What is Bulgarian Ring Dips?
Bulgarian Ring Dips are a hard calisthenics push exercise on gymnastic rings where you press to full extension and lower with arms flared outward. They primarily target the triceps, chest and shoulders while demanding strong core and scapular stability to control the rings.
How to Do Bulgarian Ring Dips
- Set rings height: Adjust rings at waist height or slightly higher; ensure straps secure and rings aligned about shoulder-width to allow safe pressing and full range of motion.
- Grip and press: Grasp rings with neutral grip, press down to full arm extension and lock shoulder blades slightly to create a stable starting position for descent.
- Brace core and shoulders: Tighten your core, depress the shoulders and keep forearms vertical to minimize shrugging and protect the rotator cuff throughout the movement.
- Controlled descent: Lower slowly while allowing upper arms to move outward; descend until the upper arms are nearly parallel to the floor without losing scapular control.
- Press back up: Drive through the rings, press to full extension with controlled tempo, avoid elbow hyperextension and maintain a firm core to stabilize the rings.
Muscle Groups
Triceps, Chest, Core, Shoulders, Trapezius, Latissimus, Back
Description
Grasp two gymnastic rings at approximately shoulder width and press into them to achieve full extension. This is the start position, same as in a traditional dip.Keeping your shoulder blades and core stable, descend so that your upper arms move away from your body to the sides, while maintaining a vertical forearm position.
Descend until your upper arms are nearly parallel to the floor. Reverse the movement under control.
Movement Group
Push
Required Equipment
Rings
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of Bulgarian Ring Dips?
Bulgarian Ring Dips build triceps and chest strength while improving shoulder stability, scapular control and core engagement. Ring instability forces stabilizer recruitment and joint control, translating to improved pressing power and coordination for advanced calisthenics and gymnastic movements.
What common mistakes should I avoid with Bulgarian Ring Dips?
Common mistakes include shrugged or elevated shoulders, collapsing the scapula, letting forearms tilt, rushing the descent, and overextending the elbows. Fix by keeping depressed shoulders, vertical forearms, controlled tempo, and engaged core to protect the shoulder joint and maintain ring stability.
How can I progress to or regress from Bulgarian Ring Dips?
Regress by using resistance bands for assistance, performing negative-only reps, or training parallel-bar dips to build pressing strength. Progress by reducing assistance, adding pause reps, increasing range of motion, adding weight or moving to more unstable variations like archer or weighted Bulgarian Ring Dips.