Strength Training · Functional Fitness · Calisthenics · Gymnastics
Ring Dip
The ring dip is a bodyweight press on freely moving rings that trains your chest and triceps while challenging shoulder stability and upper-body control.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Advanced
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 2 min
How to do it
- Grip the rings with your palms facing inward.
- Raise yourself into a straight-arm support with the rings beside your hips.
- Lean your torso slightly forward.
- Bend your elbows to lower your body until they reach roughly 90 degrees, within your comfortable shoulder range.
- Press down through the rings to return to straight arms.
- Pause in a steady support position to finish the rep.
- Place your feet on the floor before releasing the rings after your final rep.
Form cues
- Keep your wrists straight.
- Brace your belly against swinging.
- Exhale as you press up.
Common mistakes
- Rings drifting outwardKeep the rings close to your ribs throughout the movement.
- Shoulders rising toward your earsPress your shoulders down to keep your neck long.
- Dropping into the bottomLower slowly enough to reverse direction without bouncing.
- Forcing a deep dipShorten the descent if your shoulders roll forward at the bottom.
Safety
The freely moving rings can spread or swing when control breaks down, causing a fall or sudden shoulder loading. Excessive depth under fatigue can also strain the front of your shoulders.
- Check the anchors and straps, with both rings set to equal height.
- Use a ring height that lets you put your feet down quickly.
- Build a reliable straight-arm ring support and controlled fixed-bar dips before attempting unassisted repetitions.
- End the set when you can no longer keep the rings steady.
If you have shoulder, elbow, or wrist pain or a history of shoulder instability, use an assisted version and seek guidance from a physiotherapist before unassisted ring dips.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Gymnastics Rings
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 3–6 reps
- Rest
- 2 min
Start with enough assistance to finish each set with about two controlled repetitions left in reserve.