Shoulders · Bodyweight
Ring Handstand
How to do the ring handstand, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Expert
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set a pair of gymnastic rings just above the floor. Grip the rings, kick up into a handstand, and stack your hands, shoulders, and hips into a vertical line. Squeeze your legs together and hold the inverted position while the rings try to drift, lowering with control when done.
- 1Your shoulders and forearms fighting to keep the rings from swinging
- 2A tight hollow body with glutes and core locked from hands to toes
- 3Small finger and wrist adjustments keeping you balanced over the rings
Common mistakes
- Letting the rings swing wide instead of pinning them under your shoulders
- Arching your back or flaring your ribs out of the line
- Holding your breath or kicking up with no control
Muscles worked
The ring handstand mainly works the forearms, front delts, triceps, upper abs, lower abs, and side delts, with the upper traps, obliques, upper chest, and external rotators assisting.
- ForearmsPrimary
- Front DeltsPrimary
- TricepsPrimary
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Lower AbsPrimary
- Side DeltsPrimary
- Upper TrapsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- External RotatorsSupport
- Lower TrapsMinor
- GlutesMinor
Kovo programs the ring handstand for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.