The 5 Only Gym Ring Exercises You Need! – Beginner to Advanced

Gym rings are the ultimate piece of training equipment.

Ultra-versatile, portable, and effective, they allow you to build strength like no other tool can. Designed for calisthenics enthusiasts and eco-conscious fitness lovers, they’re a true game-changer for anyone serious about bodyweight training. 

Dive into this concise guide to learn the 5 essential gym ring exercises you need to go from beginner to advanced, alongside tips to modify intensity and put together an efficient training plan. 

Why Gym Rings?

Before we jump in, here’s why rings are a must-have for your workouts:

• They engage stabilizing muscles through their instability, unlocking a deeper level of strength and control.
• Perfect for portability and minimalist lifestyles, they fit into a backpack and can be set up anywhere.
• Quality/premium rings are built to last, made with sustainable materials and offering ergonomic comfort.

Grab a pair of innovative gym rings here.

Now, onto those essential moves!

1. Ring Push-ups: More Than Just Chest Work

Push-ups on the ground are great.
But on rings? You’re adding balance, instability, and a full range of motion that unlocks deeper chest activation and core control.

Why rings make push-ups better:

• Stabilizing your body on rings burns your shoulders and core.

• You can dip lower than the ground allows — more stretch = more strength.

• It’s scalable: total beginner to one-arm mode.

Make it easier:
Adjust the angle. Walk your feet forward (use them as a consistent measuring stick). Three foot-lengths forward = solid beginner setup.

Make it harder:
Two paths:

1. One-arm push-up progression — Start with "nipple-to-thumb" push-ups, then archer push-ups, then drop fingers until you're working one arm at a time.
2. Handstand push-up progression — Start with pike push-ups, elevate your feet using the straps, and work up to full assisted ring handstand push-ups.

Rings make it easy to measure and master every level.

2. Ring Bodyweight Rows: The Back-Building Secret

Rows are your go-to for building the upper back and biceps — and doing them on rings takes the benefits to another level.

Setup:
Rings at hip height, 90° bend in your knees, straight hips, and arms in line with the straps. Your goal: pull your chest to the rings with control.

Scale it:

• Walk your feet back to make it easier.

• Walk forward (even past the rings’ centerline) to make it harder.

• Eventually, you’re nearly horizontal — that’s full difficulty.

Progression to One-Arm Rows:
Same formula as the push-up:

• Start with side-to-side “nipple-to-thumb” pulls

• Move into archer rows

• Drop fingers on the support hand

• End with pure one-arm rows — keeping your shoulders square the whole way.

This builds real strength that carries over into pull-ups, muscle-ups, and beyond.

3. Ring Dips: Chest, Shoulders & Stability

Ring dips are a game changer. They fire up the chest more than bar dips and force your stabilizing muscles to level up.

Why they’re worth it:

• Hits all parts of your Pec major (chest muscle), front delts (shoulders) and your triceps as the main muscle groups.

• Hits your pec minor, serratus anterior, and more as the secondary muscle groups.

• Build true shoulder stability and pressing power.

• Bonus: Mastering the support hold unlocks advanced skills like planches and levers.

Easier:

• Assist with feet

• Use resistance bands (like the FSC-certified Movement Made Rubber Bands — sustainably sourced, naturally scented, and smooth on the skin 😉)

Harder:

• Add weight

• Go wider

• Try partner-resisted dips (fun & spicy if you train with a buddy)

Tip: The Movement Made Minimalist Rings make setup quick and seamless — no wrestling with long straps or heavy gear. They're also eco-friendly, ethically made, and travel light.

4. Ring Pull-ups: Build a Bulletproof Upper Body

No serious training plan is complete without pull-ups.

Doing them on rings reduces tendon strain and makes the motion feel more natural. The twisting grip transitions — from pronated to supinated — let your body move the way it’s built to.

Make it easier:

• Use resistance bands (wrap them through the rings and drop your knees in)

• Adjust the tension by band thickness — consistency is key

Make it harder:

• Add weight

• Start training one-arm pull-ups using finger-assisted methods

• Use band-assisted one-arm pull-ups (looped for unilateral support)

The rings don’t just build strength — they build skill.

Exercise 5: One-Leg Squat (Pistol Squat)

Think squats are enough? Try them on one leg.
The pistol squat is an incredible test of lower body strength, control, and mobility — and rings are the perfect tool to get you there.

Why it works:

• Builds quads, glutes, and ankle stability

• Improves unilateral balance

• Can be scaled for all levels using assistance or added resistance

Make it easier:

• Use the rings for balance and support

• Focus on control, not just depth

• You can also add resistance bands anchored to the rings for progressive overload

Make it harder:

• Use smaller bands for less assistance

• Add resistance around your foot using bands or light weights

• Work up to weighted pistol squats with minimal support

This is one of the most empowering exercises you can master — and it travels with you, no squat rack needed.

Bonus Exercise: Ring Hamstring Curls

I decided to add an extra exercise, since there's only one thing missing, the backside of our legs.

Most bodyweight programs forget the hamstrings, causing imbalances and injuries down the line.

Ring hamstring curls are an incredibly effective way to build the posterior chain using just your bodyweight and gravity.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back, hands behind head for comfort

• Place heels in the rings, lift your hips, and curl your heels toward your glutes

• Keep hips elevated and movement controlled

Progress it like this:

• Start with feet under the anchor point

• Walk your feet backwards to increase difficulty

• Eventually, try single-leg curls for a serious challenge

• Measure consistently using foot steps from the centerline

This move lights up your hamstrings and glutes, improves joint stability, and balances out all your pushing and pulling work. Highly underrated — and totally ring-friendly.

Programming Tips: How to Use These 6 Exercises

These six moves hit everything — push, pull, core, legs, and stabilization. How you put them together depends on your goals and schedule.

Option 1: Full Body 3x a Week

• Do all 6 exercises in each session

• Great for beginners and time-strapped athletes

Option 2: Split Training (Push/Pull Days)

• Push Day: Push-up, Dips, Squats

• Pull Day: Rows, Pull-ups, Hamstring Curls

• Ideal for intermediate and advanced levels who want more volume

Sets & Reps:

• Start with 3 sets per exercise and adjust as you grow stronger.
• Reps can range from 3-15, depending on your goals:
  • Strength: 3-6 reps
  • Muscle growth (hypertrophy): 8-12 reps
  • Endurance: 12-15 reps

Superset for Efficiency:
Pair a push move with a pull move to cut rest time and keep quality high.

Rest Periods

• Rest 1-2 minutes between sets. If pairing push and pull moves in supersets, rest just enough to maintain quality across sets.

Take the First Step to Simplify Your Fitness

With just six essential gym ring exercises, you can achieve full-body strength, go from complete beginner to advanced all while staying true to your minimalist, sustainable or movement lifestyle. 

If you're looking for a pair of gym rings, you can grab The Minimalist Gym Rings — the rings I was using in this video.

• Sustainable materials for eco-conscious fitness.
• Portability for workouts anywhere with 50% faster setup.
• Ergonomic, durable design made for rigorous training.

Order yours today:

With them you'll level up your workouts effortlessly — your body (and the planet) will thank you.

Let’s move better. Train smarter. And get strong the sustainable way.