Pronated to Supinated Grip Ring Pull-Up

What is Pronated to Supinated Grip Ring Pull-Up:

The Pronated to Supinated Grip Ring Pull-Up is a bodyweight pulling exercise commonly performed using gymnastic rings, working the shoulder extensors and elbow flexors, primarily the latissimus dorsi for the shoulder extensors. This variation involves transitioning between a pronated (overhand) grip and a supinated (underhand) grip during the movement that shifts the emphasis on different elbow flexors, such as the brachioradialis and biceps brachii. Utilizing gymnastics rings offers a unique advantage, allowing for smoother movement and a more joint-friendly experience compared to stationary bars, making it relatively easier.

Key Benefits:

  • Size and Strength: Targets the back, elbow flexors, and rear deltoids, promoting muscle growth and strength improvement.
  • Variation of Grip: By alternating between pronated and neutral grips, you engage different elbow flexors more, resulting in an easier pulling phase.
  • Enhanced Stability: Utilizing gymnastics rings allows for greater freedom of movement and engages stabilizing muscles, enhancing overall stability and coordination.
  • Joint Stability: Enhances shoulder and elbow stability by engaging supporting muscles throughout the movement, contributing to joint health and injury prevention.
  • Joint-Friendly: The freedom of movement provided by rings offers a more forgiving experience for joints compared to stationary bars.
  • Core Activation: Requires core engagement to maintain stability and control throughout the movement, contributing to core strength and stability.
  • Functional Strength: Improves grip strength, upper body pulling strength, and overall fitness, translating to improved performance in daily activities and sports.
  • Versatile and Scalable: This can be performed with or without added resistance, making it adaptable for all fitness levels.
  • Portability: Performable on gymnastics rings, lightweight and portable, enabling workouts virtually anywhere.

Variations:

  • Pronated to Neutral Grip Ring Pull-Up: Incorporate a transition from a pronated (overhand) grip to a neutral (palm facing each other) grip during the movement, engaging the biceps and brachioradialis in different degrees.
  • Weighted Pronated to Supinated Grip Ring Pull-Up: Increase the intensity by adding resistance with a weight vest, a weight belt and weights, ankle weight, or holding a dumbbell between the feet for advanced practitioners.

How to perform Pronated to Supinated Grip Ring Pull-Ups:

  • Starting Position: Hang from the gymnastics rings with arms fully extended and pronated grip. Engage your core and keep your legs together.
  • Execution: Initiate the movement by depressing your shoulders and pulling yourself upward towards the rings, focusing on pulling your elbows down towards your sides. As you pull, transition your hands from a pronated to a supinated grip. Hold the top position briefly, then lower yourself back to the starting position with control while transitioning your hands back to the pronated grip.
  • Repetition: Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions.

Breathing Technique:

Proper breathing is crucial for maximizing performance and maintaining stamina throughout the exercise. Experiment with what you're comfortable with and let you perform your best. For starters, you can try the following:

  • Inhale: Inhale at the starting position or as you lower your body back to the starting position.
  • Exhale: Exhale at the top/end position.
  • Grip: Put the gymnastic rings around the middle of your palm near the base of your four fingers and grip them tightly. As you grip it, maintain a slight wrist flexion to engage your forearm muscles better and improve your grip.
  • Grip Width: Allow your hands to find a natural and comfortable position on the rings without forcing them into a specific width.
  • Elbow Cue: Focus on pulling your elbows down and back towards your sides or lats to effectively engage the shoulder extensors rather than simply thinking of pulling yourself up towards the rings.
  • Shoulder Rotation: Maintain shoulder external rotation for better stability throughout the exercise.
  • Scapular Engagement: Maintain slight scapular retraction to keep a neutral shoulder position. You can also choose to relax your scapulae after each repetition or maintain scapular depression throughout the entire set, depending on your preference and training goals.
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    Additional Information:

    Ways to make it easier:

    • Focusing only on the Concentric or Eccentric phase
    • Decreasing the Range of Motion - partial reps, only go as far as you can handle
    • Using external force for support - resistance bands, a partner or something
    • Regressing to an easier variation/exercise

    Ways to make it harder:

    • Playing with the Tempo & adding an Isometric phase (pause/hold)
    • By pulling until your chest level
    • Adding resistance - wearing an ankle weight, backpack, weighted vest or dip belt with weight plates
    • Progressing to a harder variation/exercise