Ring Straps: Long vs Short
Video by Travis Ewart
Strap length really does make a difference in the performance of ring swings, thus the muscle-up. Use this as a general guide to take into consideration at your gym to make the most out of your efforts on rings. Bear in mind that an athlete’s proportions do play a factor in how swings and muscle-ups behave.
Long Ring Straps
These allow for a longer and smoother swing with less immediate tension at the bottom of the swing. It is much easier to get a “bigger” swing on longer straps. Long straps feel more like driving a car that can get more distance on a tank of fuel, but starting and stopping are slower.
Short Ring Straps
These make swinging high more difficult, but an athlete can create more immediate speed in the swing due to more connectedness with the rig. Tension at the bottom of the swing will be more abrupt and jerky. Short straps are more like a sports car that is quick off the line and better handling but slow down quickly when off the throttle.
In the above video, Invictus Gymnastics coach Travis Ewart goes into greater detail about the differences between the way that rings on long straps move versus short straps when you swing on them for kipping ring muscle-ups in CrossFit.Â
Invictus Gymnastics
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