Also known as: ring pass-through, ring rotation, rings pass through, ring hip-through, ring transitions

What is Skin the Cat?

Skin the Cat is a medium-level ring exercise that involves hanging and rotating your hips and shoulders through the rings while keeping arms straight, targeting the chest, shoulders, upper back and core. It builds shoulder mobility, scapular control and body awareness for pulling movements.

How to Do Skin the Cat

  1. Set up rings: Adjust rings to around waist height and grip with pronated hands; ensure rings are secure and shoulders relaxed before starting.
  2. Depress scapula: Start tall, depress and engage your scapula with straight arms to stabilize the shoulder girdle and protect the joints.
  3. Tuck knees: Tuck knees to your chest and initiate a slow rotation, keeping arms straight as your hips move over the rings.
  4. Rotate through: Continue rotating until your hips pass through the rings and your shoulders extend; control the motion and avoid sudden drops.
  5. Extend safely: If comfortable, straighten legs slowly while maintaining scapular retraction and shoulder control; stop if you feel pinching or pain.
  6. Reverse with control: Pull through by protracting the scapula, tucking knees, and guiding hips back through the rings to the start position with steady tempo.

Muscle Groups

Chest, Core, Shoulders, Back

Description

Hang from with a pronated grip (palms facing away from you), rings turned out, arms straight, knees bent.

Begin by depressing your scapula, pullingl with straight arms, keeping the knees tucked.

Continue pulling, rotate your hands to face each other and allow your knees to pass over your head.

As your hip pass through the rings, rotate your hands to face behind you. If you feel comfortable straighten your legs, lowering your feet towards the floor. Extending your shoulders and allowing your scapula to retract.

Reverse the motion by pulling back into scapula protraction, keeping the arms straight. Tuck the knees and pull them back through the rings, returning to the start position.

Repeat for repetitions. Keep the arms straight throughout.
Movement Group: Pull
Equipment: Rings

Progressions and Regressions

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main benefits of Skin the Cat?

Skin the Cat improves shoulder mobility, scapular control and thoracic rotation while strengthening the chest, shoulders, upper back and core. It also enhances positional awareness for advanced ring skills and safe transitions.

What common mistakes should I avoid?

Common errors include bending the arms, rushing the rotation, neglecting scapular control, and forcing full extension before mobility is sufficient. Move slowly, keep arms straight and stop if you feel joint pain.

How can I progress or regress this move?

Regress by using a low ring support, keeping feet on the floor, or limiting range of motion. Progress by straightening legs, increasing controlled reps, or adding slow negatives and full leg extensions.