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Please e-mail us if your question is not answered in this guide: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Online Ordering Questions Is it safe to order online?Yes, our ordering system conforms to the highest security and privacy standards. We have partnered with Authorize.net, GeoTrust and Paymentech to ensure the safety and convenience of online ordering. When you enter the Checkout page, you will see a golden lock icon in the bottom corner of your web browser. This means that the page is secure and your information is being transmitted safely. Are there any other ways to order? We can accept payments via PayPal, check or money order and by fax. Please follow these steps: Or, you can use the eCheck option to pay online using your checking account. To do this, select the eCheck option on the shopping cart page. Your transaction will be processed immediately and you will not need to mail in a copy of the check. Fax: Fax the two printed pages to us at (425) 749-4131. Why won't your store accept my order? If your transaction is being rejected, the most common cause is an incorrect billing address. We only use the billing address for security verification. Anything that needs to be mailed will be sent to your shipping address. Your billing address needs to be input exactly as your bank has it on file, including the formatting of the zip code. What is included with an order of Elite Rings and how much does it cost? The cost of the Elite Rings is $71.95 plus S&H and sales tax (WA residents only).
*Returned items are eligible for a full refund of the purchase price, less shipping. Items must be in new condition. The 2 year warrantee will provide a replacement in the event of damaged or defective products. Evidence of damage must be presented in photographic form or returned via mail and include a description of the cause of the damage. How Do I Download my training guide?After you place your order, there will be a link on the "Thank You" page. Just click on the name of the product, which will be underlined. There will also be a link to it in your receipt, which will be e-mailed to you after you place your order. You will need an Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the file. Do you ship internationally? Yes, we ship all over the world. More than 25% of our customers live outside of the United States. We ship all international orders via the United States Postal Service (USPS). All international shipments are sent via First Class International up to 4 lbs. Heavier shipments and Expedited International shipments are sent via USPS Priority Mail International. APO/FPO orders are sent via USPS Priority Mail. Time of arrival varies by location, but they usually estimate 2 weeks for First Class and 6-10 days for Priority Mail. How much does shipping cost?It varies by region. We charge the same rate for anywhere in the US, except for Alaska and Hawaii. APO/FPO orders receive the domestic shipping rate. Separate options are available for Canada, UK/Europe and Australia/Asia. We calculate shipping costs by weight and we don't add any handling charges. To get a price quote, add all of the items you want into a shopping cart and select your region in the shipping options. Can I track my order?Once your order ships, you will be e-mailed a tracking number. Most orders ship out the same or next day. Domestic shipments sent via FedEx can be tracked at Fedex.com. For international orders, limited tracking is available for Expedited International and other Priority Mail shipments. Your e-mail will contain either a tracking number or customs ID number, which you can input at USPS.com. How do you hook up the rings? What if I live in an apartment? The Elite Rings can be set up in a variety of ways. You can run run the straps over a beam, bar or tree limb or through an eye screw installed in your ceiling. Once you have the strap in place, you simply run the strap through the buckle and you are ready to go. Is there a weight limit for the Elite Rings?Every component of the Elite Rings has been tested up to 1000 lbs. Our rings are not intended for swinging exercises, such as giant swings and double back flip dismounts. For those, you need an FIG-certified ring frame with spring loaded, swivel mounts. These can be purchased from a gymnastics supplier. For strength and conditioning, the Elite Rings have performed flawlessly under demanding conditions. How are the Elite Rings different from a pull-up bar?A pull-up bar is one of the best pieces of equipment you can add to your home gym. However, the rings give pull-ups a unique free motion element. Plus, Elite Rings can be used for many other exercises such as dips, pushups and a variety of gymnastics exercises. Can the Elite Rings be used in a competitive gymnastics program?No, the Elite Rings are not FIG certified and are based on a different design. The Elite Rings are designed from the ground up for fitness workouts. The mounting system is designed to allow for quick height adjustments and portability. A competitive gymnastics program could use the Elite Rings as part of their strength and conditioning program, but not for doing swinging elements and dismounts. I would recommend purchasing competition rings from American-Gymnast.com, Norberts or AAI. What are the advantages of ring-shaped handles versus straight handles?Any hanging handle is a step in the right direction, whether it is round or flat. Some of the first gymnastics rings were actually triangular in shape. In fact, at the World Championships in Prague in 1907, competitors could choose whether they wanted to compete on triangular or ring-shaped rings. The competitors overwhelmingly preferred the true rings and in subsequent years the triangular ones were no longer used. The advantage of rings is superior control and comfort. When you use a "false grip", in which your wrists are draped over the rings, you will really notice the improved performance. In any exercise, such as dips and pushups, rings also feel much more solid. How many exercises can be done on the Elite Rings? There are hundreds of possibilities and you are really only limited by your imagination. Pullups, dips, pushups and rows are the basic movements for beginners. But there are dozens of variations on each of those, because the rings can move independently. Additionally, you have tons of gymnastics exercises such as muscle-ups, front levers, back levers, cross, L-sit and many more. The included training guide goes over about a dozen of the basic movements. The Ring Strength DVD goes over 40 exercises. You can even put your feet on the rings for a variety of stretches and other exercises. See Andrew Stemler's Easy Ring Training guide for some ideas. Also see the 100 Pushup Workout for a workout with 10 different pushup variations. Can women train on the Elite Rings? Yes! Women don't need dumbed down training revolving around "toning and sculpting". The same careful, incremental progressions I recommend for men will work just as well for women. A high performance body is a beautiful thing. And don't worry, you won't end up looking like a female bodybuilder, unless you take special "vitamins". Are Elite Rings suitable for older individuals?Provided you get clearance from your doctor, then absolutely. Numerous studies have shown that strength training is extremely beneficial for people of all ages, but becomes most important as you grow older. Because the handles rotate independently, they will be much easier on your joints than any conventional equipment. Also, since they are adjustable in height, you can spot yourself in pull-ups and dips with your legs. You can also work up to pushups and body rows by elevating the rings. Most exercises can be adjusted in terms of difficulty by raising or lowering the rings. Can children use the Elite Rings?Yes, but only with parental guidance and supervision. Some coaches recommend that high-tension isometrics, such as the Iron Cross, should not be practiced until age 13. Excessive loading on young joints can cause long-term damage if not performed carefully. What muscles are worked by ring training?Every muscle in the upper body and core will be developed to the extreme. When your lats start growing people will wonder if your parents were flying squirrels. Your shoulders, biceps, triceps and forearms are all involved in just about every action on the rings. Your abs and postural muscles will get a workout unlike anything they've ever felt before. The Elite Rings are truly the ultimate ab training device. If you need a testimonial, look at a gymnast. Unlike the models in most fitness ads, there is no doubt that gymnasts train with rings. Are the Elite Rings a complete fitness solution?They come pretty close, but if you throw in some weight training and running, you will pretty much be able to cover the full range of human movement. The Elite Rings primarily work the upper body and core musculature. Additional leg, hip and back training will round out your program. No single tool does it all, but with only a few simple tools you can develop world-class levels of fitness. How difficult is it to perform an Iron Cross?For the general population, extremely difficult. For gymnasts, it is only a B-level skill on a scale from A to E. The muscle-up is an A-level skill and even that is difficult for most people. Most gymnasts tend to be lightweight and short individuals with a great leverage advantage for strength moves like the cross. Add in the fact that they have been training since they were very young and it starts to make sense. However, challenging exercises like the muscle-up and Iron Cross are still within the reach of mere mortals. It just takes a lot of dedicated training. It is best to work up to them slowly and carefully. Jump Stretch bands make a very good spotter and some people have even devised harness systems. If you do plan on working up to extreme strength moves, be patient and listen to your body. |
