The Toes to Ring exercise may seem simple to the untrained eye, but coordinating your body, maintaining a good pace, and reaching enough force to do more and more reps, it's harder than you think.
Indeed, this exercise is one of the most difficult to perform for CrossFit® newbies, but also for the more experienced. Let's find out the progressions and techniques of this skill together.
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What is and how to perform Toes to Ring?
The Toes to Ring is a gymnastic movement which consists in hanging from the rings (or a bar in the case of Toes to Bar) with the hands and in lifting the feet until they touch the rings with the toes.
For the exercise to be considered valid in CrossFit®, it is necessary to start from a position of full extension to the rings and only then raise the feet until they touch the rings between the space of the hands.
Causes difficulties in performing the Toes to Ring
Since this is a difficult exercise, this article aims to identify the why many Crossfitters find it difficult to perform this movement; identifying the causes is the main step in starting to master the Toes to Ring:
Lack of strength in the core
Having a strong core it is the basis of every movement in any sport, not only in CrossFit®; the function of the core is not only to stabilize the spine and body during movement, but also to generate force in order to start performing the movement.
If you ask an athlete how long it takes to train and strengthen the core, the answer will always be "lot"; for this reason it is necessary to dedicate more time to strengthen the core with exercises such as front and side plank, Hollow rock, Buenos dias e deadlift, eg.
Not doing the proper movements
Don't just focus on hanging and lifting your feet; you must also pay attention to the movement of the shoulders, chest and hips back and forth as they approach the feet to the rings.
Toes to Ring is an exercise that requires timing, rhythm and coordination to be able to lift your feet up to the rings.
Get your legs out
After touching the rings with your feet, these are brought down and not back; one must not kick with the legs, but keep a rhythm and bring the knees to the elbows first, then "kick" the feet so that they come to touch the rings.
Don't have a strong grip
Have a good one pinch (made with three fingers) it is essential not only for Toes to Ring, but for all exercises involving rings or bars.
As with the core, it is essential that the grip is strong so that the movement of the Toes to Ring can support the weight of the whole body hanging from the rings.
Calluses and wounds on the hands
As the reps increase, the skin of the hands will begin to feel the abrasive surface of the rings more.
Even if there are no open wounds on the skin, calluses and blisters will surely come out; you have to try to get a better grip with the fingers rather than the palm, so that less skin surface will have contact with the rings.
And you, do you have the toes to ring as a skill? Let us know in the comments!
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