Gymnastics Rings – Excellent And Versatile Piece Of Equipment

Gymnastics rings were initially used in men’s gymnastics. They require extreme upper body strength.

But, this doesn’t mean only men can use gymnastics rings. They are also not used only in gymnastics either. So, men and women can both use rings. They are also used in other physical activities like calisthenics.

Rings will help you build strength and mobility in your upper body. 

They are great as a substitute for pull up bar, or dip bars. Bear in mind you will have to be able to hang rings high enough to do some harder exercises. This may prove to be a tough task in some cases.

Before getting into a deeper analysis, here are a few rings options from Amazon:

Awegym Gymnastics Rings

Awegym

4.8 Customer Review Score, 660 Max Load, 9.4 ft double-layer straps

GHB Gymnastics Rings

GHB

4.7 Customer Review Score, 1200 lbs Max Load, 8.2 ft double-layer straps

Double Circle Gymnastics Rings

Double Circle

4.8 Customer Review Score, 1100 lbs Max Load, 9 ft double-layer straps

Quolix Gymnastics Rings

Quolix

4.5 Customer Review Score, 1300 lbs Max Load, 9.84 ft double-layer straps

Pacearth Gymnastics Rings

Pacearth

4.7 Customer Review Score, 1100 lbs Max Load, 14.76 ft adjustable buckle straps

Gymnastics Rings Pros And Cons

Here is a nice quick visual of the rings’ pros and cons. You will easily see the pros and cons of various types of buckles, straps, and rings. This will help you decide what is the best option for your needs.

Various rings, strips and buckles with pros and cons

If I was to pick the perfect gymnastics rings for myself I would go for straps that are easy to adjust. Double-layer straps are what I would choose. Those should be straps that don’t hang loose and get in the way. This makes them awkward to use. Especially if you want rings at the same height.

It’s also great to have buckles that don’t slip. Those buckles are safer. They are also easy to adjust.

Some plastic rings may hold more weight than some rings made of wood. But, because of the material feeling under my palms, I would choose rings made of wood.

I would also prefer 1.1″ thick rings. If it’s good for pros, it’s good for me too. Those are my personal preferences.

It may be different for you. Always choose what suits you best.

Awegym Gymnastics Rings

Main Features:
  • 2x 1.1″ birch wood gymnastics rings
  • 2x 9.4 ft double-layer nylon straps
  • 4x Aluminum Screw-Lock Carabiners 15 KN
  • 1x 25-60 lbs resistance band
  • 2x black grip tapes
  • 1x storage bag
  • 660 lbs max load

Pros:

  • Double layer nylon straps and aluminum screw lock carabiners make setting up without any tools, fast, easy and secure (without any strap excess getting in the way)
  • An added resistance band is a nice bonus
  • Dimensions correspond to competition guidelines of the International Gymnastics Federation (1.1″ diameter)

Cons:

  • 9.4 ft might be too long for normal use without access to extra high ceilings

GHB Gymnastics Rings

Main Features:
  • 2x 1.25″ birch wood gymnastics rings
  • 2x 8.2 ft double-layer nylon straps
  • 4x Allen Wrench Lock Carabiners
  • 2x grip tapes
  • 2x foot straps
  • 1x door anchor
  • 1x storage bag
  • 1200 lbs max load

Pros:

  • Double layer nylon straps and allen wrench lock carabiners make a secure setup (without any strap excess getting in the way)
  • Added foot straps allow more exercise options
  • Door anchor provides more setup options using your door

Cons:

  • 8.2 ft might be too short for professional use with extra high ceilings
  • Allen wrench lock carabiners require using allen wrench tool which is less convenient than just using your hands
  • 1.25″ ring diameter is not for gymnastics professional use

Double Circle Gymnastics Rings

Main Features:
  • 2x 1.1″ or 1.25″ birch wood gymnastics rings
  • 2x 9 ft double-layer nylon straps
  • 4x Allen Wrench Lock Carabiners
  • 1100 lbs max load

Pros:

  • Double layer nylon straps and allen wrench lock carabiners make a secure setup (without any strap excess getting in the way)
  • 1.1″ and 1.25″ ring thicknesses are available

Cons:

  • Allen wrench lock carabiners require using allen wrench tool which is less convenient than just using your hands

Quolix Gymnastics Rings

Main Features:
  • 2x 1.1″ ABS gymnastics rings
  • 2x 9.84 ft double-layer nylon straps
  • 2x Allen Wrench Lock Carabiners
  • 1x storage bag
  • 1300 lbs max load

Pros:

  • Double layer nylon straps and allen wrench lock carabiners make a secure setup (without any strap excess getting in the way)

Cons:

  • 9.84 ft might be too long for normal use without access to extra high ceilings
  • Allen wrench lock carabiners require using allen wrench tool which is less convenient than just using your hands
  • ABS (plastic) might not be the best material for rings

Pacearth Gymnastics Rings

Main Features:
  • 2x 1.1″ ABS gymnastics rings
  • 2x 14.76 ft adjustable buckle straps
  • 1100 lbs max load

Pros:

  • Low price

Cons:

  • Adjustable buckle straps are hard to set on the same height
  • Buckles can slip during exercise so they are not very safe
  • Adjustable buckle straps will have excess strap hanging and getting in the way
  • ABS (plastic) might not be the best material for rings

Can you build muscle and strength with gymnastic rings

The short answer is yes, absolutely.

If you are just starting out, you will be doing basic exercises. In time, you will slowly increase the difficulty. You will also spend more time on rings. This will help you build strength and muscle mass.

This will not happen overnight though. You will have to put in the time and effort. The principles for building muscle mass and strength are always the same. It doesn’t matter what equipment you use.

Because rings are unstable, they will help you engage more muscles. This will help you build muscle size and improve your strength. It’s the main characteristic of gymnastics rings. This makes it the number one reason why you would think about getting rings in the first place.

Can beginners use gymnastic rings?

Rings Close Up

In the past, gymnastics rings were only used in men’s gymnastics competitions. This is the reason why some people think that rings can only be used by advanced athletes.

This is not true though. If you are a beginner and have access to rings, you can still benefit from using this piece of equipment. But, when you are just starting out you are not familiar with the nuances of the basic skills. This may lead to ineffective workouts or injury. In this case, it would be a great choice to seek advice and guidance from an expert.

So, both beginners and advanced athletes may use gymnastics rings. For your safety consult an experienced trainer for help.

Gymnastics rings material

Gymnastic rings are mostly made of wood and plastic. The rings should be sturdy enough to hold your weight when you work out. They should also provide a solid grip so you can securely hold onto them. Because of that, some manufacturers make rings with a slight texture.

Ring straps are made of durable materials like polyester or nylon. They are attached to rings. The length of the straps should be easy to adjust. This will help you vary the height of the rings. So, you can position them exactly as you want.

How high should rings be

You should install your rings at a height that allows proper exercise execution. There should be enough space below, above, to the front, back and sides. Nothing should get in the way. This is crucial to keep you safe.

The height will depend on your height. It will also depend on the exercise you want to do. You should place the rings higher for more advanced skills and lower for more basic skills.

Let’s take inverted rows as an example of an easy exercise. In this case, rings should be positioned somewhere between your chest and your waist height. When they are higher, this exercise will be easier. When they are lower, it will be harder to do it.

For harder exercises, you should position rings so high that you have to jump up to grab them. You should be able to hang freely and hold on to rings without touching the ground with your feet.

If you are in doubt about how to position your rings, consult a professional coach. A coach will help you find the proper ring height. He will help you adjust the height of the rings for the exercise and your height.

Gymnastics rings exercises

You can use rings in lots of ways. They help you do a wide variety of exercises. Here are a few exercise examples you can perform on rings:

As you can see, there is a lot to choose from. There is a wide variety of exercises you can do with rings. The exercises found both in calisthenics and gymnastics. Keep in mind, this is just a selection. There is much more you can do with rings than listed here.

In calisthenics, you can use rings for most upper body exercises. Rings can be used as an alternative for pull up bar or dip bars. So, rings will give you more options in your workouts.

Key takeaways

Gymnastics rings are very useful pieces of equipment. They will help you do a wide variety of exercises. Both beginners and experienced gymnasts will be able to use rings. But, beginners will use them differently than experienced athletes.

Historically, men were primarily using rings in gymnastics competitions. They are more common today. People use them in home gym setups.

You can use rings in lots of ways. They are used in calisthenics as well as gymnastics.

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