Hanging Rings

Saw the review of the Power Ring Training System in the latest issue of T-Mag. I had previously considered the hanging rings sold by Larry Scott. Larry Scott’s rings appear to be higher quality, with the leather padding, and chains. They also cost more ($147 vs. $79.95).

Opinions?

The Larry Scott Hanging Rings are at:

http://www.smartcart.com/dtester/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=hangingrings

I can’t really tell from the ad, but do the Scott rings adjust up and down easily? That’s one thing I like about the Power Rings. You can go from chins to push-ups in a few seconds.

The Power Rings people have given us a few pair to test out for the upcoming T-Jack Reports, by the way.

I would assume that the chains adjust like chains, i.e., just put the clip on a different link.

Following is the information posted on the Larry Scott message board concerning his rings vs. the rings reviewed:

“You’re right the steel is 1/2 inch in diameter and it hurts your palms unless they are padded properly. Ours are made with padded hand sewn Elk hide. They will last a life time and you don’t have ignore the palm pain because there isn’t any. Alos they come with polished chain with Large “S” hooks so you can adjust the rings easily for decline flys flat flys and incline flys. A great exercise i might add. This exercise will really get your pec’s attention.
Your friend,
Larry Scott”

hello guys
was just wondering why not just get a pair of single cable grips, some chain and hooks all for less than 25 bucks and with the flat gripping surface itll hurt less i would imagine.

i mean any legitimate reason to spend 80 on rings or 150 on padded rings???
please let me know what you guys think cause i already got the pair grips and was gonna get chain and hooks this evening at home depot

thanks alot

Good question. Don’t know. Please let me know how it goes.

5 years later, the project is finished. I ended up cutting the chain supplied with the rings. I have 60 mm nylon mountain climbing slings from REI attached to the rings (by loop), and the other end attached to a small rappel ring. That is in turn, attached to a small carabiner, attached to the chain, with 2 additional carabiners attached to the chain to make for easy adjustment for pushups, and to hold the extra chain.

The chain is then attached to additional carabiners (bent D-shaped), attached to heavy duty heavy boxing bag springs from Everlast, attached to heavy duty swing hangers, attached to custom steel joist hanging plates, held on to 2-2x4’s hung between joists of the attic with Simpson strong tie joist hangers. The nylon slings are a major improvement over relying solely on the chains.

What is the value of using rings for bodybuilding. What can you do with rings in terms of building muscle that you can’t do with a chinup bar and a dip station?

[quote]belligerent wrote:
What is the value of using rings for bodybuilding. What can you do with rings in terms of building muscle that you can’t do with a chinup bar and a dip station?[/quote]

From Feb. 6, 2004 T-Mag Article:

“Anyway, if you’ve ever had a chance to train on rings, you know what a great upper body and abdominal workout it can be. But how can you train with rings at home? You get yourself a pair of Power Rings! These are 1.25” thick steel rings that come with a webbing and buckle system that allows you to set them up just about anywhere. You can throw them over a pull-up bar, a climbing apparatus at the park, or in your garage if you have a pair of I-bolts.

Besides being portable, the unique thing about Power Rings is that they can be adjusted up or down in seconds. This makes them very versatile. You can lower them almost to the ground and do a variety of push-ups and even fly-type movements. Raise them up halfway and use them for dips, or set them up high for chin-ups and ab work.

My favorite exercise on the rings is chin-ups. Unlike chinning on a bar, rings allow you to change the hand position without letting go. For example, you can do as many wide-grip, pronated pull-ups as you can, then flip the hands around into a supinated position to knock out a few more reps. When you can’t do any more there, twist the hands so the palms are facing each other and try for another rep or two. Can’t do that with a bar or pull-up handles!

A quick warning: dips and push-ups are very difficult to perform with rings. It’s like learning a whole new exercise. Guys who can knock out a dozen body weight dips on a dipping stand will have trouble getting even a couple on the rings.

My only complaint with Power Rings is that sometimes the extra webbing gets in the way when you set them up high. Sure, you can tie or tape the extra webbing up out of your way easily enough, but then you have to re-do it when you drop the rings down for push-ups and flyes. Not a big problem, just a minor annoyance.

Power Rings and all the set-up gear will cost you about $80. They come with all the webbing and hardware you need (tested for 4000 pounds!), plus some Gamma Pro Wrap to improve the grip. These things are pretty fun and deserve a spot in your toolbox, especially if you’re a garage or basement trainer. For more info or to pick up a pair, log on to www.ringtraining.com.

Rating: 8 ? CS"

From Larry Scott:

larryscott.com/bio/products/equipment/hangingrings.cfm

“If your pecs are stubborn like mine and refuse to respond to conventional exercises, a couple of weeks on the hanging rings is just the trick to kick some extra growth into them. The rings should be padded to prevent palm pain; other than that they don’t need to be anything special in order to make them work. It’s the uniqueness of the exercise that makes this thing so darn good.”

System used for hanging rings from a normal 9’ ceiling in a garage.

2-2x4’s hung between rafters in ceiling for each ring using Simpson strong tie connectors - nominal cost

Custom made metal plates - cost ?

Set of 2 Playstar Commercial Grade Swing Hangers $45.90

2 Everlast Heavy-Duty springs for heavy punching bags - Over 70 Lbs. bag ($12.99 ea).
http://www.everlast.com/heavy-bag-springs.html

2 Black Diamond Quicksilver2 Bent Gate Carabiners $7.50 ea.

6 Ironmind 200 lb. test carabiners
No. 1313A (.25 lb.) Small snap clip $2.00

http://www6.mailordercentral.com/ironmind/prodinfo.asp?number=1313A

2 Omega Pacific Rappel Rings $4.20 ea.

2 Metolius 18mm Nylon Sling, 120 cm long $6.95 ea.

Set of 2 Larry Scott hanging gymnastics rings $182
http://www.larryscott.com/bio/products/equipment/hangingrings.cfm

Total Cost = $182 + 2x$6.95 + 2x$4.20 + 6x$2 + 2x$7.50 + 2x$12.99 + $45.90 = $277.20

Also, one ring serves a dual function of touching the windshield when driving into the garage, to show the exact point at which the car should stop.