Support Hold Training Wheels

[Tristan Curtis]

Hi all,

 

Really appreciating this amazing forum.

 

I started using rings a few days ago. Coming into my first training session, I presumed a 60s-70s support on dip bars meant I could support on rings for at least a few seconds. After 3 x 20 min sessions, I think my best has been a half-second before I shake out.

 

Just checking this is pretty normal?

 

Are there some good work-ups to a stable support?

 

In the meantime, I have rings between hips and knees, and practicing support with knees bent and toes dragging lightly on ground behind me. The legs take off just enough weight and instability for me to hold for a few seconds, so my rotators have some resistance. I’m gradually putting less and less force through the ground.

 

I’m also trying to understand the mechanics of why - on a stable surface - I can still hold a support “rings out†(fingers pointing behind me) easily? Is it because on a stable surface I can just push force out-and-down diagonally – while on rings, I can only push down, so instead the arms have to produce torque to hold the shoulders rotated externally?

 

Loving the new experience. The contraction I’m feeling in bicep, forearm flexors and esp elbow tendons just supporting half my bodyweight is more intense than anything done in a few years of free weight training. Really exciting.

[Connor Davies]

Practice holding a plank position on rings until you can work up to say, 4 sets of 60 seconds.  Ring pushups are phenomenally useful introductory tools to the instability of rings.  It's what I did and a standard support hold on rings wasn't overly difficult the first time I tried it.

[Joseph Blazuk]

Lace a band through the rings (under your grip on each ring - I've found between digits 3 and 4 works best) and under your feet so you're standing on it.  You can start wiggling around and/or decrease the tension on the band (making the length longer between each ring) to increase the difficulty.