Ring training might just be the most overlooked tool for building serious bicep mass.

While traditional curls have their place, fitness expert and calisthenics coach Tom from FitnessFAQs recently broke down why rings deserve a spot in every lifter’s arsenal—whether training at home or supplementing gym work.

From unique angles that hammer different bicep heads to the freedom of movement that keeps joints healthy, rings offer benefits that barbells and dumbbells simply can’t match.

Here’s exactly how to use them for maximum muscle growth.

Ring Curls: The Preacher Curl Alternative

Ring curls place arms in front of the body, creating a unique stimulus for bicep development. This positioning specifically targets the short head of the biceps, making it remarkably similar to preacher curls performed in commercial gyms.

As you can see, my arms are in front of my body. This is going to target more of that short head of the biceps. So, if you’re doing preacher curls at the gym, this exercise here is a pretty similar substitute.

The exercise proves that calisthenics can absolutely build muscle when executed with proper intensity and technique. But form matters—a lot.

Perfect Form: The Non-Negotiables

Sloppy technique plagues ring curl execution across social media. Tom sees people using momentum and kipping motions to complete reps, completely missing the point.

Proper posture requires:

• Glutes activated
• Core engaged
• Body held in rigid plank position
• Zero kipping or swinging

It should just be your biceps working. Glutes on, abs on, rigid plank-like position.

Tempo makes or breaks results. The prescription: explosive concentric, peak contraction squeeze, controlled eccentric. Rushing through reps might inflate rep counts, but it demolishes muscle-building potential.

The ring curl, it only works if you work. You’ve got to bring the intensity. Keep going until you lose that range of motion because that’s going to build muscle.

Progressive Overload Without Plates

Unlike traditional resistance training where weight gets added to barbells, rings use height and body angle for progression. Starting position matters significantly for beginners.

Begin with straps at stomach height. This creates a more vertical body position, reducing resistance by allowing feet to support more bodyweight.

Want more challenge? Lower strap height and lean back further. Moving toward horizontal increases loading dramatically, making biceps work exponentially harder.

If I’m here and I’m upright, it’s not that bad because I’m standing, my feet are taking a lot of my body weight. But if I make it a little bit harder, I’m more towards horizontal. This feels a lot heavier on my biceps.

Track body angle religiously. Documenting inclination allows systematic progressive overload—the cornerstone of muscle growth.

Why Rings Beat Barbells for Joint Health

Freedom of movement separates rings from fixed equipment. Wrists can naturally rotate through pronation and supination, allowing comfortable contraction without joint stress.

Barbell curls lock wrists into supinated position throughout the entire movement. This rigid positioning frequently aggravates joints and tendons, especially during high-volume training phases.

Basically, rings allow you to build muscle painfree, which is the secret to making lasting gains.

Pain-free training isn’t just comfortable—it’s sustainable. Injuries derail progress faster than anything else, making joint-friendly variations invaluable for long-term development.

Rings Versus Weights: The Real Comparison

Weight training undeniably offers advantages. Machines and supported curls provide stability that maximizes muscle isolation—exactly why competitive bodybuilders favor them.

But rings provide something equally valuable: variety and engagement.

If you’re stuck doing the optimal exercise for the rest of your life, but it’s boring. Introducing some novelty is going to make you excited to do your workouts. That’s the true value of rings in my opinion.

Training adherence trumps optimal exercise selection. The best program is the one you’ll actually follow consistently.

Fix Bicep Asymmetry With Unilateral Work

Nearly everyone has one weaker, smaller arm. Tom’s left bicep lags behind his right despite years of training.

Solution? Unilateral ring curls.

Training one arm at time allows maximum focus on the weaker side first. This ensures the lagging limb receives full effort before fatigue sets in, gradually balancing strength and size discrepancies.

What’s been really helpful for me is just doing some unilateral curls, working on one arm at a time. That way, I can give my full effort into that weaker side first, rest, and then do my right arm.

This simple programming tweak delivers measurable improvements in symmetry over weeks and months.

Pelican Curls: The Superior Bicep Builder

While ring curls effectively target biceps, pelican curls might actually reign supreme. This movement delivers a two-for-one benefit: bicep hypertrophy plus shoulder mobility.

Arms positioned behind the body create deep shoulder extension. This opens chest muscles while simultaneously emphasizing the long head of the biceps through an extreme stretch position.

You’re getting shoulder mobility. You’re opening up your pecs, but you’re curling at the same time. So that way, you don’t have to separate your mobility entirely because I know many of you guys are skipping that.

For gym-goers, this mirrors incline dumbbell curls—both emphasize similar movement mechanics and muscle recruitment patterns.

Pelican Curl Execution Breakdown

Chest stays upright throughout the movement, maximizing bicep stretch. Elbows tuck as the body lowers with control into complete arm extension.

Critical technique point: Actively squeeze triceps at bottom position. This ensures complete bicep stretch and trains often-neglected straight-arm strength.

It’s that straight arm strength conditioning that you really are going to benefit from when training calisthenics, but you’re also going to be training hard, so you’ll be building muscle, too.

Full range of motion isn’t optional—it’s where adaptation happens. Yet ego lifting sabotages results faster than anything else.

Avoid These Pelican Curl Mistakes

Partial reps plague this movement. Lifters select difficulty levels beyond their capabilities, forcing compensations that eliminate effectiveness.

Proper progression strategy:

• Step forward for more inclined posture
• Use shorter strap lengths
• Prioritize complete range over rep count

This is a humbling movement. It looks much easier than it actually is. It is really difficult and you have to be patient with this one because there is some risk when you’re using your elbows all the way in full extension on a biceps curl.

Tendons and connective tissue adapt slower than muscle. Patience prevents elbow injuries that sideline progress for weeks or months.

Eccentric-Only Variation for Beginners

Can’t perform full pelican curls yet? Eccentric-only training builds necessary strength.

Start in push-up position. Lower through complete range over six seconds. This “negative-only” approach develops strength in reverse, eventually unlocking full repetitions.

Eccentrics generate substantial muscle damage and mechanical tension—both primary drivers of hypertrophy. Results come with a price though.

Doing this style of training is going to give you crippling doms. You’re going to have really sore biceps the day or two after. You’ll be there sitting at your desk, likely cramping up and cursing fitness FAQs, but also thanking me for the superior biceps you’ll someday develop.

Why Rings Deserve Your Attention

Versatility makes rings invaluable. Train anywhere—home, park, hotel room—without sacrificing effectiveness.

Cost under $100. Zero wait times for equipment. Most gym-goers avoid rings entirely because they don’t understand proper application.

People aren’t using the rings because they don’t know how effective they are. When you’re armed with the correct exercises, you can literally target most parts of your body with this one piece of calisthenics gear.

Whether supplementing traditional training or building a complete home setup, rings offer unique benefits impossible to replicate with conventional equipment. Master the fundamentals, apply progressive overload principles, and watch biceps respond to this underutilized training tool.