Unlock Strength: Benefits of Gymnastics Ring Training

Adding gymnastics ring training to your fitness regime offers numerous benefits that enhance strength, mobility, and overall fitness. I got my introduction to them in my crossfit certification back in 2005 in Santa Cruz. Ibve iused them ever since. Here are soe oif the reasons why they are so useful

1. Builds Functional Strength

Gymnastic rings require you to stabilize your body, engaging multiple muscle groups simultaneously. This develops functional strength that translates to everyday movements and other sports.

2. Enhances Core Stability

Every ring exercise activates your core for balance and control. This constant engagement strengthens your core muscles more effectively than many traditional exercises.

3. Improves Joint Health and Mobility

Ring training allows natural movement patterns, reducing strain on joints compared to fixed machines or bars. It also promotes greater joint mobility, especially in the shoulders.

4. Boosts Grip Strength

Holding onto unstable rings challenges your grip, leading to significant improvements in forearm and hand strength.

5. Offers Scalable Progression

Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced athlete, ring exercises can be scaled to your skill level. For example, you can start with ring rows and progress to advanced moves like muscle-ups or planches.

6. Builds Coordination and Balance

The instability of the rings demands improved coordination and body awareness, enhancing neuromuscular control.

7. Portable and Versatile

Rings are lightweight and easy to carry. You can set them up almost anywhere, making them a versatile tool for at-home or outdoor workouts.

8. Promotes Lean Muscle Development

Because ring training engages multiple muscle groups at once, it promotes lean muscle growth, resulting in a toned and athletic physique.

9. Challenges Mental Focus

Mastering movements like dips, levers, and muscle-ups requires mental focus and discipline, making it as much a mental workout as a physical one.

10. Adds Variety to Workouts

Incorporating rings prevents workout monotony and keeps training fresh and exciting with endless exercise variations. Certainly this was one of the motivations behind their early adoption by the Crossfit regime

Whether you aim to build strength, improve mobility, or challenge yourself in new ways, gymnastic rings are an excellent addition to any fitness program.

I noticed that Amazon has a reasonable selection of rings for sale. You ought to have your own pair.

Gravity fitness rings (amazon) £37.95
Or “breaking limits” (£34.95)


How Monitoring Blood Pressure Can Save Your Life

If the death of my father taught me one thing, its that regularly checking blood pressure is important !

A dirt cheap home blood pressure monitor helps you track your blood pressure and detect potential issues early.

Here are some specific reasons .

1. Early Detection of Hypertension: High blood pressure (hypertension) often has no symptoms but can lead to serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney damage. Regular monitoring helps catch it early. The problem is you can have hypertension without knowing. Well until its too late!

2. Prevent Complications: Uncontrolled blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other life-threatening conditions. Monitoring helps manage and prevent these complications.

3. Track Medication Effectiveness: For individuals on blood pressure medication, regular checks ensure the treatment is working and adjustments can be made if necessary. Get yours here

4. Identify Lifestyle Impact: Tracking blood pressure helps evaluate how diet, exercise, stress management, and other lifestyle changes affect your health.

5. Monitor for Hypotension: Low blood pressure (hypotension) can also cause health issues like dizziness or fainting. Regular checks can detect and address this condition. a quality blood pressure monitor can be got from amazon for as little as £19.95

6. Family History of Hypertension: If, like me, you have a genetic predisposition to high blood pressure, regular monitoring is crucial to prevent complications. If I ever say my dad didn’t give me anything, call me out. He gave me Hypertension. However due to monitoring, controling my diet and exercise, my blood pressure is normally very healthy (about 100/60). And, I know because I have a well validated and accurate blood pressure monitor like this one

7. Aging: Blood pressure tends to increase with age, making regular checks essential for older adults. Lots of bad things can happen as you age, so its best to go into your 50’s, 60’s 70’s with lots of good stuff on your side

Blood pressure monitoring is often done when you can occassionally get to a doctors surgery. I think it needs regular monitoring. I now do mine twice a week. Initially, I monitored it every day as I found my blood pressure stupidly high. After some detective work, I found that things like coffee and salt really spike my blood pressure, so I now moderate my coffee and salt intake and my blood pressure is normally quite athletic.

I have an blood pressure monitor thats not available anymore, but the enxt time i get one, im buying the Kinetik Wellbeing Home Use Blood Pressure Monitor – Used by the NHS – Fully Automatic Upper Arm Blood Pressure Machine with Universal Cuff (22-42cm), Digital Sphygmomanometer Tester Kit. on Amazon here.

Its stupidly easy to use, and as you can see, its used by the NHS and recommended by the St John Ambulance

Kinetik Wellbeing Home Use Blood Pressure Monitor - Used by the NHS - Fully Automatic Upper Arm Blood Pressure Machine with Universal Cuff (22-42cm), Digital Sphygmomanometer Tester Kit