Why wooden handles will improve your calisthenics training

Does the material your calisthenics kit is made of really matter? We think so. Here’s how to choose between wood, steel, and plastic for calisthenics training equipment. 

When we redesigned our parallettes collection from the ground up, that obviously included thinking about materials. We could have used any material we wanted. So why did we go with wood (for the handles) and steel for the feet and uprights?

Why are wooden handles best for calisthenics equipment?

Absorbs sweat – wood is a great choice for the handles of calisthenics kit because it absorbs sweat, unlike plastic (which gets slippy) or metal.

Non-slip – wooden handles are significantly more grippy than plastic or metal, making them a non-slip option for calisthenics and ring work

Buffers impact – wood absorbs some of the impact on your hands and wrists, making training a more comfortable experience

Hand health – wood is gentler on your palms than plastic or metal (especially in cold temperatures) meaning fewer callouses

Feels good – simply put, wood just feels nicer than other materials, which is really important when you’re doing high rep work to drill your calisthenics movements

Wood vs steel vs plastic for calisthenics?

Whether you’re buying parallettes or gymnastics rings for yourself, or using them in the gym, you’ll notice a choice of materials. Plastic and wood are common choices for gymnastics rings, and wood or metal are most common for parallettes. We offer both items with quality wooden handles because we think it’s the best choice for grip, comfort, wrist and shoulder health, and hand care.

How to choose the best calisthenics kit

If you’ve already tried plastic and metal calisthenics handles in the gym, you’ll know that wood is the best choice. If you’re buying for your own home gym kit, go straight for the premium option by choosing wooden handles gymnastics rings and parallettes.

Are wooden rings best for gymnastics rings? 

Wooden gymnastics rings are far superior to plastic ones. Not only is wood more durable and better quality, but wood offers a non-slip, comfortable experience when your hands start to get slippery.

Best wooden handled parallettes calisthenics

We’ve recently relaunched our entire parallettes collection with a choice of three sizes: small “travellettes”, medium Pro parallettes, and long parallettes which are inspired by the classic gymnastics parallettes. They’re all made with quality wooden handles and fully-welded powder coated steel uprights and feet.

Check out our parallettes and gymnastics rings here so you can treat yourself to amazing quality, wooden handled calisthenics kit.

For everything else you need for your bodyweight, calisthenics, and unconventional training sessions, take a look at the full Gravity Fitness store.