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Bulgarian Ring Dip

Once you have mastered dip variations on parallel bars, it may be time to move to the ring dip and beyond. The Bulgarian Ring Dip is a variation that requires even more core and shoulder stability, due to the added instability of holding your shoulder and elbow joints 90˚ from the torso while maintaining control over the ring movement. An athlete should master steady straight arm strength (top-support) on rings as well as wide-grip dips on the bar before attempting this without a spotter.

  • Type Of Exercise: Strength
  • Muscles: Chest, Triceps, Shoulders
  • Difficulty: Intermediate
  • Equipment: Gymnastic Rings

Bulgarian Ring Dip

  1. Begin in a top support on gymnastic rings.
  2. Straighten your elbows, turn the rings out past parallel, and depress your shoulders.
  3. Keeping your arms in line with your torso, lower until you create a 90-degree elbow and armpit angle.
  4. Keep your torso, elbows, and hands in a single plane.
  5. As you lower from top support, the hands will rotate roughly 180-degrees, so the palms face backward at the deepest part of the dip.
  6. Press back out with control, ending each rep in a proper top support position.
  7. Repeat for reps.
  • Exercise: Ring Dip
  • Type of Exercise: Strength
  • Muscles: Chest, Triceps, Shoulders
  • Difficulty: Intermediate
  • Equipment: Gymnastic Rings
  • Exercise: Box Headstand Push-Up
  • Type of Exercise: Strength
  • Muscles: Chest, Triceps, Shoulders
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Equipment: Elevated Surface