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funktimonious
Feb 25, 2003, 3:48 AM
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Has anyone used the Metolius Rock Rings? -- http://metoliusclimbing.com/howto_trainrockring.htm. I'm thinking about buying these over the hang board because they're more portable and won't destroy the drywall when installing. Plus i don't want to be drilling into my dorm-room wall.
Are they effective?
--Peace
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dirko
Feb 25, 2003, 4:19 AM
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From someone who owns the rock rings:
If you want to mostly do pullups/leglifts or if you CANNOT drill, buy the rock rings. Otherwise, I think I favor the hangboard. My rock rings limit me because of the relatively small number of hand positions. I think that the rock rings can be good training tools, but only for your arms and your abs. Not for your fingers.
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survivalexpert
Feb 25, 2003, 4:23 AM
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I have used them before at camp and I found them to be effective, they are really cool how they hang free so you can force yourself upwards like an olympian with your shoulder muscles. You can do your pullups with as many or as little fingers as you want to gain strength. They are not as versatile as a hangboard but they are better than nothing. They also seem a little pricy for me. :)
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cobra652004
Feb 25, 2003, 4:29 AM
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I'd go for a hangboard, because you can do lots more with it. BUT... You said it yourself, you don't want to drill into your dorm room walls, so you sort of answered your question on your own.
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funktimonious
Feb 25, 2003, 4:53 AM
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Right, but i'm wondering if they're WORTH buying or not...thanks for the input so far.
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funktimonious
Feb 26, 2003, 4:15 AM
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So no one else has used these before?...C'mon! I need to hear more thoughts.
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talons05
Feb 26, 2003, 4:24 AM
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Funk - the rock rings are awesome! I travel a lot for school and work, and I always take them with me. Take them to the gym, take them to the john, la di da. They go anywhere. Also, I disagree that they are only good for arms/abs. Use the lower section and train your open hand or crimping grip. These are a great training tool. Hang 'em in the office to cure the boredom a little.
A.W.
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lynne
Feb 26, 2003, 4:46 AM
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I have the rock rings and love them. They are great for arms, shoulders and abs and if you are creative you can work your fingers fairly well, too. I also have a hangboard, though, and the combination is of course better. Since you can't drill in your dorm walls, get the rings (on sale if you can) and I'm certain you will find them to be a good investment. I know I have.
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caughtinside
Mar 1, 2003, 5:35 AM
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I've got a hangboard and the rock rings and use both. One thing I like about the rock rings is I when I clip them up, I can extend one with a short sling, so they're offset. You get a good workout that way, just don't forget to do it for both sides or you'll be lopsided!
Believe me, it can happen. I did landscaping for a while which involved lots of time at the end of a shovel and became quite overdeveloped on one side...
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qacwac
Mar 1, 2003, 6:05 AM
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I own them and as I write this am also looking up fingerboards and trying to decide which to get. The major disadvantage I have noticed is that since they are hanging, you can't load your fingers very well. By this I mean that it's very difficult to let go with one hand and move it to another hold. This is very important in training because it puts a tremendous amount of force on the tendons of the hand that is remaining in place for the move. This is a great way (perhaps best) to make gains in maximum contact strength. With the rock rings when you let go it starts to move and when you try and grab it it moves more. As others have said though, for travel they are probably well suited and you can take them to the gym and use them. They are good for drawing stares when people see you hanging by your fingertips.
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funktimonious
Mar 1, 2003, 8:14 AM
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Thanks for the input, but i ended up ordering them anyways...I need something to climb if i'm only going to get to go climbing for real once a week.
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qacwac
Mar 1, 2003, 11:48 PM
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There's a training program on the metolius website. Havent' used it but just to let you know it's there.
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melekzek
Mar 2, 2003, 12:32 AM
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I used fingerboards, campusboards, pullup bars and rockrings....
Here are my thoughts on all of those
- fingerboards: great for fingerstrength, but better follow the advices and use it for static hangs and isometric training, which is extremely boring. On the other hand, those who still have teenage bodies, can jump up and down, have more fun. I had fingerboard for years, but most of the time I try to avoid it because I was trying to cope with my latest finger/elbow problem...
- pullupbars: Simplest of them, but still effective for arms/back, and it is hard to get injured with this one... err... unless you havent developed any sort of elbow tendinitis, which gets worse with those.
- campusboard: Extremly fun to train, enourmously effective, but the most dangerous one. If you do not monitor yourself, you are sure to blow one or more fingers....
- rockrings: I have those for a short time, but by looking my injury records, its a plus that I havent hurt myself with those guys... so far... There are a lot of claims that they are good for the elbow (at least better than the pullupbar), thats why I get them. They are fun to train, and you can monkey around which is a good thing for any training equipment. They are great to develop one arm pullup strength when used offset. I agree that the worse thing is that they move around when you try to switch holds.
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funktimonious
Mar 6, 2003, 7:59 AM
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Alright, here's the update...
So i got the rock rings and have been using them a lot because it's pretty fun (at least for a semi-novice like myself who doesn't get to climb very often). However the only way to use them in my room is to place a short steel tube between my room-mate's closet and my closet(on top) and hang the rings from there. HOWEVER, when climbing from the lower holds to the upper ones the bar inched its way off the closet. As my friend watched, I fell to the ground and the hollow end of the bar nailed me just over the eye...though no stitches, it bled for a long time, left a deep gash and forced me to go to the Uni. health center.
Moral of the story, don't move around on the rings unless you've got a strong, stable, not moving anchor... :?
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birdt8608
Jan 19, 2009, 8:01 PM
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I'd like to get a set of these and hang them in the basement of the house I'm living in on campus. The thing is, it's an old house with low ceilings in the unfinished, cellar-like basement. This would mean that I would have to keep my legs bent at the knees, probably at a full 90 degrees, order to avoid contact with the floor. Will this limit what I can do as far as working-out with these things?
Thanks,
Tom
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kyleshea
Jan 19, 2009, 8:07 PM
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birdt8608 wrote: I'd like to get a set of these and hang them in the basement of the house I'm living in on campus. The thing is, it's an old house with low ceilings in the unfinished, cellar-like basement. This would mean that I would have to keep my legs bent at the knees, probably at a full 90 degrees, order to avoid contact with the floor. Will this limit what I can do as far as working-out with these things? Thanks, Tom
yes and no. it could limit you a bit, but then again you could train on them in a seated L position (legs straight in front of you) and get your abs strong along with your fingers/whatever.
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keinangst
Jan 19, 2009, 8:27 PM
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I mounted the rock rings on a 2x6 board and use them like that. $29 vs $75 is a big difference (compared to hangboard).
Okay, now are your ready to have your mind blown? Mount some t-nuts in your board and add ANY holds you want. Even though a hangboard has many more holds than the rock rings, a free-form board has limitless possibilities. You train exactly the type of holds/grips that you want to train. You can vary the width, the angle, just about everything.
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birdt8608
Feb 5, 2009, 3:14 AM
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Mine just came today. Any advice on how wide to hang them?
Thanks!
Tom
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keinangst
Feb 5, 2009, 3:53 PM
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Gymnastic rings are 50cm apart, which is a good guideline.
But since I drilled and mounted them on a solid board, I like them a little narrower than shoulder width, maybe 12"-15" apart on center--that way, when I do pullups it engages more of my arms than my shoulders/back. I find that to be more similar to real climbing muscle engagement. YMMV!
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GeneralZon
Feb 5, 2009, 4:17 PM
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I don't limit the rock rings to one set-up location. I have a bunch of eye-bolts in a rafter in my basement so i can narrow and widen the grips to vary my training.
I will note however, do not start the 10min exercise program that is in the instructions unless you can dead hang from each of the 4 holds for 15 or so seconds. No being able to hang from them will increase you likelihood for injury greatly.
My contact strength has increased incredibly since using them.
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birdt8608
Feb 5, 2009, 9:37 PM
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Thanks guys. The new problem, however, is that the low basement ceiling I mentioned before is looking like it might be too low after all. I might have to get creative here...
Tom
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d0nk3yk0n9
Feb 5, 2009, 9:42 PM
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As long as you can hang from the rock rings with your arms extended without touching the ground, the ceiling is high enough. Yes, you might have to bend your knees to avoid touching the ground, but it'll still work. Also, try shortening the slings on the rock rings if you need extra room.
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truello
Feb 6, 2009, 4:53 AM
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I hung 3 hooks for mine. Two approximately shoulder width apart, then a third that allows me to go slightly wider when I want to. You could even do a 4th for 3 different widths...
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ryanb
Feb 6, 2009, 5:29 AM
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Low basement ceiling = core work out while you train finger strength. BONUS!
I keep meaning to mount my rock rings on a bit of rope so they are just off the ground. They have adjustable gymnastic rings at my gym and you can do this awesome core work out by getting in pushup or knee pushup position on them and then keeping your arms straight slowly lowering yourself to the ground by levering them up above your head.
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birdt8608
Feb 7, 2009, 6:50 PM
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I took all of the advice and gave myself multiple hanging width options and also shortened the cords. Works great.
On another topic... Wow, I tried the provided ten second workout, knowing from what other people have said that I probably wouldn't be able to do it, but man did I ever fail miserably!  any ideas for easier workouts?
ryanb, I like the added options you get by hanging them right at the ground. What about hanging them a couple feet off the floor and doing Inverted rows?
Tom
(This post was edited by birdt8608 on Feb 7, 2009, 6:51 PM)
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