Yes, I’ve been using Chris Sommer’s book. I do have a pair of rings, but I haven’t used them yet, too advanced for my current levels. But they’re there when I’m ready for them. Thus far the only equipment I have used is a pull-up bar, dips bars, and the floor (push-up handles help take the stress off the wrists). That’s one of the reasons I like the exercises, you can build and maintain serious strength with virtually no equipment. It’s about as low tech as you can get.
there is a lot of great exercises on youtube.
you can even isolate Biceps and triceps using nothing more than a pull up bar.
You can replace Military presses with fixed bars and your body weight…
In fact, with some imagination, there is not much you Cannot do just using your bodyweight and some low and high bars.
and doing so, makes your core crazy strong.
Here’s another link on the subject.
http://www.ppaonline.co.uk/download/Myth_of_Core_Stability_PPA.pdf
A control test could be as simple as
- Lay on your back
- Raise legs to a vertical position
- Place hands (palms down) under your lower back
- contract abs (draw abs in and feel the pressure on your hands)
- Lower legs (when you feel the pressure release off your hands a limit has been reached)
- Test could be completed to find range and strength levels or set at a certain distance and timed for endurance qualities
If you’re interested in learning/practicing gymnastics exercises, here is a pretty great website for learning some of the basics (and not-so-basics!). Ignore all the Crossfit crap and click on “Tutorials.”
Another source. Great forum.
http://gymnasticbodies.com/forum/index.php?sid=3deccaad857c3a28a733980e681e34ed
Gymnastics are really cool but if you have long legs/short torso or a lot of muscle on your legs you can forget about doing a lot of the manouvers