3 Reasons why Jason, our Physiotherapist, Gymnastics Coach and elite gymnast includes Gymnastics Rings in his training, and why he thinks you should too!
1. It’s a Lot of Fun!
It’s easier to do exercise when you enjoy it! I do gymnastics simply because it’s fun. A huge part of why people stick with their sport or exercise is because of enjoyment.
When training gymnastics rings, I love how improving my strength or mobility can lead to achieving difficult skills. The purposeful nature of training to learn new things is what is most enjoyable for me. With rings the skills are fun and exciting. There is always more to learn. When you’ve been training for a while these skills can be put together into routines. This is a great test of your endurance and keeps training interesting.
Below is a video of my rings routine from the Australian Gymnastics Nationals back in May, 2019.
2. Injury prevention
Holding positions on the rings require you to use stabilising muscles in your shoulders to maintain the position. The main stabilising muscles in your shoulders are your rotator cuff. This group of muscles are essential for good shoulder health. Weak rotator cuff muscles puts you at risk of shoulder, arm and other injuries. Bullet proof your body by improving your stability and strength through gymnastics rings exercises.
3. Transferable skills
The strength and skills from Rings training can help with other sports or similar skills - like a bar muscle up in CrossFit. Learning to break down skills like the strict ring muscle up into small, manageable parts, strengthens you through all sorts of movements you might not have known existed! Putting them back together teaches your body important co-ordination and learning skills. Rings training also uncovers unexpected weaknesses like poor wrist strength and mobility which can make a world of difference to any sport that needs similar movements!
This just touches on the reasons I love to train rings! I teach rings classes that will allow you to achieve all of the above and give you guidance in incorporating gymnastics rings into your training.
They are appropriate for all levels. Each class involves a thorough warm up, rings specific training scaled to your current ability and a strength circuit. For more info click the button below of feel free to contact me at jason@formotionphysio.com
Jason Ciccotosto
Physiotherapist & Gymnastics Coach
B.Sc Exercise and Sports Science
B.Sc Physiotherapy