FAQ
Please e-mail us if your question is not answered in this guide: info@ringtraining.com
Are there any other ways to order?
We can accept payments via PayPal, check or money order. Please contact us at info@ringtraining.com and we can setup an alternative payment method.
How Do I Download my training guide?
After you place your order, there will be a link on the "Thank You" page. Just click on the name of the product, which will be underlined. There will also be a link to it in your receipt, which will be e-mailed to you after you place your order. You will need an Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the file. If you are having trouble viewing the file, first try updating your Adobe Acrobat Reader. Second, download it to your computer and then open the file.
Training guides are available for the Elite Wooden Rings and EXF Rings.
Why won't your store accept my order?
If your transaction is being rejected, the most common cause is an incorrect billing address. We only use the billing address for security verification. Anything that needs to be mailed will be sent to your shipping address. Your billing address needs to be input exactly as your bank has it on file, including the formatting of the zip code.
Some international banks do not comply with our security standards and you will not be able to purchase online with your credit card.
Please see the above options for alternate ways to pay, including check/money order, eCheck and PayPal. If you fax in your card information, we can attempt to process your order offline. Please contact us if you need assistance with ordering.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes, we ship all over the world. More than 25% of our customers live outside of the United States. APO/FPO orders are sent via USPS Priority Mail. Time of arrival varies by location, but they usually estimate 2 weeks for First Class and 6-10 days for Priority Mail.
Customs fees might be due upon arrival. It is the responsibility of the customer to know about these costs for their country. Unfortunately, we cannot mark packages as gifts. The packages are sent via USPS and do not have tracking. If you are interested in upgraded shipping with tracking or faster speed, please include a note with your order. We will contact you with a quote. Or you can e-mail us at info@ringtraining.com.
How much does shipping cost?
We ship select items FREE within the United States (contiguous 48 states). APO/FPO shipments receive a significant discount, as well as Alaska/Hawaii. We calculate shipping costs by weight and we don't add any handling charges.
To get a price quote, add all of the items you want into a shopping cart and select the appropriate shipping options.
The item I want is out of stock. Can I still order it?
Yes, and we will ship it as soon as it is in stock. You can cancel your order with no penalties at any time up until your order ships.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about product availability.
Can I track my order?
Once your order ships, you will be e-mailed a tracking number. Most orders ship out the same or next day. Domestic shipments sent via UPS can be tracked at ups.com. For international orders, tracking is not available with standard shipping. If you are interested in premium shipping options, please contact us and we can provide quotes. For foreign shipments, the costs for trackable shipping is usually 3x more expensive than standard shipping.
How do you hook up the rings? What if I live in an apartment?
The Elite Rings can be set up in a variety of ways. You can run run the straps over a beam, bar or tree limb or through an eye screw installed in your ceiling. Once you have the strap in place, you simply run the strap through the buckle and you are ready to go.
If you live in an apartment, and they won't allow you to install eye screws, you can take your rings to a local park or playground and put them up over a swing set, monkey bars or whatever else you can find. Be sure that your area will be free of obstructions. One of the advantages of going outside is that you can add some sprints or jogging between sets for variety. If you bring a kettlebell or dumbbell along, you can have a complete gym anywhere you go.
The Elite Rings can even be set up over a doorway pullup bar, but you will be slightly more limited in your exercise selection. Pushups, dips and most of the ab work will be fine, just not high ring work.
Is there a weight limit for the rings?
Every component of the Elite Rings has been tested up to 1000 lbs. Our rings are not intended for swinging exercises, such as giant swings and double back flip dismounts. For those, you need an FIG-certified ring frame with spring loaded, swivel mounts. These can be purchased from a gymnastics supplier. For strength and conditioning, the Elite Rings have performed flawlessly under demanding conditions.
How are the Elite Rings different from a pull-up bar?
A pull-up bar is one of the best pieces of equipment you can add to your home gym. However, the rings give pull-ups a unique free motion element. Plus, Elite Rings can be used for many other exercises such as dips, pushups and a variety of gymnastics exercises.
Can the Elite Rings be used in a competitive gymnastics program?
No, the Elite Rings are not FIG certified and are based on a different design. Our rings are thicker for greater comfort in adult hands without leather grips. The mounting system is designed to allow for quick height adjustments and portability. A competitive gymnastics program could use the Elite Rings as part of their strength and conditioning program, but not for doing swinging elements and dismounts. I would recommend purchasing competition rings from American-Gymnast.com, Norberts or AAI.
What are the advantages of ring-shaped handles versus straight handles?
Any hanging handle is a step in the right direction, whether it is round or flat. Some of the first gymnastics rings were actually triangular in shape. In fact, at the World Championships in Prague in 1907, competitors could choose whether they wanted to compete on triangular or ring-shaped rings. The competitors overwhelmingly preferred the true rings and in subsequent years the triangular ones were no longer used.
The advantage of rings is superior control and comfort. When you use a "false grip", in which your wrists are draped over the rings, you will really notice the improved performance. In any exercise, such as dips and pushups, rings also feel much more solid.
The Freestyle Trainer handles are straight and rotate in your hands. They are fine for basic conditioning exercises, but not recommended for the muscle-up and higher level gymnastics exercises.
How many exercises can be done on the Elite Rings?
There are hundreds of possibilities and you are really only limited by your imagination. Pullups, dips, pushups and rows are the basic movements for beginners. But there are dozens of variations on each of those, because the rings can move independently. Additionally, you have tons of gymnastics exercises such as muscle-ups, front levers, back levers, cross, L-sit and many more. The included training guide goes over about a dozen of the basic movements.
Can women train on the Elite Rings?
Yes! Women don't need dumbed down training for "toning and sculpting". The same careful, incremental progressions I recommend for men will work just as well for women.
Female gymnasts don't compete on the Still Rings in gymnastics competitions, but this does not mean they are for men only. The Elite Rings are designed for fitness. Fitness is for anyone willing to work hard.
Are Elite Rings suitable for older individuals?
Provided you get clearance from your doctor, then absolutely. Numerous studies have shown that strength training is extremely beneficial for people of all ages, but becomes most important as you grow older. Because the handles rotate independently, they are much easier on your joints than conventional equipment. Also, you can adjust the height and spot yourself in pull-ups and dips with your legs. You can also work up to pushups and body rows by changing your body angle. Most exercises can be adjusted in terms of difficulty by raising or lowering the rings.
Can children use the Elite Rings?
Yes, but only with parental guidance and supervision. Some coaches recommend that high-tension isometrics, such as the Iron Cross, should not be practiced until age 13. Excessive loading on young joints can cause long-term damage if not performed carefully.
Ring training is so fun that it's hard to keep kids (of all ages) off the rings.
What muscles are worked by ring training?
Every muscle in the upper body and core will be developed to the extreme. When your lats start growing people will wonder if your parents were flying squirrels. Your shoulders, biceps, triceps and forearms are all involved in just about every action on the rings. Your abs and postural muscles will get a workout unlike anything they've ever felt before. The Elite Rings are truly the ultimate ab training device. If you don't believe it, look at a gymnast!
Are the Elite Rings a complete fitness solution?
Don't believe anyone offering a complete solution. It's always nonsense.
Rings can do a lot, but if you throw in some weight training and running, you will cover most of the full range of human movement. The Elite Rings primarily work the upper body and core musculature. Additional leg, hip and back training will round out your program. No single tool does it all, but world class fitness can be developed with a small selection of basic equipment.