Ring dip
Learn the ring dip: the support hold, how deep to go, keeping the rings close, the faults beginners make, and the box and band steps that build to full reps.
What the ring dip is
A ring dip is a gymnastics pressing movement where you support yourself on a pair of rings with straight arms, lower until your shoulders drop below your elbows and press back to lockout. It trains the chest, triceps, shoulders and stability. Beginners start with ring support holds and box dips before attempting banded or full ring dips.
Why it is in class
Ring dips are in CrossFit because the rings are unstable, so every rep demands strength and control at the same time. The movement builds pushing strength in a range daily life rarely asks for, and the support hold alone teaches the shoulders to stay steady under load. Ring dips also lead into the muscle-up, one of the signature gymnastics skills in the sport. In everyday life, dip strength is what lets you press yourself up out of a deep chair or out of a pool without a ladder, climb onto a high ledge, and keep your shoulders strong and capable as you age.
Points of performance
What a good rep looks like, from setup to finish.
Set the support
Jump or step up so your arms are locked straight beside your body with the rings pressed against your hips. Turn the rings slightly out so the palms face forward a little. This support hold is the start and finish of every rep, and holding it still is the first skill.
Body tight
Squeeze the legs together, brace the stomach and keep the chest proud. A slight forward lean is natural, but the body should not swing or kick. A tight body keeps the rings close and steady, while a loose one lets them wander away from you.
Rings close to the body
As you lower, keep the rings tight against the sides of your body. Rings that drift outward put heavy strain on the shoulders and chest. The elbows travel straight back rather than flaring out to the sides.
Controlled depth
Lower until the shoulders are just below the elbows, which is the standard for a full ring dip in most workouts. Go only as deep as you can control. Depth is built gradually, and stopping slightly higher in a good position beats sinking past it.
Press to lockout
Push the rings down and drive back up until the arms are fully locked and the rings return beside the hips. Turn the rings out slightly at the top again. A clean lockout every rep builds the support strength the next rep needs.
Common beginner faults, and the fix
Rings drifting out
What it looks likeThe rings slide away from the body and the arms spread into a wide T.
The fixPress the rings into your sides throughout and shorten the range until you can keep them close.
Diving too deep
What it looks likeThe shoulders sink far below the elbows and roll forward, with no control at the bottom.
The fixStop at the depth your coach sets, just below the elbows, and slow the descent until you own that position.
Soft lockout
What it looks likeThe elbows stay bent at the top and the rings shake between reps.
The fixFinish each rep with locked arms and practice support holds on their own for time.
Kicking
What it looks likeThe legs swing or kick to escape the bottom of the dip.
The fixSqueeze the legs together and scale with a band or feet on a box so the press stays strict.
Where you start, and where it goes
Every movement in class has a version that fits you today.
Start here
Ring support holds with the feet lightly on the floor or a box, and bench or box dips with bent knees.
Next step when: When you can hold a steady ring support for around half a minute and do sets of ten box dips with good shoulder position.
Building
Banded ring dips with a band looped across the rings, or ring dips with the feet on a box behind you for assistance.
Next step when: When you can complete several controlled reps to full depth with a thinner band or less help from the legs.
Full movement
Strict ring dips from a locked support, shoulders just below the elbows, back to full lockout.
Next step when: When you own multiple strict ring dips in a row with the rings close to the body, ask about muscle-up drills.
Beyond
Kipping ring dips, weighted ring dips, and ring dips used in muscle-up transitions.
Next step when: Keep strict ring dip volume in your training and progress slowly so the shoulders adapt.
Learning it in your first classes
Your first coached classes will probably start with the support hold rather than with dips. The coach will set the rings at a height where your feet can help, then have you lock out your arms and hold. They watch for shaking, rings drifting away and shoulders rolling forward. From there they will choose box dips or a band setting that lets you move with control. Mention any shoulder, chest or elbow history before you start, since the bottom of the dip loads the front of the shoulder, and speak up immediately if anything feels pinched rather than simply hard.
What your first class at O-SEA CrossFit is like · How On-Ramp teaches the movements
Questions beginners ask
Why are ring dips harder than bar dips?
Ring dips are harder than dips on parallel bars because the rings move freely. You have to press your body up and keep the rings from drifting at the same time. That extra stability demand is why beginners start with ring support holds and box dips before trying a full ring dip.
How deep should I go on a ring dip?
In most CrossFit workouts, a full ring dip requires the shoulders to drop below the elbows at the bottom. As a beginner, go only as deep as you can control and your coach approves. Depth should grow gradually, and stopping slightly short with good shoulder position is better than sinking deeper than you can manage.
Is a banded ring dip a good way to learn?
Yes. A banded ring dip lets you practice the full range with the band taking part of your weight at the bottom, where the movement is hardest. Your coach will set up the band so the ring dip stays controlled. Move to thinner bands as you get stronger, keeping full depth on every rep.
My shoulder feels pinched at the bottom of a dip. What should I do?
A pinching feeling at the bottom of a ring dip is a signal to stop, not to push through. Shorten the range, keep the rings close and tell your coach. If the feeling persists or you have a shoulder history, check with a doctor or physical therapist before returning to full ring dips.
How long should I hold a ring support before trying dips?
A steady ring support hold of around half a minute, with locked arms and the rings tight to your hips, is a useful marker before adding ring dip reps. If the rings shake hard or your arms bend, keep building the hold. Your coach will judge when your support is solid enough to start lowering.
Related movements
Learn the ring dip with a coach beside you
Every class at O-SEA CrossFit is coached and every movement scales. Your first one is free.