That is why I will never buy those doorframe pull up bars. I dont care what the commercials say, my weight would rip the door apart....
You're right about the one in the GIF, although, on the plus side, it does offer a teachable moment for "kippers." However, I tried this one, and found it to be quite stable:
I know. But kipping makes the telescoping tension pull-up bar a guaranteed accident in the making. Weight notwithstanding. Just saying.
That is convenient but I am talking about strict pullups on most of those things that will yank out the molding around the door. Those things rely to much on the strength of the door for support and nothing at all with the bar itself. I am 215 lbs. and those door frames were not built to have the molding support the weight. Even telescopic one the weight will pull down one side. Most of them are not made well for heavier muscular folks who reach up to grab and pull their body weight up. I have never kipped a pull up in my life and tried plenty of those bars and luckily stopped before real damage occurred.
Yes, agreed, the telescoping tension pull up bars are not a good choice. That's why I mentioned a different type of doorway pull-up bar earlier. Not that I own one or suggest you get one; just that it is a safer alternative for people wanting such a thing. You said you're a heavy guy (I'll assume it's all muscle) and that the door frame won't support it (and you). Well, look at this guy, who is heavy (fat), out of shape and does pull-ups badly, even kipping while he's at it: Seems stable enough, doesn't it? I wanted to post a fit, heavier guy doing the exercise properly on one of these bars, but couldn't find one on Youtube with a quick search. Your point of contention was heavy, so I found heavy. The Perfect Pull-Up bar is even better, because its design id slightly more protective of the vertical door moldings.
You call that kipping, he just has his knees up but he is not doing full extension pull ups, Why? Because he cannot hang fully and go down or hist feet crash into the floor. That is my other criticism, doorways are too low for someone 6' or over. I prefer the rigs at any gym.
I think the best way to avoid swinging like a pendulum when doing pull-ups and chin-ups is with the knees bent. Not the hips, just the knees. And, yeah, the guy was kipping. Perhaps not quite like they do in CrossFit, but kipping nonetheless. When I do pull-ups (and now also chin-ups again) there is no swaying whatsoever. Knees bent. I think that's the best way to have really strict form and isolate the muscles intended to be worked. I'm not saying it can't be done with the legs straight, but I will tell you I have never seen anyone in person doing perfectly strict pull-ups that way. Are you saying that when you do pull-ups with your legs straight that your legs don't sway back and forth?