gymnastics rings

[rv5869]

I have a full gym in my basement so I am looking at more toys. At least twice a week I do a pull up, dip, push up style workout
Are the rings worthwhile, ie. will I get more out of them than standard pull ups...? They are cheap so cost is not an issue.

 

[Badger67]

There's a lot of options for exercises on rings:
Skin the cat
Muscle up
Archer Pull ups
Push ups
Ring dips with full lock out
Levers

 

[rv5869]

I realize there are a lot of exercises. Will I get more from the ring workout than a standard bar workout? I also realize I will have to build up before I can do most of those exercises.

 

[Badger67]

Yes, though requires more skill to understand how best to use the rings.

People really misunderstand why gymnasts are built and strong like they are (im aware a tall gymnast is 5'7" 145lbs 8% ish), but that is for athletic and medalling purposes. A regular joe can still build similarly.

 

[rv5869]

ty for the replies. think i will buy them. any recommendations? was looking at nayoya or possibly rogue. probably not getting wood rings, (that sounds strange).

 

[Badger67]

Nothing wrong with wood rings. have no recommendations, look at reviews for durability, and keep in mind if the material works well with chalk,

 

[ChickenBrother]

I've tried to set up rings twice - once on my back porch and once in a basement. Just a consideration - if you're looking to set up in your basement, you'll need a very high ceiling to get full use out of them. If your basement is like mine and only about 10' high, the rings will have less than 2' of strap to hang from, meaning they won't be able to swing laterally like the ones you see at gyms or gymnastics studios. You can still use them for pull ups, but without the free lateral range of motion (and adequate clearance above the rings), it's much harder or impractical to attempt muscle ups or any of the other swinging skills you might like to learn.

If you do pull the trigger, I'd go resin over wood. Either is fine but the resin is more comfortable and "grippy" IMO.

 

[Dream Evil]

I like having them just because they allow me to use a hammer grip for pullups. I have an elbow issue that makes large quanties of "normal grip" pullups painful.

 

[rv5869]

Received the rings this morning and completed my first workout, very hard. This will become part of my training routine. I bought the nagoya brand, composite rings not wood. Wood may be nicer but I have no previous knowledge. The rings feel extremely strong, web straps and buckles are top notch. My only gripe, I wish the webbing had hash marks on it for easier leveling. To balance the rings I put both in one hand and pulled while making the fine tune adjustments. I highly recommend rings but only if they fit your training goals. These are small and will go on all trips and vacations with me.

 

[DEVILsSON]

I would recommend a station for chin ups/pull ups/muscles ups and dip station.

A weighted belt for weighted versions of these lifts is great.

You can look into grip training. There are many pieces of equipment you can purchase.

If you already have the aforementioned equipment and rings are cheap, sure go for it. It will work your core and stabilizer muscles far more than regular versions of the lifts. It's a bit like working with dumbells instead of a barbell.

 

[Joshua N]

 

[CRZA]

I bought some rings a few weeks ago. And ive used them a good amount. I really like the feel compared to a standard bar. The rings allows you to rotate your shoulders and wrists during exercises, which in a lot of cases makes them superior for building muscle, strength, while also working stability. I would also argue that the rotation makes it safer for your body, as long as your stable first.

Pull ups, dips, push ups and rows feel much better when I do them with rings. You also have tons of variations to make the exercises more or less difficult, by changing the height of the rings or other adjustments.

 

[gspieler]

 

[rv5869]

I have had the rings for a few months and recommend them.

 

[Kforcer]

I realize there are a lot of exercises. Will I get more from the ring workout than a standard bar workout? I also realize I will have to build up before I can do most of those exercises.

Yes, absolutely. They are totally worth it. I advise being patient and taking the necessary steps to build up things like straight-arm strength and a strong hollow body if you want to get to an advanced level on them. Muscle-ups and bulgarian dips alone make them worth it though.

 

[aus101]

I call them ring chins. They seem to require more activation of the shoulder stabilisers than regular chin up variations (pronated, supinated and neutral grip), but they also allow for a comfortable ROM due to the non fixed nature of the handles.