The Human Trainer is a bodyweight suspension training system, similar to the popular TRX that we wanted to review because of it’s latest attachment - gymnastics rings.

If you’re not familiar with suspension trainers check out the suspension training guide on Fitstream.

Essentially, suspension trainers are adjustable straps that can be hung from overhead bars or beams, or even rigged up to standard doorways using the supplied door jam. The straps have handles for your hands and feet and allow you to manipulate your bodyweight for intense fitness training.

There are a few suspension trainers on the market now but the Human Trainer (pictured above), caught our eye for a couple of reasons:

• It’s a dual strap design
• It has multiple attachments, including gymnastics rings

Dual strap design

Firstly, because the Human Trainer is a dual strap design (rather than the single strap from other popular systems like the TRX) it’s an incredibly flexible fitness aid. Not only does it allow for basic doorway based training, which is good for taking your fitness on the road with pull-ups, chest flys, single-leg squats, but it also allows for more advanced bodyweight exercises like the pull-up, muscle-up or dips.

The straps are entirely independent so you can setup the trainer any way that suits your training style. Not only that, but the build quality is superb, and the straps are extremely heavy duty.

Gymnastics rings attachments

You can currently buy a selection of attachments for the Human Trainer, such as ab straps, versatility straps, and ceiling fixings, but we’re most interested in the latest attachment - gymnastics rings.

Now you can remove the standard suspension training handles and hook up gymnastics rings which in our opinion, makes this one of the most effective and versatile pieces of fitness equipment on the planet.

We think this is a sign of things to come and a natural evolution for the standard fitness rings you see on the market today. With a simple twist to the standard design you have a suspension trainer that can be used in and around your home on doorways, or rigged up high for some seriously effective ring training too.

You can throw the 2lb piece of equipment in a bag for ultra-portability and you’d have everything you need for intense bodyweight training on the go. The range of exercises that is possible with this thing is never ending…

Check out this video overview of The Human Trainer on YouTube for more information or buy the trainer now from Astone fitness.

We’ve released articles before about what to consider when installing gymnastics rings and one of the options we mentioned was using a pull-up bar.

One of the best pull-up bars we’ve come across is the Stud Bar (pictured below) - a gym quality ceiling mounted pull-up bar made from 14 gauge steel that is perfect for mounting your gymnastics rings.

The Stud Bar is available in three different sizes with a 1 1/4 diameter bar and has a hammertone poweder coated finish.

Because the bar is ceiling mounted rather than wall mounted it gives you enough space to ring train in safety and not have to compromise on your exercises. If you’re in the market for a pull-up bar or for somewhere to hang your gymnastics rings it’s well worth a look.

For more information, prices, testimonials and Stud Bar reviews check out the Stud Bar website.

We’ve recently just added the Torque Rings into our site, which are manufactured and available to buy from renowned American fitness equipment retailer Torque Athletic.

Torque Athletic are well know for producing bomb-proof, top quality fitness gear. Their kit is solid, functional and expertly made by people who know and love working out to military precision. Their range of gymnastic rings are no exception.

These rings are a testament to Torque’s commitment to quality training equipment.

The Torque Athletic Strength Rings are available in a range of different ring thickness (the thicker the rings the more difficult it is to grip, we would recommend the 1.25″ rings if you are just starting out). They are also made of steel and finished off with a powder coated textured black finish that is as durable as it is aesthetic and the straps are made of 1″ webbing with a tensile strength rating of 3,500 pounds.

Torque offer the most comprehensive selection of gymnastics rings we’ve seen. Other than different ring thickness’s they also offer the half rings, which is something we have never come across before but they are used by trainers who prefer more elbow room when performing ring exercises like the muscle-up.

Here’s the full range of Torque Gymnastics Rings.

You can find Torque at their online shop - Torque Athletic. While you’re there check out their range of Clubbells, Kettlebells and Macebells as they have a truly awesome range of functional fitness equipment to use along side your gymnastic rings.

Ring Training pioneered the design of traditional gymnastics rings for fitness workouts and the competition played catch up. Now they are preparing to launch their latest innovation in fitness rings… The EXF Gymnastics Rings.

EXF Gymnastics Rings

These gymnastic rings look amazing and we can’t wait to get hold of a set but what are the differences between the EXF Rings and the Elite Rings for which Ring Training became famous?

The Rings

Firstly, the rings themselves have been redesigned and are made from the same material used in riot shields and aircraft components, meaning that a single ring can support over a thousand pounds!

Ring texture is very much down to personal preference and now each EXF ring sports a new ”multi-textured” surface. Some prefer a very light, almost smooth texture and others prefer heavy for good chalk hold. The EXF gymnastic rings have answered this by catering for everyone. Part of the ring is covered in a non-slip rubber grip (which promises to make those muscle-ups slightly more achievable) and the rest of the ring is divided between a light microtexture, or heavy rough texturing. The choice is now yours.

In the past we have took to using sandpaper or raquet grip to customise the hold on our rings so this really is a nice touch and perfect for gyms where there’s more than one person going to be working out on the rings.

The Ring Mounting System

The new mouting system brings some serious innovations. These rings come with longer straps, which will now allow you to mount the rings overhead from 11 inches right up to 17.5 feet! Ring training also claim that setup time has been reduced down to 5 seconds! When we get a set we will put this to the test!

For the travellers among us the rings weigh in at only 3lbs and have been adapted so that they can be mounted in a standard door frame. We really like the sound of this, and it was a design idea we had in mind after training with the brilliant TRX Suspension Trainer sold by Fitness Anywhere. This will allow you to take your training with you anywhere and we can’t wait to try this out.

Another feature which is similar to the TRX that has been put to good use on the EXF Rings is measured webbing. The straps are formed with ‘markers’ so you can easily ensure that each rings is exactly the same height. A nice little time saver for those of us who are always asjusting their rings for each exercise.

So there you have it, our first look at the EXF Gymnastics Rings brought to you by Ring Training.

The rings are now available for pre-order, for more information check out the ringtraining.com website.

The legendary Elite Rings are now available to buy with free shipping and no customs charges to the US, UK and Canada. Click here to take advantage of this offer.

Elite Rings retailer ringtraining.com has launched a new product called the Elite Strength Trainer, pictured below:

These are equipment that will help you train for advanced ring training exercises like the iron cross or maltese. The strength trainer works by allowing you to adjust your bodyweight through ten different increments, building up to being able to perform the exercises without the help of the trainer.

As your strength increases you adjust the trainer so that more of your bodyweight is used during the exercise.

Exercises like the iron cross and maltese are notoriously difficult to achieve and are an impressive display of strength that few exercises can rival. The Elite Strength Trainer makes the moves more attainable by allowing your bodyweight to be an adjustable factor in the exercise.

We haven’t got our hands on one yet but when we do we will post our review on the Elite Strength Trainer. Initial feedback we’ve been hearing are that it’s comfortable to use, very easy to setup and adjust and overall a great product for anyone looking to add advanced ring training exercises into their routine.

The Elite Strength Trainer is available to buy now from ringtraining.com.

Here we review the Rogue Rings, a new set of gymnastics rings designed for fitness which are available now from CrossFit Columbus site Rogue Fitness.

We like the Rogue Fitness website. A cool design with interesting content on functional fitness and of the blood sweat and tears of CrossFit Columbus members. It also has a shop selling the kind of fitness products which make us feel like a kid in a toy store, but we’d resisted reaching for our wallets until the launch of the Rogue Rings.

We have rings. Multiple sets in fact…. but these rings look the business and they’re steel! Its description uses words like: ‘Tig welded’, ‘Heavy Gauge’ and ‘Zinc Phosphate Plating’. They also have a video of a car being towed using the straps that come with the rings! …OK, ok, enough about us trying to justify yet another purchase of fitness rings (and maybe some Rogue Climbing Rope). The fact of that matter is, they’ve arrived and we don’t regret it one bit. These are the daddy of gymnastics rings for fitness.

First up they look cool. The black and red design gives an aggressive appearance that just works, and the coating applied to the precision welded steel rings is rough and extremely durable.

Secondly, their ease of use. These are the easiest rings to hang we have ever used. With a nice strapping and buckle system and velcro tag to keep unwieldy excess strap out of your way.

Thirdly, the way they feel, weighty, with a nice heavy texture (great for those who like to ring train with chalk). These rings are a little bit more expensive than other options but they are the first set of rings we’ve bought that actually felt worth the cost. It’s a quality product.

Here’s the official product details:

Each set of Rogue Rings comes with:

• 1.5″ x 16′ heavy duty black nylon strap
• Heavy duty buckle for height adjusting the rings
• Velcro tags for strap management
• Black metal rings with zinc phosphate plating and textured surface

The only possible downside we could think is to portability - For anyone who likes to take their rings on the move, it might be worth considering the weight. As they are steel they obviously aren’t as light as the many plastic alternatives that are available. This isn’t an issue for us as our rings stay put and it may not be a problem to anyone but the most hardcore of travellers as the rings still only weigh in at 2lbs each. Personally, we like this aspect to the rings as they contribute to the durable, heavy-duty feel you have when using the equipment.

Even though we have multiple sets of rings in our home gym setup we always find ourselves reaching for the Rogue Rings. We would recommend these rings to anyone. The Rogue Rings are available to buy now from Rogue Fitness.

Many athletes use chalk when training. Dusting up at the chalk bucket improves grip to give you a competitive advantage. It also helps keep you safe and can often allow that last rep that you wouldn’t have achieved otherwise.

Even if you aren’t a professional athlete using chalk can help your training immensely. Grip strength can be key to ring training and the use of chalk will physically improve your grip. It avoids painful skin abrasions and is essential for absorbing moisture and drying sweat from intense training.

If your gym doesn’t mind a little bit of mess we recommend training with chalk. We started using it about a year into our ring training regime and it really helps to get a solid grip on bars or rings. We noticed an immediate increase in the rep count of certain exercises. We also found a cool psychological factor to chalking up before an exercise that just puts us in the right frame of mind.

We store the chalk in a bucket in our home gym. Simply rub it into your hands inside the bucket and clap once or twice to minimise mess and excess. Oh, and if it’s not your home gym remember to take a little towel with you to clean up when your done!

You can buy the chalk in a couple of different forms but we use the solid one pound block of Ader Gym Chalk which is available to buy from Rogue Fitness.

If you spend any time researching ring training you will find links to “CrossFit”. Here we explore what CrossFit is and how it relates to ring training.

What is CrossFit?
CrossFit is an internationally growing fitness movement, a training methodology that promotes overall physical fitness. Not dedicated to any sport specific training, CrossFit is aimed towards general strength and conditioning and usually questions conventional fitness wisdom.

CrossFit captures its mantra nicely using the “World-Class Fitness in 100 Words” featured on its site:

“Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat. Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast. Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense. Regularly learn and play new sports.”

CrossFit workouts involve participants working very hard at high pace, often with no rest and promotes development across 10 different fitness domains: Cardiovascular or respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance, coordination, and accuracy.

Athletes develop proficiency in these categories using a variety of equipment such as free-weights, pull-up bars, plyo boxes, kettlebells and gymnastics rings. Routine and stagnation the enemy, CrossFitters will run, jump, row, climb, pull, flip and carry themselves to elite fitness.

Many CrossFit athletes apply scoring and ranking systems to workouts to transform their routines into a sport.

CrossFit and Ring Training
Anyone putting CrossFit into practice is familiar with the benefits of training with rings. Recognized as a superior form of exercise, ring training features quite strongly in the CrossFit regime.

A lot of focus is placed on achieving the muscle-up. The legendary ring based pull-up, transition, and dip combination exercise that is notoriously difficult to master.

For More Information…

With a strong online presence and user forum CrossFit has a sizeable community supporting each other in achieving their personal fitness goals. To find out more visit crossfit.com.

Setting up your gymnastic rings

So you’ve bought yourself a set of gymnastics rings for fitness, like the Elite Rings. Where do you set them up and how do you mount them?

Where to hang your rings?

Don’t take this decision too lightly. Your training environment can have a profound effect on the results you achieve from your exercise routine. It’s much easier to stay focused and motivated if your surroundings are comfortable. 

Things to consider when setting up gymnastics rings for fitness:

• Height: This is critical. You need enough room to pull yourself up above the rings and hang below. Ideally, suspend them at the highest possible point. If you have bought a decent set of rings, they are easily height adjustable, and you should be able to quickly change them so you have enough room to get your feet off the ground with adequate head room so you don’t need to worry about concussion!
• Width: You should fix the rings around 50cm apart or slightly wider than shoulder width.
• Space: You need room to move, and to ensure you are not limiting what exercises you can do. A little bit of space around you is essential so you can perform exercises like push-ups, muscle-ups and the iron cross (optimistic as ever!).
• Anchoring: Make sure the anchor points you are using to suspend the rings are strong enough to support your bodyweight and a rigorous ring training regime. It should be a solid structure that won’t rock or move while the rings are in use.

If your rings are intended for fitness rather than gymnastics, they are designed to be as flexible and portable as possible. The beauty of this design is that they can be suspended from any solid anchor point.

Possible anchoring points:

• Any exposed beams or frames in your house, garage or basement
• Ceiling joists using an eye-bolt and threading the straps through
• Pull-up bars
• Trees
• Park equipment

The portability and convenience of your fitness rings design means you have a lot of flexibility over where you train. It’s much easier to exercise in a spacious, well-lit workout room, than a cold dark garage. Many people enjoy the freedom and feel of training outside using trees or park equipment. You’re only limited by your imagination!

If you’re really struggling for somewhere to ring train consider building your own ring training platform. We’re working on our own design now, and will be posting on the results in the future.