
• Parallel bars / dip station
• Captain’s Chair / knee raise station (sometimes called a Roman Chair station)

That’s why it shows up in so many home gyms. It is basically a “mini bodyweight playground” that takes up less space than buying each piece separately.

What’s a Captain’s Chair?

A Captain’s Chair looks like a chair with no seat. Instead of sitting, you brace your forearms on pads, grip vertical handles, and use a backrest to stay stable.

It’s mainly used for ab and oblique training because it lets you lift your knees or legs without needing elite grip strength. Some Captain’s Chairs also include parallel grips that allow for dips.

Power Tower vs Captain’s Chair: What’s the Difference?

People often use these terms interchangeably, but there is a real difference.

• Power Tower: Usually includes a pull-up bar and dip bars. It may or may not include a Captain’s Chair station.
• Captain’s Chair: Primarily a core station with a backrest, forearm pads, and vertical grips. It may include dip handles but usually does not include a pull-up bar.

So yes, you can have a power tower without the Captain’s Chair, or a Captain’s Chair without the pull-up bar.

What Is the Power Tower Good For?

If your gym has a complete power tower, you can get a serious upper body and core workout using that one piece of equipment. It’s great for pull-ups, chin-ups, dips, knee raises, leg raises, and push-ups.

You can hit back, chest, arms, core, and even legs (to a lesser degree, since you are mostly suspended).

What Is a Power Tower Workout?

A power tower workout centers around bodyweight pushing, pulling, and core work. You can make it easier or harder by adding tools like a weight vest, resistance bands, or a dip belt and plates.

Below you’ll find a sample power tower workout (full upper body + core) and a Captain’s Chair-only workout if you want an ab-focused day.

Is the Captain’s Chair Good for Abs?

Yes. The Captain’s Chair is one of the best tools for training abs and obliques, especially if grip strength limits your hanging leg raise work.

A 2001 ACE (American Council on Exercise) study compared EMG activity across 13 ab exercises. The Captain’s Chair knee raise ranked 1st in oblique activation and 2nd in rectus abdominis activation. Use it alongside other core work and you have a strong recipe for building your midsection.

Related:

• Best Upper Ab Exercises
• Best Lower Ab Exercises
• Best Oblique Exercises
• Abs Explained: Can You Have A 10 Pack?

Benefits of Power Towers

The power tower is versatile and surprisingly effective when used consistently. Here are the major benefits.

Full body training (mostly upper + core): Pull-ups, dips, and push-ups are compound movements that can build serious strength and muscle. Legs are harder to train hard on a tower, but you can still get some hip flexor and core work through raises.

Versatile design: The backrest and forearm pads help you focus on core exercises. Dip grips are typically spaced well for safe reps. Many towers can be broken down for storage, which is a nice bonus for home gyms.

Accessible for all levels: Advanced lifters can add weight to pull-ups, chin-ups, and dips. Beginners can use loop bands for assistance. The Captain’s Chair makes knee raise variations doable even if hanging from a bar is not happening yet.

Affordable: Many towers fall in the $100-$300 range. If it replaces multiple stations and keeps you training consistently, it is a pretty strong value.

Bodyweight strength that carries over: Better pressing strength, stronger lats and upper back, a more stable core, and improved control of your body in space. That stuff tends to help everything else you do.

14 Best Power Tower and Captain’s Chair Exercises

Below are 14 of the best exercises you can do on a power tower and Captain’s Chair to hit back, shoulders, chest, arms, and core.

Progression plan (simple and effective):

• If you cannot do the movement unassisted, start with assistance bands.
• When you can hit ~20 reps with a very light band, attempt unassisted reps.
• Build unassisted to 10 reps, then 15, then 20 with clean form.
• Once you can hit 20 clean reps, add load (5-10 lb), then build back up again.

Note: As always, consult your doctor before beginning any new fitness routine. Warm up before training.

1. Knee Raise

This is a fantastic beginner-friendly core move. It targets the lower abs plus the hip flexors (including the hip flexors like the iliopsoas, TFL, adductor longus, pectineus, rectus femoris, and sartorius).

How To:

• Grip handles and place your forearms against the pads and back against the backrest
• Engage your core and your shoulders to stabilize yourself
• Starting with your legs hanging under you and your feet together, lift your knees up towards your chest
• Slowly lower them to starting position
• Repeat for desired reps

Note: Bring knees above hip level so the abs do the work. Hold briefly at the top and lower slowly.

Muscles Worked: Rectus Abdominis, External Obliques, Hip Flexors

2. Weighted Knee Raise

Same movement, more intensity. Start light and earn clean reps before increasing load.

• Grip handles and place forearms against the pads and back against the backrest
• Engage your core and your shoulders to stabilize yourself
• Starting with your legs hanging under you with your feet together grasping a weight then lift your knees up towards your chest
• Slowly lower them to starting position
• Repeat for desired reps

Note: You can also use a resistance band or kettlebell instead of a dumbbell.

Muscles Worked: Rectus Abdominis, External Obliques, Hip Flexors

3. Straight Leg Raise

Harder than knee raises because the legs stay extended, increasing leverage. Keep it slow and controlled.

How To:

• Grip handles and place your forearms against the pads and back against the backrest
• Engage your core and your shoulders to stabilize yourself
• Starting with your legs hanging under you and your feet together, lift your legs up until they’re parallel with the floor
• Slowly lower them to starting position
• Repeat for desired reps

Note: Hold your legs at the top as long as you can for an isometric burn.

Muscles Worked: Rectus Abdominis, External Obliques, Hip Flexors

4. Side Hip Raise

This variation shifts emphasis to the obliques by lifting the knees up and to the side.

• Grip handles and place your forearms against the pads and back against the backrest
• Engage your core and your shoulders to stabilize yourself
• Starting with your legs hanging under you and your feet together, lift your legs up and to the side by crunching your obliques
• Slowly lower them to starting position then repeat to the other side
• Repeat for desired reps

Note: Focus on contracting your obliques and keep it controlled.

Muscles Worked: External/Internal Obliques, Hip Flexors

5. Bicycle Crunches

Great for abs + obliques. Go slower if your goal is core strength, faster if your goal is conditioning.

How To:

• Grip handles and place your forearms against the pads and back against the backrest
• Engage your core and your shoulders to stabilize yourself
• Starting with your legs hanging under you and your feet together, lift one knee up at a time until your thigh is parallel with the floor
• Slowly lower it to starting position while raising your other knee
• Repeat for desired reps

Note: Do not swing. Squeeze the abs to lift.

Muscles Worked: Rectus Abdominis, External Obliques, Hip Flexors

6. Cross Scissor Kicks

A tougher Captain’s Chair move because your legs stay up, keeping constant tension on the core.

How To:

• Grip handles and place your forearms against the pads and back against the backrest
• Engage your core and your shoulders to stabilize yourself
• Starting with your legs hanging under you, lift both legs up while keeping them straight out at 90 degrees with a gap between the legs
• Cross legs inwards over each other then back to the sides
• Repeat this alternating movement for desired reps

Note: Easier version: keep knees bent at 90 degrees while opening and closing.

Muscle Worked: Abs, Obliques, Hip Abductors, Hip Adductors

7. Dips

Dips build the triceps, chest, and shoulders and can carry over to pressing strength. Build to 20 bodyweight reps before loading heavy.

How To:

Assisted Dips with Resistance Band:

• Attach band to both handles of the dip bar
• Grab both grips with your hands, palms facing each other, wrists in line with your forearms and arms straight
• Place both knees in the center of the band
• Start the dip by lowering your body until your upper arms are parallel with the floor
• Push through the palms to return to starting position
• Repeat for desired reps

Regular Dips:

• Grab both grips with your hands, palms facing each other, wrists in line with your forearms and arms straight
• Start the dip by lowering your body until your upper arms are parallel with the floor
• Push through the palms to return to starting position
• Repeat for desired reps

Weighted Dips:

• Wrap the belt around your waist then attach a weight plate to the chain (usually with a carabiner)
• Grab both grips with your hands, palms facing each other, wrists in line with your forearms
• Start the dip by lowering your body until your upper arms are parallel with the floor
• Push through the palms to return to starting position
• Repeat for desired reps

Note: Lean forward to target chest more. Avoid hard elbow lockout if it irritates your joints.

Muscles Worked: Triceps, Chest, Shoulders

Related: Best Dip Alternatives

8. Chin-Ups and Pull-Ups

Both are cornerstone bodyweight pulls. Chin-ups use an underhand grip and recruit the biceps more. Pull-ups use an overhand grip and tend to emphasize the lats and upper back more.

Note: Hands closer or wider can shift emphasis across the back.

Muscles Worked: Lats, Rhomboids, Teres Major/Minor, Biceps, Shoulders

Related: 13 Best Pull-Up Alternatives To Work The Same Muscles

9. Gironda Pull-Up

Popularized by Vince Gironda, this variation leans back and can increase upper back contraction.

How To:

• Grab bar with overhand grip, hands a little wider than shoulder width apart
• Start with shoulder blades depressed and arms straight then pull through your elbows bringing your sternum (lower chest area) up to the bar while leaning back
• Slowly return to starting position
• Repeat desired reps

Note:If you cannot complete this properly, start with slow negatives or use a loop band for assistance.

Muscles Worked: Lats, Traps, Rhomboids, Teres Major/Minor, Biceps, Shoulders

10. Gorilla Chin-Up

This chin-up variation adds a mid-air knee crunch, so you hit upper body plus abs and hip flexors.

How To:

• Facing away from the Captain’s Chair, grab the bar with an underhand grip shoulder width apart while your knees are bent with your calves behind you
• Pull up towards the bar through your elbows while crunching your knees up to your chest by the time your chin reaches the bar
• Slowly lower down to starting position
• Repeat for desired reps

Note: Keep it slow and controlled. Do not swing for momentum.

Muscles Worked: Back, Traps, Shoulders, Biceps, Abs, Hip Flexors

11. Mixed Grip Chin-Up

A solid variation to challenge your core and arms. Alternate sides to avoid imbalances.

How To:

• Grab the bar with one hand using underhand grip and other hand using overhand grip at shoulder width apart
• Starting with your arms extended and shoulder blades depressed
• Keep your core engaged while you pull yourself up until your chest reaches the bar
• Slowly lower to starting position
• Repeat for desired reps (each side)

Note: Keep your chest up and shoulders back throughout the movement.

Muscles Worked: Lats, Traps, Rhomboids, Teres Major/Minor, Biceps, Shoulders

12. Shrugs (Reverse Shrugs)

A great way to train the traps through a big range of motion, sometimes called a serratus shrug variation.

How To:

• Grab the parallel grips with both hands using a neutral grip
• Start with your arms and back straight
• Lower your body by relaxing your traps as low as possible while keeping your body straight
• Push down against the grips while engaging traps to push you back up to starting position
• Repeat for desired reps

Note: Keep your core engaged and elbows locked throughout the movement.

Muscles Worked: Traps, Shoulders, Triceps

13. Inverted Shrug

This is advanced and not for everyone. You’ll be inverted, relying heavily on grip strength and core control. Treat it like a skill movement.

How To:

• Get into position between parallel grips then squat down and reach up to grab the bars with a neutral grip
• Kick your feet up to invert your body upside down (legs straight or bent)
• Lift your body as high as you can by pulling your shoulders towards your ears
• Slowly lower to starting position
• Repeat for desired reps before flipping your legs around underneath you

Note: This can be dangerous. Only attempt if you have the strength and control to do it safely.

Muscles Worked: Traps, Shoulders, Forearms, Core

14. Deep Push-Ups (Atlas Push-Ups)

Many towers include push-up handles at the base, letting you increase range of motion compared to floor push-ups.

How To:

• Place your hands on the push-up handles using a neutral grip
• Get into push-up position keeping your core engaged and your body straight
• Slowly lower your body until your chest reaches the push-up handle level
• Push up through your hands until you reach starting position with your arms fully extended
• Repeat for desired reps

Note: Only go as low as comfortable if you have limited shoulder mobility.

Muscles Worked: Chest, Triceps, Shoulders, Upper Back

Captain’s Chair Workout

This Captain’s Chair workout focuses on core work to build strong abs and obliques. Run it as a circuit for 3 rounds. Rest up to 2 minutes between rounds.

Power Tower Workout

This power tower workout hits back, shoulders, chest, arms, core, and hip flexors.

Warm up for 5-10 minutes. Rest 60-90 seconds between sets.

Buying Guide: How Big Is a Power Tower and What to Look For

How big is a power tower? Many towers have a base around 3-4 feet and a height around 7 feet. Sizes vary, and adjustable models can change pull-up bar height or pad positions.

What to look for when buying:

• Steel construction with anti-rust coating
• Stable base and a high weight capacity rating
• Comfortable padding and grippy handles
• Adjustable components if multiple people will use it
• Extra features you will actually use (push-up grips, suspension anchor points)

To save you time, we put together a post covering the Best Power Towers available today.

How much does a power tower cost? Most models range from $100-$300. Always check reviews, warranty, and specs before purchasing.

Best Power Tower

Sports Royal Power Towers

Comes with a 14-gauge heavy square steel frame constructed with scratch-resistant coat finish...

CHECK PRICE

***This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Final Note

The power tower is a versatile piece of equipment that can build serious upper body and core strength. Start with the easier variations, use resistance bands if you need them, and progress patiently. Mix these exercises into your current program or run the sample workouts above when you want an all-in-one tower session.

Related: 21 Best Weight Bench Ab Exercises (Plus A Workout)