GMB Rings One program - Phase 2

Woot! I have completed phase 2 of the GMB gym-rings program.  So different but complimentary from running, riding, circuiting and whatever'ing to stay active.

This was a four-week phase and builds from the basics learned in phase 1.  I have not yet peeked ahead to phase 3 or 4, but I know they will build from the phase 1 basics to a full "routine"...Olympic gold material I don't think but building full-body relative-strength through what I like to call "play" as in childs play is a big fun YES.  This kind of movement really works for me having had back injuries in the past and they are thankfully a thing of the past, many thanks to doing these moves.

Here's is what it's up to, and again I encourage that ANYONE can do this, just simply build from the basics with a cheap pair of rings to totally build core strength or change out from your regular program and in your own time.

So here is some of what is done...(skip to the vid for a better explaination)

Rings Dips or jump to dip, assisted tuck shoulder stand, reverse chin-ups, inverted tuck roll chin-ups and my favourite by name and nature! Skin-the-cat and advance to hold the "German-hang", love those names.  I was feeling tired so I'm not happy with the technique, but this is a great way to get feedback when you don't have a coach.  I can see I'm rolling my shoulders while inverted and those hamstrings look a little tight...among other things.  Do 3-5 sets of 5-13 reps, no circuits and rate how you go, stop when tired or loosing form.

Skin the cat was first a bar move I didn't have the guts to do it until meeting earlier in the year with a fellow bodyweight practitioner, who encouraged me to try it.  Once you take that step to go inverted you are amazed that the body can actually move in that way and you kind of get "hooked" on hanging upside down.  We spend all day upright, so damn it's nice to take the pressure off and get weightless for a bit!

I can't wait until the next phase to see if I can handle what is planned.  I think back to the start of each phase and how I felt I was fumbling a lot at first but very quickly progressed.  Especially this phase I was totally lost on Day-1 but within a week it came together and each time the moves became more and more solid and snappy.

The takeout from this is that everyone has the ability to do something on the rings.  They are cheap, challenging, simple (and not if you want), they are what you want for your ability, just tame them!