Health Fitness

Using gymnastic rings to train for rock climbing

Gymnastic rings are an incredibly versatile training tool for rock climbing. While they won’t train finger strength, they will work many important muscles, such as the arms, shoulders, back, and core. They also build a high strength-to-weight ratio, which is important for gymnasts and climbers alike.

I bought my own pair of rings four years ago and have not returned to conventional weight training since. Not only do they provide a tremendous workout, but they are also more fun to use than free weights. In fact, I found that rings target more muscle groups at once and build strength more efficiently than traditional weightlifting.

You can use rings for chin-ups, muscle lifts, push-ups, leg raises, levers, and more. Also, the inherently unstable nature of rings requires all of your muscles to work together, so your entire upper body is involved rather than just isolating one muscle at a time.

John Gill, the “father of modern bouldering”, was a trained gymnast and trained on rings his entire life. He was famous for his one-arm pull-ups and front levers. These powerful moves allowed him to excel at bouldering like no one before him.

While there are also many other important aspects of climbing to focus on, incorporating a little ring training can efficiently increase your overall strength and could find a way into your regular climbing training.

Starting with the rings

Gymnastic rings are easy to set up and get started. Although the movements performed on them can be extremely difficult, the rings themselves are a simple device. The popularity of rings as a training tool outside of gymnastics has been on the rise.

You don’t need the professional setup gymnasts use; Most basic rings consist of a nylon strap that goes through the ring with a buckle on the end. They can be easily purchased online, and for the amount of versatility and training they provide, they are also quite cheap. Set-up is simple, simply attach the strap to a horizontal beam, branch, or other post and fasten the buckle. The rings can then be lowered for push-ups or raised for push-ups and dips.

Exercises on gymnastic rings.

While there are many advanced movements that can be performed on the rings, I will limit myself to describing the movements that can help most directly with rock climbing training. At the most basic level, rings can simply be used to do pull-ups. If you don’t have a pull-up bar available, rings are great!

Muscles ups

One of the first advanced tricks to learn is muscle lifting. Muscles lift the chest, arms, back, and core … pretty much everything! They start from a standstill on the rings and proceed as a pull-up. However, when it reaches the top of the pull, it continues to push itself into the plunge position. Done correctly, this looks smooth and easy, but don’t be fooled! Chances are, the first time you try it you’ll end up wobbling and shaking.

If you are successful, your arms will most likely shake uncontrollably as you try to hold on. I have taught many people how to do muscle ups, and each of them struggled and wobbled the first few times! It really makes you appreciate how many different muscles gymnastic rings target.

Technique is very important when trying to lift a muscle. It is important to use a false grip, where your wrist is over the top of the ring, to easily switch from pulling up to pushing on a dive. Practice your dips and pull-ups separately until you can switch from one to the other in a successful muscle up.

Hanging leg raises

Leg lifts are my basic core workout. They can be done on many things, from drawbars to guardrails, but my favorite is the leg lift from the dipping position of the rings. Not only does it give your abs a great workout, but it also challenges your back, chest, and arms to stabilize you in the process.

As a warning, these are difficult to do. They first require you to be able to do a muscle lift and a dip. However, once you’ve accomplished that, give leg raises a try. Remember to keep your back straight and your elbows closed as you lift your legs as high as you can. Mentally focus on contracting your abs as much as possible to get the most out of them.

Hanging knee raises are also valuable. Performing them in rings adds so much difficulty that most of the time I do them instead of the entire leg. After a few sets, my abs are on fire and my arms and chest are throbbing. What a good exercise!

Front levers

The forward stick is a difficult skill to master. It involves holding your body horizontally from a bar or rings. This requires incredible strength in the arms, back, and trunk, making it an ideal climbing exercise. John Gill performed this skill with one hand … now that requires a lot of strength!

The force developed by the front levers is excellent for climbing training. To perform one, hang onto the rings with your arms straight. Then lift your body until it is horizontal to the ground. The hard part is keeping your body straight!

It will be impossible to make a full front lever the first time you try it. Instead, you’ll have to work your way to the full lever in stages. Start with the normal lever position, but pull your knees in and keep them glued to your chest. After you can hold that position for thirty seconds, continue to move slowly until your legs are flat. Keep your back straight and lock your elbows.

When you get close to full lever, you can try an exercise called ice cream machines. Hang in the pull position and rise to the forward lever position, hold it briefly and then lower yourself down. Games of these will help improve your lever.

More possibilities

These are the main exercises I use gymnastic rings for. There are a lot more great force moves in the rings, like the iron cross and plank, but the force these don’t require help to scale well enough to warrant your training. However, if you have the desire, there are hundreds of movement variations on the rings that you can find.

If you’re looking for a chest workout, one of my favorites is the goalie push-ups. To do this, lower the rings to the ground and get into the push-up position. Extend one arm to the side while lowering yourself with the other arm. Push up and alternate arms. It is basically an assisted push-up with one arm and requires much more force than normal push-ups. The rings also allow for the added challenge of squatting below the hands, creating a wider range of motion. For more difficulty, try lifting your feet behind you; this adds weight to its flex.

The iron cross is one of the most famous ring movements. It involves staying in the air with your arms extended horizontally. This is a much more difficult move and takes a long time to develop. Care must be taken when training because the movement puts great stress on the shoulders and elbows. It’s easy to get injured if your technique is wrong, so be careful if you try.

In general, small workouts on gymnastic rings can be used very successfully in a climbing training regiment. Most of your training should be focused on climbing and finger strength, but rings provide a great opportunity to develop body strength. They are a very efficient exercise due to the stabilization required, and only a few sets a week will show results. Give them a try and see how much easier overhangs, locks, and stabilization get.

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