How To Set Up Gymnastic Rings At Home

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

If y'all've been following the Fine art of Manliness for a while, you lot know how Brett and Kate have worked hard to bring us back to a time when the qualities of being a man meant strength, integrity, and pulling your ain weight.

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

Vintage old gym gymnasium pommel horse rings.

Though physical culturists of the 1940s and 50s all the same incorporated paw-balancing and rings training into their routines, the general public lost sight of their apply in exercise. Rings became a mere spectator sport, and we watched Team The states gymnastics every four years in the Olympics.

But it'due south peachy to come across that the pendulum has swung once more and gymnastic-manner training, particularly on the rings, has made a improvement for non-Olympians' use, with a simple want to gain force and skill with no item ambitions of standing at the acme of a podium.

Why Make Rings Training Function of Your Exercise Routine?

Vintage gymnast athlete hanging on gymnastic rings with both hands.

The unique nature of gymnastic rings, and the exercises that can be performed with them, provide benefits beyond those of barbells or pulley 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 you to concentrate every second that you are on the rings in order to keep from swaying. It can be hard plenty to pull and press your weight on a fixed bar, let alone on two rings that wiggle effectually! This difficulty translates into building more forcefulness and muscle in your upper body and core.

Transitioning your trunk around the rings from a variety of positions requires a pregnant amount of upper torso strength and control. Aye, you tin proceeds a lot of strength with bodyweight exercises and of grade from lifting weights, just the instability of the rings, forth with the combination of movements, can be an entirely dissimilar sit-in of strength.

Skill work on gymnastic rings integrates forcefulness and coordination training in a way that'south much harder to achieve with other equipment, and it gives you a lot of bang for your buck with regards to training fourth dimension. It's very mutual to hear of strong and fit people that exercise with weights and machines all the time, just are humbled and amazed by how difficult information technology is to perform even the virtually basic rings exercises. It is intense training that but requires a few movements to equal the impact of a dozen other regular exercises available in the gym.

As well, in terms of space requirements and portability, zippo compares to the neat workout you lot'll get from this easy-to-carry and simple piece of equipment.

Over the next few days, I'll share everything yous demand to know near how to go started on the rings. From which rings to become, to how to ready them upwardly, to the best exercises to kickoff with, and finally, where to become one time you've mastered the basics.

What Should I Buy To Get Started?

It used to exist hard to find gymnastic training rings for the layman. The only 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 ring training and the entrepreneurial spirit that follows such trends, there is a better selection of rings at very reasonable prices.

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

I wouldn't recommend metallic, playground-style rings for anything beyond unproblematic pull-ups and dips, as they don't offer the kind of traction y'all'll demand to smoothly transition from beneath the rings to above, and vice versa.

As for the difference between wood and plastic, it's a pretty significant divergence in terms of feel, traction, and heft. Plastic rings are more than slippery (though less and so than metallic) and the decreased weight can brand them feel less substantial in your hands. This is a valid concern, considering you'll be throwing your weight around on them. Wood rings tend to merely "feel" better, and tend to age improve than plastic when properly maintained.

Plastic rings are definitely cheaper and are well-nigh indestructible. Yet ultimately, I recommend getting wooden rings. The added expense is worth it if you plan on grooming with the rings for a long time. The specific rings I recommend are Rogue wooden rings; merely really, just detect what you're about comfortable with.

Where Should I Hang Them?

Vintage gymnast hanging on gymnastic rings.

When you get your rings, you'll discover that it's simply the rings and straps. That'southward role of what makes this equipment then versatile. All you do is secure the straps (over a bar, through mounted hooks, etc. — more details beneath), and you're set.

Ideally, you should find a identify where you can hang them and accept enough clearance and infinite to perform all of the exercises that involve being above the rings while still maintaining a summit where yous tin can perform pull-ups with a straight body.

We recommend finding a space where yous tin hang your rings 9-xiii feet high. You'll want to give yourself enough room (both tiptop and width) to adequately perform the exercises (especially the straight body movements). As well, make certain your straps are long enough to let your rings hang low (when you need them to) and so that you lot can do the push-ups, planks, mountain climbers, etc. For width, you'll want to set your rings about shoulder-width autonomously.

There are a variety of options for hanging your rings, from the simple to the fairly elaborate. I'll talk about the most common options beneath:

Doorway Pull-up Bar

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

You can likewise perform the exercises in a tuck (knees aptitude and in front of your chest) or an Fifty-sit position (hips flexed and legs straight out in front of you), which gives some added difficulty.

At that place would likewise be restrictions because of the width of the doorway, which would limit some wider pull-up options, equally well as another pulls which crave your hands to exist out to the side. This isn't to say you couldn't become a smashing rings conditioning with this set-upwardly, just y'all will have to forego some of the exercises that brand the rings such a worthwhile slice of equipment.

If yous're using a doorway pull-up bar, we recommend that it exist the variety that bolts into the frame versus the variety that simply uses bodyweight to secure itself.

Pull-upward Bar on Ability Racks

This setup tin be a great option for those with power racks in their garage or when going to your local gym/wellness club. They are generally taller than doorway pull-up confined, and wider as well.

Mounted on Ceiling or Rafters

This would be an ideal situation for training at domicile, if possible. But be very careful with the installation and make everything equally solid and secure as you tin. The worst thing that could happen would be a materials failure when you are on the rings with your head facing downwardly. Please be vigilant and only exercise this if you are absolutely sure y'all can brand it safe, or hire someone who can.

Outdoor Options

Swingsets, monkey confined, football uprights, trees, railings, etc. — the outdoor options include basically anywhere at that place is a solid structure with enough height. The cons are the variability of the conditions and regularity of admission, but the pros are beingness outside and able to have your rings with you when traveling. Click hither for a tutorial on how to construct your ain rings frame outdoors.

Tomorrow, nosotros'll give you a primer on the basic ring grips.

Read the Other Articles in the Series:

Why to Apply Rings, How to Buy Them, and Where to Hang Them
How to Grip the Rings
A Beginner's Routine and FAQs
How to Perform a Musculus-Up

_________________________

Ryan Hurst is a old junior national level gymnast and holds several blackness belts in Japanese martial arts, forth with many years of experience teaching strength and skills piece of work that combine all the aspects of his various knowledge base of operations. He is a co-founder of GMB Fitness (http://gmb.io), which specializes in teaching trunk skill development to people of all athletic levels.

He besides provides a free Ultimate Guide to Rings Grooming for beginners that takes you stride-by-stride into all the benefits of rings grooming.

Tags: Exercises