Free Sample
The Complete Handbook of Gymnastics Rings
A practical reference for coaches, facility owners, and serious athletes on selecting, installing, maintaining, and training with gymnastic rings
by Alumigogo Books
Chapter 1: Understanding Gymnastics Rings
What Gymnastics Rings Actually Is
Gymnastic rings are a strength and conditioning apparatus consisting of two parallel rings suspended horizontally from a single overhead anchor point. Each ring is attached to the anchor by a strap or cable system, which allows the rings to swing freely in a single plane. This two-point suspension, combined with the rings' horizontal grip, is what separates them from every other piece of gym equipment. A pull-up bar is static. A barbell is constrained by gravity and your grip. Rings are unstable in multiple planes, which means the muscles of your shoulders, core, and even grip must constantly work to stabilize the apparatus itself, not just to move your body.
In a commercial gym setting, you will find rings used by gymnasts, CrossFit athletes, calisthenics practitioners, and increasingly, by physical therapy clients for assisted pull-ups and rotator-cuff work. In a gymnastics club, they are a piece of male artistic gymnastics (MAG) competition apparatus, along with the floor, pommel horse, vault, parallel bars, and high bar. The distinction is important: a competition ring set that conforms to the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) standards is a precision instrument with strict dimensional tolerances. A training set from a budget supplier is a general fitness accessory. Both are sold as "gymnastics rings," and the differences in quality, safety, and performance are massive.
The mechanics of the apparatus are more complex than they initially appear. When you hang from the rings, the forces on