Toes-to-bars are one of our favorite exercises because it combines core strength, coordination, and overall athleticism. Here’s why they’re worth including in your routine:
🧠 Full-body benefits
- Core strength: Toes-to-bars light up your entire core—especially the lower abs, which are tough to hit with many traditional ab exercises.
- Grip strength: You’re hanging from a bar, so your forearms and grip get a serious workout.
- Shoulder and lat engagement: Keeping your body controlled and stable requires your shoulders, lats, and upper back to be super active.
⚙️ Functional movement
- Coordination & timing: There’s a rhythm and flow that mimics athletic, explosive movement patterns.
- Body control: You learn to control your body in space, which is useful in tons of sports and real-life scenarios.
🔥 High intensity
- Great for conditioning—stringing together reps at speed will elevate your heart rate up fast, so you can use them in HIIT-style workouts or metabolic conditioning circuits.
3 Drills you can practice to help your progression:
- Banded Hollow “Hold” Pushdowns – Trains the push down demands of the lats while maintaining a strong hollow body position. Complete 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps
- Toes to Bar Snap Down Drill – Great for developing the correct timing and awareness in the backswing to help string together reps.
- Banded Toes to Target: Emphasize tension over range of motion. Work to a range you can sustain for 4 sets of 10 and only then increase the height.
Want to learn how to do this exercise with the supervision of a coach? Schedule a free Welcome Meeting here!