Six ‘Must-Haves’ To Achieve Your Gymnastics Rings Goals

So you’ve bought your Atomic Iron Wooden Gymnastic Rings and you’re ready to start your journey. Here are six must-haves for an effective gymnastics rings workout.

1. Time

We’re all busy, and we’re only getting busier. But the truth is the only way to achieve your goals is if you create the time to commit to them.

From an individual workout point of view, ensure you give yourself at least 30 minutes to train. This allows you to complete at least 5 exercises for six minutes each (3 one minute sets with a one minute rest). 

Although recommended, this doesn’t have to be in one full block. You can break this into 2x15 or 3x10 minute sessions.

2. Consistency

As it goes with any long-term results-based activity, the key is consistency. Working out with gymnastics rings is a marathon, not a sprint, and the secret to success is consistency in your workout routine.

You should commit to at least three sessions per week, and as your body adjusts and you are able to take more stress on the muscles, increase this to four if possible. Missing one session here and there, or taking a week off may not feel like a big deal at the time, but it all adds up and pushes you away from your goal.

Remember, consistency is not perfection or extreme, it is simply being disciplined and refusing to give up.

3. Patience

The realistic truth is that results do happen over time, just not overnight. It’s a slow process, a tiresome journey, but remember that nothing worth having comes easy.

You may feel like stopping at some point, and that’s normal, but it’s imperative to not put too much pressure on yourself to see results too quickly. Although the psychological and mental benefits can be realized almost immediately, changes in overall strength, body composition and appearance can take at least 4-6 weeks.

After a while you’ll notice that things start to get easier, but this is actually not the case, you’re just getting stronger.  

4. Space

As with all body-weight and functional calisthenics exercises, working out with gymnastics rings is going to involve your entire body moving a lot. The last thing you want is to restrict your range of movement due to limited space, or cause yourself an unnecessary injury.

As a general rule, your rings should be set up in an area of approximately 2 square meters, allowing you to perform any variety of exercises on your list that day.

5. The Right Clothes

For activities that involve your entire body and that encompass a full range of movement, the correct attire is essential for a quality workout.

There are no hard or fast rules, everyone will have their preferences in what they feel comfortable in, but a few things to remember are:

• Avoid any fabrics that don’t breathe (such as nylon) as this stops sweat from evaporating as you work out, resulting in your body temperature becoming too high. Cotton material clothing is always the best.
• Overly loose or baggy clothing may restrict your range of motion (and cause injury), and also may get dirty or ruined by touching the ground throughout the workout. More fitted fabrics that hug your body will allow for greater ease of movement.
• If you look good, you’ll feel good - and train great! We might not always realise it, but your mindset at the beginning of a work out will impact its quality. Positive body image has been proven to link directly with being more physically active.

6. Water Bottle 

This is no brainer right? But you’d be surprised how many people forget to hydrate properly throughout their gymnastics rings work out. So why is it important?

During strenuous exercise as sweat evaporates from your skin, so does overall body fluid. To reduce the risk of heat strain, maintain normal body function, and preserve (or increase) performance levels we must continually exchange the lost liquids through consistent fluid intake.

The unfortunate fact is that when you're dehydrated you fatigue, and your body (and mind) cannot function at their optimal level. And remember, the best fluid is water, not your sugar-filled ‘sports’ drink.

See related:

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Three Celebrities You Didn't Know Use Gym Rings.
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7 Reasons To Start Working Out With Gymnastic Rings
6 Reasons Wooden Gymnastic Rings Are Superior To Plastic