Mastery of the dip is a by-product of repetition. To that end, most guys beat the standard dip to death, never giving the ring dip a shot. This is partly a matter of availability, as most gyms don’t have rings, and partly a matter of attitudes. (Who needs rings when you have parallel bars?)
The benefits of the ring dip, however, extend beyond novelty. The lack of stability, due to the sway of the rings you’ll experience, creates a stronger muscle contraction and recruits a wealth of stabilizing muscles.
A staple in many CrossFit routines, ring dips work the triceps, shoulders, and chest—just like standard dips—but they also heavily tax your core and a host of auxiliary muscles that support a full, proper range of motion.
In the bottom position, try to touch your biceps to the tops of the rings. In the top position, make sure both arms are fully locked out. Because the rings want to drift outward, your pecs have to work harder to maintain an upright position here. Keep tight the whole time to avoid form deviations that could lead to injury.
The WOD
Front rack barbell lunges (135 pounds) – perform 3 rounds of 21-15-9 reps
Ring Dips
OR
Max-Repetition ring dips in 3 minutes – perform 3 rounds
