A kip trainer is a piece of home gymnastics equipment that helps a gymnast learn to perform the kip. The Kip is a gymnastics skill that involves swinging from a hanging position below the gymnastics bar up to a position where your waist is level with the bar in a front support position. This skill is one of the most important skills you learn on the gymnastics bars as a beginner and will form the foundation for much more advanced bar skills. Learning the kip allows gymnasts to mount the bar or move from one bar to another.
DGS Kip trainer Quick adjust straps
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The DGS kip trainer is a piece of gymnastics equipment that helps gymnasts learn to perform the kip on the gymnastics bars. You can attach the kip trainer to gymnastics bars and practice learning the correct kip technique while also building shoulder and abdominal muscle strength.
Using the two handles helps you more easily swing up into the front support position and you’ll be able to build up the strength and feel required to learn and master the gymnastics kip. Each of the two straps is adjustable so you can slide the handles closer or further away from the bar depending on how tall you are and which position feels most comfortable. With a little practice you’ll find the best length and be able to quickly adjust the strap and practice swinging.
The straps are strong and made of good quality materials which are durable and won’t fray or snap under pressure. The length of the straps is approximately 26″-34″ long depending on which length you prefer. If you are learning the kip in gymnastics class your coach might have recommended you use a kip trainer like this to master the skill more quickly. Luckily the DGS kip trainer is small and can easily fit into your gym bag.
Kidogym Kip Trainer Bar
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This kip training bar from Kidogym is an amazing value kip bar for practising the kip and other simple bar skills at home. It’s great to be able to practice under the supervision of a coach, but if you know how to safely practice the skill and are being supervised by an adult in a safe space then having a home kip trainer bar can make the world of difference in how long it takes you to learn this skill.
Kidogym have created this low price steel tube bar that can be assembled quickly and then folded back down and stored away in a much smaller space. Usually a gymnastics bar is a big commitment and takes up a lot of space permanently, but this option can be assembled and disassembled very easily, just be sure to make sure you tighten the screws and find the right point of balance.
The height of the main bar is also adjustable between 35″ and 50″ making this the perfect training bar for a young gymnast to learn bar skills on. Gymnasts can have a lot of fun gliding or hanging and then learning to kip into a support position. Ideally this bar is suited for 3-8 year old’s and has a 140 lb weight limit which you should definitely stick to.
The lowest 35″ height will be best for toddlers and 6-8 year old’s will most likely need to adjust the bar to the maximum 50″ height so they can hang or glide. If you are looking to improve your kip at home and want to practice on a gymnastics kip bar, this is a cheap piece of gymnastics equipment that is high quality and great for young gymnasts. Be sure to purchase a gymnastics floor mat to place underneath the bar for safety and always supervise young children using this bar.
DOBESTS expandable kip training bar
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DOBEST have produced another low priced kip training bar option for young gymnasts. This bar is very slightly taller than Kidogyms kip trainer as it can be extended up to 51″ and also has a bigger maximum weight limit of 150lb.
If you want to adjust the height you can use the elastic spin locks to quickly adjust and secure the bar at each different height. The bar is made of metal and feels a little different to grip when compared with a full size wooden gymnastics bar, but is still great for practising on.
If your young gymnasts are working on building up their core strength practising the tuck hold is one of the most popular and widely taught exercises for helping develop a gymnasts core strength. Even if you only use this bar for tuck holds, wrist shifting exercises, leg lifts and conditioning exercises it will offer great value for money.
If you are working up through the gymnastics levels you can use this kip bar to practice the pullover, cast, back hip circles, and dismounts. For the price this bar is colourful, easy to fold up and down and store away and is stable and well balanced.
Shiwei Gymnastics kip bar
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If you are working on your kip but want a gymnastics bar that you can use for more advanced skills too, then this Shiwei kip bar is a popular choice amongst gymnasts. This pink or blue gymnastics training bar is height adjustable between 3 ft and 5 ft tall so you can raise it up as your gymnasts get taller.
When you move the Shiwei gymnastics bar up to different height settings there are 2 handles so the bar is secured into place from 2 sides, making it much more secure.
The main frame is designed in a H shape with an extra steel tube in the centre to make sure the frame is well balance and won’t wobble when performing dynamic gymnastics skills on it. On the base of the main frame bars that will sit on your floor as non-stick pads to help make sure the frame is secure on your carpet or floor. Be sure to place a mat underneath for your gymnast to safely practice.
If you like your practice to be as close to reality as possible there is a wooden bar which is smooth, comfortable and easy to grip onto and move your hands as you practice your bar skills. The surface of the bar isn’t slippery but it’s always a good idea to wear a gymnastics grip when performing certain gymnastics routines.
This bar is a great choice if you want a gymnastics bar that will last a long time and be useful as you or your gymnasts move up through the gymnastics levels. The bars above are much easier to assemble and disassemble but this Shiwei trainer is meant to be kept up and not put up and down frequently. It is possible to store away but will take longer as it can’t just be unfastened and folded quickly into a small space.
DGS kip swing
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The DGS kip swing is a training tool that aims to make learning the kip easier. You attach the kip swing to a gymnastics bar. The straps are very strong and attach easily onto a strong gymnastics bar. At the base of the strap there are two foot holds placed side by side close together as your feet would be positioned during the kip swing.
The idea behind using this swing is to help you build up the momentum and find the correct motion for moving your waist up to bar height using only the swinging motion.
If you haven’t yet built up the core strength for completing the kip this tool will help you to feel ad become familiar with the rocking back and forth motion and leg position required to do a kip. Using this kip swing also helps you more easily hold your legs together and straight. If you are keen to learn the kip quickly then this tool can be very helpful.
Final thoughts – choosing a gymnastics kip trainer
Now its time to decide which kip training tool is best for you. I hope I can help make your decision a little easier. If you don’t already have a kip bar at home then I would consider the Dobest or Kidogym bars reviewed above as they are great value for money, especially for young gymnasts.
If you have more space at home to store a bigger gymnastics kip bar then the Shiwei bar is an excellent choice and can be raised up to a tall 5 foot off the ground.
The bar also feels very much like the wooden bars you’ll be familiar with at your local gym. The Shiwei kip bar is more expensive than the other two bars but can be used as you work up the gymnastics levels and is suitable for basic bar skills, the kip swing and more advanced bar skills as well, whereas the cheaper kip trainers are best for more basic bar skills.
If you have a bar already or want some tools that can help improve your practice at the gym then consider the kip swing or quick adjust straps.
Both these training tools can help you feel how the kip should feel by placing you in the correct position and allowing you to focus on building core strength and learning to be able to work your body, keeping it aligned up into the correct position.
