How long should you hold the ring support when you are new to the exercise, and how many sets?

Start with 4-5 holds of 10-15 seconds, resting 45-60 seconds between them, and keep the rings still for the entire hold rather than fighting a wobble the whole time. Add a few seconds per hold once the rings stay quiet, and work the palm rotation a little further out each week if a full turnout is still tough.

What can you use instead of gymnastic rings for the support hold?

Parallel bars or two sturdy, level chairs pressed into a support position train the same locked-arm shoulder and triceps hold, though they will not wobble the way rings do. Without any equipment, a high plank held on straight arms builds similar straight-arm shoulder endurance, minus the vertical, full-bodyweight support demand.

What is the ring support hold good for, and who should skip it?

It is the foundational skill every ring push-up, dip, and muscle-up is built on. If the rings are still swinging wildly rather than settling, spend more sessions here before moving on to ring push-ups or dips.

Intermediate

Ring Support Hold

Holding the top of the rings with straight arms looks simple but demands the shoulders, triceps, and scapular stabilizers fight constant wobble to keep the rings from flaring. Turning the rings out at the top forces the front delts and chest to work harder and grooves the support position every ring push-up, dip, and muscle-up is built on. It is a foundational intermediate skill and a smart first step before attempting full ring dips.

Equipment: Rings
Body part: Shoulder, Triceps
Type: Balance, Strength
Browse by muscle: Deltoid Anterior, Triceps Brachii Long Head, Triceps Brachii Lateral Head, Triceps Brachii Medial Head
Browse by movement: Horizontal Press

How to do it

1
Set the rings to about chest height and grip one in each hand.
2
Jump or press up to support with the arms fully straight and locked.
3
Rotate the rings so your palms turn to face forward, hands pressed to your sides.
4
Depress the shoulders away from your ears and brace the abs and glutes.
5
Hold steady without letting the rings drift or swing, then step down to finish.

Tips

Squeeze the rings hard and drive them down and out to kill the wobble.
Pull the shoulder blades down rather than shrugging up so the shoulders stay supported.
If turning the rings fully out is too tough, start with the palms facing in toward your sides and rotate a little further out each session.

Variations

Common mistakes

The rings swing or drift during the hold instead of staying still, so energy goes into fighting momentum instead of holding the position.
The rotation stops with the palms facing sideways instead of reaching fully forward, so the chest and front delts never take their full share of the load.
The rings get set too high or too low for chest height, so the arms either cannot lock out fully or the feet drag before the hold even starts.
The elbows soften with a slight bend to make the hold feel easier, quietly trading a true straight-arm support for a bent-arm assist.

Frequently asked

How long should you hold the ring support when you are new to the exercise, and how many sets?: Start with 4-5 holds of 10-15 seconds, resting 45-60 seconds between them, and keep the rings still for the entire hold rather than fighting a wobble the whole time. Add a few seconds per hold once the rings stay quiet, and work the palm rotation a little further out each week if a full turnout is still tough.
What can you use instead of gymnastic rings for the support hold?: Parallel bars or two sturdy, level chairs pressed into a support position train the same locked-arm shoulder and triceps hold, though they will not wobble the way rings do. Without any equipment, a high plank held on straight arms builds similar straight-arm shoulder endurance, minus the vertical, full-bodyweight support demand.
What is the ring support hold good for, and who should skip it?: It is the foundational skill every ring push-up, dip, and muscle-up is built on. If the rings are still swinging wildly rather than settling, spend more sessions here before moving on to ring push-ups or dips.

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