Bulgarian dips on the Xtreme Rings are a mainstay of my athlete's ring strength training. They promote a much greater degree of strength acquisition than standard ring dips through extending the range of instability accessed during the exercise. Bulgarian dips allow the shoulder girdle and chest to develop a solid preparatory foundation prior to beginning serious iron cross training. And unlike iron cross training, this is done without the risk of perhaps prematurely exposing the elbows to the rigors of full bodyweight straight arm work.
To perform a Bulgarian dip, begin by assuming a standard support position on the rings. As a reminder, a correct support position will have the chest elevated, the back flat (no hunching!), the elbows locked and the rings turned outward slightly.
From this position, start the descent by allowing the rings to begin turning inward to a parallel position while simultaneously pressing the rings outward. Continue the descent until a pair of 90 degree angles have been achieved; a 90 degree bend in the elbows and a 90 degree angle between the upper arms and the torso. When you have reached the correct depth of descent; in addition to the pair of 90 degree angles hopefully attained, the upper arms will also be parallel with the floor.
It should also be noted that during the descent the torso should have remained completely upright with the chest directly between the hands.
To ascend, press upward while pulling the rings back in closer to the body, as well as turning them out once again. Continue to make certain that the torso remains upright at all times. This constitutes one repetition.
If descending to such a depth is beyond your current capacities (whether due to a lack of strength or a lack of flexibility), it is completely acceptable to initially descend to less than 90 degrees. Simply strive to increase the depth and width of your repetitions over time.
Yours in Fitness,
Coach Sommer
The Xtreme Rings which have been responsible for building a great deal of this athlete's strength are available here.
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. The pressure on the elbows is extreme and the leverage during the transition from bent to straight is practically non-existent. I'm sure that there are super human mutants who can train the element with no negative effects; I was simply not one of them, nor do I believe that the benefits of the movement outweigh the potential risks for most people.