Movement Made's Calisthenics Rings
That question we quickly find ourselves asking when we travel: where’s the gym?
Or, on those days when making it to the gym or park is just a little bit outside of our motivation level, we might think: if I had a pull-up bar at home, I’d knock out a few sets.
Boom! With calisthenics rings, you do.
You can check the full youtube video here
But, compared to what’s already on the market, the Movement Made rings stand apart. From the manufacturing process, to the way they’re put together and set up; to how they fold neatly for packing; the new buckle system which allows you to use the straps without doubling them for extra-high anchor points, and more.
I am super proud to offer what I think truly are the best rings on the market, and in this article I’m going to share why I think that is.
I’ll talk about:
How to use them
The cost
The sustainable process behind creating these rings
How including them in your workout gear arsenal will have you ready to get a truly solid calisthenics session in - anywhere, anytime.
How to use these rings:
Setting up these rings literally takes one minute to do.
takes 30 seconds to put each ring up
With standard gym rings you usually need to thread the strap all the way from the end through the buckle, both when setting up and taking down the rings. This makes setting up and taking down the rings a little annoying and tedious.
With the Movement Made rings, you simply need to throw them over whatever anchor point you’re using, such as a basketball hoop or a tree, thread the buckle through the ring, and clip it to the start loop.
Adjusting the straps is also super quick and simple. Simply pull on the bottom of the buckle, while pulling the ring to the desired height.
The Work/Process Behind These Rings + What They’re Made Of
For the past two years, I’ve been designing, testing, sourcing the right materials, and obsessing over every little detail regarding these rings, so that I can ensure that they are the most travel-friendly, sustainable, and easy-to-use product out there.
The straps are made from 90% organic cotton, giving it a soft and natural feel. The rope is from recycled oceanbound plastics, collected and turned into rope. The rope is beech wood, and is sustainably sourced from well-managed forests in Romania. The buckles are made from recycled aluminum and, while they may seem small, they can handle much more than you would ever be able to give them.
Find a tree, get a workout session in.
I was also fortunate to get to connect with some amazing people in Romania for the production of the Movement Made rings, and I personally made a visit to the factory to meet the people working on the rings on a personal level, and to ensure fair labor and top-quality craftsmanship.
Features
Two of the biggest factors that make these rings stand apart from standard gym or crossfit rings, is their weight and packability.
The rings weigh 800 grams total, including the straps, and pack down super neatly so that you really can bring them anywhere. Although it’s not super comfortable, they can even fit in the pockets of some shorts and pants. So, if you’re someone who hasn’t left wearing cargo shorts in the early 2000s, you will very easily be able to bring these with you in your pants or shorts wherever you go :).
Rings weigh just 400 grams each, so 800 grams in total.
The wood part of the rings have grooves, for the rope to fit. This is to prevent the rope from scratching your forearms while doing exercises such as dips and muscle ups. Also, the rope is skinnier than what the complete ring would be with regular rings, you get more clearance so you can go deeper without the upper part of the ring stopping you.
We’ve gotten feedback that dips, for example, are much more comfortable with the minimalist rings.
It’s been reported that doing dips is more comfortable with the minimalist rings than with standard gym rings.
The wood finish of the rings is top quality, and is machine polished as well as hand-polished. There is also a sunflower oil coating on it to protect the rings from your sweaty, grimy hands, while still providing an excellent grip.
The diameter of gymnastics rings is usually 28mm, and for crossfit the rings are usually 32mm. The Movement Made rings’ diameter is 36mm, because these are made for bare hands. Gymnasts and crossfitters usually wear gloves for ring exercises, which effectively thickens their grip, i.e. making the diameter of the rings bigger.
The minimalist gym rings are made to be comfy without any kind of glove, so that you can get a secure grip and to better stimulate forearm strength - without making exercises unnecessarily difficult. Users are reporting less problems with calluses and a more comfortable hand position.
These rings are meant to be used with bare hands and are crafted with that in mind
Another small detail is the rubber band attached to the start loop. Instead of the usual velcro strip used to hold excess strap, you can easily just stuff the excess strap into the rubber band.
One question I often get is, can these rings do everything regular rings can? And the short answer is, yes:
The rings in action
However, these rings are not made to be a replacement for professional gymnastics rings, and I do not recommend doing highly dynamic maneuvers such as dismounts and giants.
Cost
These rings sell for 160 euros, or 160 USD, and many people think that is too much. To this I say, keep in mind the details put into these rings: not only the sustainable sourcing and fair labor in their production, but also the details of the rings like the grooves in the wood, and the craftsmanship of the sanding and oiling - all things you don’t usually get with regular rings. As well, the materials used for the straps are much more expensive in these rings than the plastic used in most other straps.
Sustainability, fair labor, and attention to detail are priorities from start to finish with these rings.
There is not only much more care, but also more expense, put into producing these rings. As a result, the price is higher, but we don’t actually have a very large margin, especially compared to your typical amazon reseller.
I personally love these rings and have used them every single day for my workouts, and I bring them everywhere I go when I’m traveling, and my feelings have been reflected in the feedback we’ve been getting from customers around the world.
Feedback so far
So, if you are committed not only to your calisthenics training but also to being a mindful consumer, these rings are for you. Go check ‘em out!
Questions? Comment below - I will reply :)
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