Transition to rings

[wwqll]

Hi everybody,

I just got my rings, before that I trained on bar.

How should my routine evolve ? Should I just do my FSP, and pullups on rings and that's it ?

Anything I should do before to be ready (60sec support?)

Maybe I'll train for the muscle up - with the progression from the book. Is it a good idea to replace the weighted rows with the muscle up progression ?

I obviously want to get full benefit from them .

My routine :

Everytime :

5 sets planche variation (or planche leans)

5 sets handstand variation

5 sets back lever

5 sets front lever

then

A :

3 sets weighted dips

3 sets weighted bar rows

3 sets hanging leg lifts

B:

3 sets handstand push ups

3 sets weighted pull ups

3 sets grip work

Week:

ABxABxx

Thanks in advance.

[wwqll]

So, I just did the B workout.

I tried the front and back lever on the rings and it felt curious - my arms were struggling a bit to stay stable. With this struggle I feel like I lose some control and as a result I actually can't do as well as on bar.

I think I'll build a solid straight arm hold on the rings before doing anything, is it a good idea ?

[Joshua Naterman]

You should always start out by building a solid support hold.

[Cole Dano]

Like Josh said, above the rings work starts with getting a decent support hold and then to dips etc..

Of course you can also work on skills hanging from the rings pull ups, FL etc which are totally different as the body's center of mass is below the rings.

[wwqll]

Thanks! I'll build a support hold.

Beside that and rings FL & BL, do I need anything to help with the stability ?

[Cole Dano]

do I need anything to help with the stability ?

I'm not 100% sure what you mean by this, but a first step is to develop a support hold on a stable surface, like between two chairs or using parallel bars.

[wwqll]

I meant, beside the support hold on rings, anything to add do to reduce the shaking during the FSP?

I guess it'll get better with the time.

[Cole Dano]

Get a one minute parallel bar support first.

When moving to rings, if the shaking is very bad, you can also build from Ring Plank and then to Support Hold.

[wwqll]

I do have a 60+sec on p bars.

Just tried the ring support again on rings after a workout and couldn't get more than ~20sec... I'll build this up to 60secs.

Some last questions :

- after my hold is solid, which are the good progressions to do for someone who gets started on the rings ?

- the back lever on bars make my forearms struggling hard, most of the time they will give up first ! Also they get some intense blood circulation in them when I let go (but no pain). Am I doing something wrong ?

- not related to rings but I'm adding about 3 to 4lbs a month of weight with a calorific surplus on workout days, should I except an impact on my performance ? (as the bodyweight become heavier)

This forum is great ! Thanks a lot for your time

[Joshua Naterman]

I do have a 60+sec on p bars.

Just tried the ring support again on rings after a workout and couldn't get more than ~20sec... I'll build this up to 60secs.

Some last questions :

- after my hold is solid, which are the good progressions to do for someone who gets started on the rings ?

- the back lever on bars make my forearms struggling hard, most of the time they will give up first ! Also they get some intense blood circulation in them when I let go (but no pain). Am I doing something wrong ?

- not related to rings but I'm adding about 3 to 4lbs a month of weight with a calorific surplus on workout days, should I except an impact on my performance ? (as the bodyweight become heavier)

This forum is great ! Thanks a lot for your time

In order:

Dips

No, you will get used to it and that sensation will go away eventually.

Depends on if you're getting fatter, and whether or not the muscles that are growing are the muscles that you are using for rings. If your legs are growing, then that will work against you a little bit. If your pecs and lats are growing but your rotator cuff muscles and serratus anterior are not, then you will not see the kind of progress you want.

[wwqll]

Thanks again,

the XR dips are set far on the dips progression on the book - I think I can't complete the previous variations, so I guess I'll have to wait

I added 14kg (30lbs) in 10 months so far and my overall strength increase, like my pull ups from 0 unweighted to 5 weighted at 25lbs, my FSP from the first positions to tucked or better. The past weeks I added 1 HSPU a week from 0 to 4 (on wall), but for some reason I could only squeeze one yesterday...

Physically my back progress more than the front I think, there is clear improvement everywhere, my arms stay thin at the moment, but I guess that's because I'm still only 130lbs @ 5"6

My mom told me I was getting a 'bull neck' recently hopefully from the muscle gain

My concern is that sometimes I feel like my FSP has been stalling a bit.

I do gained some fat, I'm about 14%bf. My legs are slightly bigger than before too.

I think I'll add 25lbs or so before cutting the fat, unless I get too fat meanwhile

[Rik de Kort]

Dips

Or straight-arm work.

[Joshua Naterman]

Sure, once he has a solid support. That is a good reminder, I totally forgot about that. Once you have a good support on rings you should definitely continue with that elbow prep.

[Blairbob]

I meant, beside the support hold on rings, anything to add do to reduce the shaking during the FSP?

Frequency is the key here. When you do it more, you will train your body to do it more efficiently. It goes, "Hey, let's get better at this " and starts recruiting more motor units to do said action.

Basic ring strength is all about doing skin the cats/360 pulls and support work. I generally start most beginners just with a straight arm plank/pushup support and a crap load of skin the cats and swings. They will start their ring swings from an L hang and end by swinging to inverted hang and lowering through german hang. They may pull out of german hang to basket or a full skin the cat. Do this, a lot.

A full 360 pull/skin the cat may be daunting at first. Doing them with a slight swing or doing a decreased ROM tick tock back and forward towards BL to FL may be helpful.

[Kevin Oka]

I have very little experience so far, but I found that after Support Holds, working the L-Sit progressions on rings have been very beneficial for ring stability, since your center of gravity is raised a bit from the standard Support. You get familiar with two different levels of instability and learn to adapt to the general nature of the rings. Once again I'm very inexperienced compared to other more seasoned gymnasts here, so take that with a grain of salt.

-Oka

[Joshua Naterman]

Oka, that's exactly how Coach has his athletes progress with inner elbow conditioning. You've got it right. Master support holds first, then start focusing more on XR L-sit

[wwqll]

Understood !

I did L sits on floor some time ago but I hated it, the whole burn in the abdominal aera while struggling to keep legs high.

I almost have my 60sec hold, I'll add l-sits on my routine afterwars.

Is this necessary to keep doing supports hols if my time is > 60sec ?

Thanks !

[Joshua Naterman]

I would keep one for a while, yes. Once you get to where you've got a 45-60s low or tuck L sit on rings, there's no need to do the original support anymore. Obviously most of your time will be spent on whatever progression you are on, but try to get in a longer hold 2-3 times per week. It can be in a separate session, at the beginning, end, whatever works for you.