How to use…
The Low Rings Station (#4)
Likely the most popular station at the Windermere Community Fitness park, the Low Rings station is essentially the same as a suspension trainer, like a no-frills TRX. The top end of each long arm is anchored while the dangling end has a ring terminating each arm. Grab the rings with your hands for a huge range of upper, lower and mid body exercises, or place your toes through the rings to perform a multitude of exercises that involve core stabilization.
Within the first week the WCFP’s opening, the Low Rings station was given the affectionate nickname, “Robot Arms” because the station’s long arms covered in coiled vacuum-hose tubing resemble the classic arms of the nervous robot on the early TV series, “Lost In Space”.
How-to Animations:
The how-to animations below provide snippets of exercises demonstrating proper form, posture and positioning.
1. Low angle pull
Notes:
Pulling is a basic weight training movement for the upper body. All variations use the posterior muscles of the torso. The gentle backward lean makes for easy resistance. Lean back for more resistance.
Muscles used:
Shoulders – medial deltoids, posterior deltoids
Back – latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, spinal stabilizers
Arms – biceps, forearms
Mid-section – anti-flexion stabilizers front and rear
Lower body – active as stabilizers
Difficulty:
2. Low angle push
Notes:
The push action uses major muscles opposite to those used in pulling movements and, as such, these two exercises pair up perfectly and should be included in your workout. Lean forward a little for a lighter load; lean forward lots for a heavier load.
Muscles used:
Shoulders – anterior deltoids, medial deltoids
Chest – pectoralis major
Arms – triceps
Mid body – core stabilizers preventing flexion
Low body – legs as stabilizers
Difficulty:
3. Steep angle pull
Notes:
Lean backwards to increase the proportion of your weight you’re pulling. Make sure your feet are solidly planted. Keep your legs straight but with a slight bend at the knee.
Muscles used:
Shoulders – medial deltoids, posterior deltoids
Back – latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, spinal stabilizers
Arms – biceps, forearms
Mid-section – anti-flexion stabilizers front and rear
Lower body – active as stabilizers
Difficulty:
4. Steep angle push
Notes:
Lean forward to increase the proportion of your body weight you’re pushing. Make sure your feet are anchored. Maintain the rigidity of your mid section. Feel how the mid-section core muscles are engaged to maintain your posture.
Muscles used:
Shoulders – anterior deltoids, medial deltoids
Chest – pectoralis major
Arms – triceps
Mid body – core stabilizers preventing flexion
Low body – legs as stabilizers
Difficulty:
5. Super steep angle push
Notes:
Pushing at a super steep angle by piking at the hips 90º approximates the angle of a popular gym exercise: the shoulder press. Drop your upper body forward until you’re looking backwards, then press your body upwards.
Muscles used:
Shoulders – anterior deltoids, medial deltoids, posterior deltoids
Chest – upper pectoralis major
Arms – triceps
Mid body – core stabilizers preventing flexion
Lower body – legs as stabilizers
Difficulty:
6. Super steep angle pull
Notes:
The idea here is to try to replicate pulling in a very steep direction. With feet braced on the base of the orange poles, lean far back, bending the knees to drop the head, and pull yourself upwards approximating the “upright rowing” exercise performed in a gym with a barbell or bar attached to a low pulley unit.
Muscles used:
Shoulders – medial deltoids, posterior deltoids
Back – trapezius, rhomboids, spinal stabilizers
Arms – biceps, forearm group
Mid-section – Core stabilizers
Difficulty:
6. Squat pull
Notes:
This is one of the best examples of upper and lower body working together. As a result, a large number of muscles come into play as either prime movers, assistant movers or stabilizers.
Muscles used:
Shoulders – posterior deltoids
Back – latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, spinal stabilizers
Arms – biceps, forearm group
Mid-section – core stabilizers
Lower body – glutes, upper hamstrings, quadriceps
Difficulty:
7. Squat pull with one leg
Notes:
Use the handles to offset your body weight until you’re able to squat with one leg. Alternatively, keep both feet on the ground, shift your body weight more onto one leg than the other, and squat. Repeat with the other leg.
Muscles used:
Shoulders – posterior deltoids
Back – latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, spinal stabilizers
Arms – biceps, forearm group
Mid-section – core stabilizers
Lower body – glutes, upper hamstrings, quadriceps
Difficulty:
8. Squat pull with rotation
Notes:
Let’s call this exercise “squats with a twist”. Grab one handle only, squat while reaching back to touch the ground. Make this exercise tougher by moving your feet forward so that you’re able to lean back at a steeper angle.
Muscles used:
Shoulders – posterior deltoids
Back – latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, spinal stabilizers
Arms – biceps, forearm group
Mid-section – external obliques, core stabilizers
Lower body – glutes, upper hamstrings, quadriceps
Difficulty:
9. Bicep curl, basic
Notes:
A bicep curl is a single joint exercise already contained in or part of any pulling movement. Consequently, this movement doesn’t need to be included if you’re already doing pulling exercises.
Muscles used:
Arms – biceps, forearm group
Mid-section – core stabilizers
Difficulty:
10. Bicep curl, alternative
Notes:
This is a fun version of a bicep curl with the load determined by how far you lean forward. While bicep curls are extraneous to a workout with lots of pulling, this and the version above add significant core engagement as a bonus.
Muscles used:
Arms – biceps, forearm group
Mid-section – core stabilizers
Difficulty:
11. Tricep press
Notes:
This is a simple, single joint exercise, targeting the extensors of the elbow joint. If you’re including plenty of pushing and pulling exercises in your workout, you may not want to include single joint exercises for the triceps and biceps. Why? The triceps are involved in all pushing exercises, just as the biceps muscles are involved any time you push.
Muscles used:
Arms – triceps
Mid-section – Core stabilizers
Difficulty:
12. Pull and push combo
Notes:
Be careful when you try this exercise: it could be habit-forming! This pull and push combination works all of the muscles in the upper body as well as glutes, quads and core stabilizers, and it’s really a lot of fun to perform. Make sure to get enough momentum on the pull so as to lift and carry you through and onto the push.
Muscles used:
Pull phase:
Shoulders – posterior deltoids
Back – latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, spinal stabilizers
Arms – biceps, forearm group
Mid-section – Core stabilizers
Legs – glutes, upper hamstrings, quads
Push phase:
Shoulders – anterior deltoids, medial deltoids
Chest – pectoralis major
Arms – triceps
Mid-section – Core stabilizers
Difficulty:
13. Double press (advanced)
Notes:
This exercise offers the same sensation of moving and changing directions as the exercises above and below. Unlike the “pull to push” exercise above, this exercise includes two pushes: the first being a “chest press” and the second approximating the action of the “dip” exercise. Pairing these two pushes, this exercise will leave your pushing muscles spent!
Muscles used:
Shoulders – posterior deltoids
Back – latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, spinal stabilizers
Arms – biceps, forearm group
Mid-section – Core stabilizers
Difficulty:
14. Pull and bridge (advanced)
Notes:
This exercise looks like a pull push combo, but if you look carefully there is no squat phase and the push phase is replaced by a bridging action. The final bridge phase of this exercise could be held for a second to enhance the involvement of muscles throughout the body that coordinate to produce the bridge.
Muscles used:
Pull phase:
Shoulders – posterior deltoids
Back – latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, spinal stabilizers
Arms – biceps, forearm group
Mid-section – Core stabilizers
Bridge phase:
Shoulders – anterior deltoids, medial deltoids
Chest – pectoralis major
Arms – triceps
Mid-section – Core stabilizers
Difficulty:
15. Foot anchored push-up
Notes:
Perform a push-up with one or both feet (toes of shoes) anchored via the rings. This is a difficult exercise that places the load on the core stabilizers and the pushing muscles of the upper body.
Muscles used:
Shoulders – anterior deltoids, medial deltoids
Chest – pectoralis major
Arms – triceps
Mid body – core stabilizers preventing flexion
Low body – legs as stabilizers
Difficulty:
16. Hip flexion push-up combo
Notes:
This is a difficult exercise pairing hip flexion or closing at the hip with a push-up while the legs are suspended by anchoring a foot in one of the rings.
Muscles used:
Shoulders – anterior deltoids, medial deltoids
Chest – pectoralis major
Arms – triceps
Mid body – hip flexors, core stabilizers
Difficulty:
17. Vertical push with foot anchored
Notes:
This is not the easiest way to perform a shoulder press, and the extra challenge of having to anchor your legs and walk on hands to a handstand position add difficulty.
Muscles used:
Shoulders – anterior deltoids, medial deltoids
Chest – upper pectoralis major
Arms – triceps
Mid body – core stabilizers
Difficulty:
18. Hip swings
Notes:
With one foot anchored in a ring, plank the body and gently move your hips side to side. This isn’t a tough exercise but the prolonged bridging or planking places a load on the arms and mid section.
Muscles used:
Shoulders – anterior deltoids, medial deltoids
Chest – pectoralis major
Arms – triceps
Mid body – core stabilizers
Difficulty:
19. Elbow bridge and rock
Notes:
With one foot anchored in a ring, plank your body resting on your elbows and move your hips forward and backwards. The muscles involved in the upper body are similar to those used in a dumbbell pullover, while the mid section core stabilizers are challenged by the prolonged plank stance.
Muscles used:
Shoulders – anterior deltoids, medial deltoids
Chest – pectoralis major
Arms – triceps
Mid body – core stabilizers
Difficulty:
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