How To Set Up Gymnastic Rings

Vintage gymnast hanging on gymnastic rings.

Editor's Note: This is a guest series from Ryan Hurst.

If you've been post-obit the Art of Manliness for a while, you know how Brett and Kate have worked hard to bring u.s. back to a time when the qualities of beingness a human meant strength, integrity, and pulling your own weight.

And the last part wasn't just metaphorical, equally it used to be commonplace back in the early days of organized exercise for people to piece of work on gymnastic skills for strength and conditioning.

Vintage old gym gymnasium pommel horse rings.

Though physical culturists of the 1940s and 50s still incorporated hand-balancing and rings training into their routines, the full general public lost sight of their use in exercise. Rings became a mere spectator sport, and we watched Team USA gymnastics every iv years in the Olympics.

Simply it'due south great to run across that the pendulum has swung again and gymnastic-style preparation, specially on the rings, has made a comeback for non-Olympians' use, with a simple desire to gain forcefulness and skill with no particular ambitions of standing at the top of a podium.

Why Make Rings Training Part of Your Practise Routine?

Vintage gymnast athlete hanging on gymnastic rings with both hands.

The unique nature of gymnastic rings, and the exercises that tin can be performed with them, provide benefits across those of barbells or caster machines.

One benefit of the rings is their inherent instability. Independently swinging from a long strap, the rings volition move at the slightest touch. This instability forces yous to concentrate every second that you are on the rings in society to keep from swaying. It tin can be difficult enough to pull and press your weight on a fixed bar, allow alone on two rings that wiggle effectually! This difficulty translates into edifice more forcefulness and musculus in your upper body and core.

Transitioning your body around the rings from a variety of positions requires a significant amount of upper trunk strength and control. Aye, you can gain a lot of strength with bodyweight exercises and of course from lifting weights, simply the instability of the rings, forth with the combination of movements, tin can be an entirely dissimilar demonstration of strength.

Skill work on gymnastic rings integrates strength and coordination training in a way that's much harder to achieve with other equipment, and it gives you a lot of bang for your buck with regards to training time. It's very common to hear of stiff and fit people that do with weights and machines all the time, but are humbled and amazed by how difficult it is to perform even the most basic rings exercises. It is intense training that only requires a few movements to equal the touch of a dozen other regular exercises available in the gym.

Also, in terms of space requirements and portability, nada compares to the great conditioning you'll get from this piece of cake-to-carry and uncomplicated piece of equipment.

Over the next few days, I'll share everything yous need to know virtually how to get started on the rings. From which rings to get, to how to set them up, to the best exercises to start with, and finally, where to go one time you lot've mastered the basics.

What Should I Buy To Get Started?

It used to exist difficult to observe gymnastic grooming rings for the layman. The simply options were the very expensive, standard wooden gymnastic rings meant for gymnastics centers and competitions, or plastic rings that weren't priced much better, or the metal rings commonly seen in playgrounds.

Now, due to the resurgence of band training and the entrepreneurial spirit that follows such trends, in that location is a better option of rings at very reasonable prices.

At present, what are the differences between the various styles of rings?

I wouldn't recommend metal, playground-way rings for annihilation beyond simple pull-ups and dips, as they don't offer the kind of traction you'll need to smoothly transition from below the rings to above, and vice versa.

As for the difference between woods and plastic, it's a pretty significant difference in terms of feel, traction, and heft. Plastic rings are more slippery (though less then than metal) and the decreased weight can make them feel less substantial in your hands. This is a valid concern, considering you lot'll be throwing your weight effectually on them. Wood rings tend to simply "feel" ameliorate, and tend to age ameliorate than plastic when properly maintained.

Plastic rings are definitely cheaper and are nearly indestructible. Yet ultimately, I recommend getting wooden rings. The added expense is worth it if you program on grooming with the rings for a long time. The specific rings I recommend are Rogue wooden rings; but actually, just discover what you're nigh comfortable with.

Where Should I Hang Them?

Vintage gymnast hanging on gymnastic rings.

When you become your rings, you'll notice that it's just the rings and straps. That's role of what makes this equipment so versatile. All y'all do is secure the straps (over a bar, through mounted hooks, etc. — more than details below), and you lot're set.

Ideally, yous should find a place where you can hang them and have enough clearance and space to perform all of the exercises that involve beingness above the rings while still maintaining a peak where you can perform pull-ups with a directly body.

Nosotros recommend finding a infinite where you can hang your rings 9-13 feet high. You'll want to requite yourself enough room (both top and width) to adequately perform the exercises (especially the straight body movements). Also, make sure your straps are long plenty to let your rings hang depression (when you lot need them to) so that you tin practice the push-ups, planks, mountain climbers, etc. For width, you'll want to set your rings nigh shoulder-width apart.

At that place are a variety of options for hanging your rings, from the unproblematic to the fairly elaborate. I'll talk most the about common options below:

Doorway Pull-up Bar

A doorway pull-upwardly bar allows for some good exercises with the rings, but you won't be able to perform some of the transitions and movements around the rings without some adjustments. By that, I mean y'all can set the rings up to practice dips and pull-ups, but yous'll have to curve your knees for the total range.

Y'all can also perform the exercises in a constrict (knees bent and in forepart of your chest) or an 50-sit position (hips flexed and legs straight out in forepart of you lot), which gives some added difficulty.

At that place would also be restrictions considering of the width of the doorway, which would limit some wider pull-up options, too as another pulls which require your easily to be out to the side. This isn't to say you couldn't get a great rings workout with this set-upwards, but you volition take to forego some of the exercises that make the rings such a worthwhile slice of equipment.

If you lot're using a doorway pull-up bar, we recommend that it be the variety that bolts into the frame versus the variety that just uses bodyweight to secure itself.

Pull-up Bar on Power Racks

This setup tin can be a great option for those with power racks in their garage or when going to your local gym/health club. They are by and large taller than doorway pull-upward bars, and wider as well.

Mounted on Ceiling or Rafters

This would be an platonic state of affairs for preparation at dwelling, if possible. Only be very careful with the installation and make everything every bit solid and secure as you can. The worst thing that could happen would be a materials failure when y'all are on the rings with your head facing down. Delight be vigilant and but do this if you are absolutely sure you can brand it safe, or rent someone who can.

Outdoor Options

Swingsets, monkey bars, football uprights, trees, railings, etc. — the outdoor options include basically anywhere there is a solid structure with enough height. The cons are the variability of the atmospheric condition and regularity of admission, but the pros are being outside and able to take your rings with you when traveling. Click hither for a tutorial on how to construct your own rings frame outdoors.

Tomorrow, nosotros'll give you a primer on the bones band grips.

Read the Other Articles in the Series:

Why to Utilize Rings, How to Buy Them, and Where to Hang Them
How to Grip the Rings
A Beginner'south Routine and FAQs
How to Perform a Musculus-Upwards

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Ryan Hurst is a former inferior national level gymnast and holds several black belts in Japanese martial arts, along with many years of experience teaching strength and skills work that combine all the aspects of his diverse knowledge base. He is a co-founder of GMB Fitness (http://gmb.io), which specializes in instruction body skill development to people of all able-bodied levels.

He also provides a free Ultimate Guide to Rings Preparation for beginners that takes you step-by-step into all the benefits of rings training.

Tags: Exercises