Rings One, Level A, Phase 2: First Below The Rings session

Today was my first full Below The Rings session in Phase 2.  Skin The Cat is the most troublesome move for me, so I did it 2nd in the workout rather than last.  Maybe I could have done it first, but then  I'd have to spend extra time raising the rings for the Pullups, to allow my legs to be extended without touching the floor; then lowering them again for the  Inverted Tuck Roll Chinup.  By doing it 2nd, I only had to lower the rings once, since I can do the last two exercises at the same ring height.

Pullups - 6 reps/set as usual.  This time I focused more on rotating my palms towards my face so the move becomes a chin-up.

Skin The Cat - I had to overcome two obstacles to performing this movement: 1. My continued fear of losing control and falling past the German hang, thus injuring shoulders. 2. Not knowing what muscles to use to better control the lowering portion of the movement as well as pulling out of the German hang back into Inverted Hang.  My first two reps failed in that I lost control and fell.  Somehow my shoulders were not injured.  I realized the rings should be lowered a bit more so I could  bail out by standing up instead of having to let go of the rings and fall a foot or so.  So this is what I did:

1. First set:  Slowly move out of the Inverted Hang towards the German Hang but with a limited range of motion, really concentrating on what muscles are being used to maintain control.
2. 2nd set: Like #1 but just a little further.
3. 3rd set: Like #1 but even further than #2.  I think my torso got closer and closer to parallel with the ground.
4. Did 4th and 5th sets just like #3.

What I learned is that just about all the muscles along the spine have to be activated to maintain control.  I lost control on those first two attempts because I didn't know what muscles to activate.  It helped to think of a straight torso and lock down the hip (butt squeezed tight, abs tight).  The entire back has to work to get out of German hang back into Inverted Hang.  This is the first ring exercise I have done in which I felt the lower back working just as hard as the upper back.

Inverted Tuck Roll Chins - After Skin The Cat, this wasn't so bad.  3 reps/set.  Could have done a 4th rep but didn't want to take a chance with my grip failing at the worst moment.  This also works the core and biceps, but differently than the first two movements.  I think grip endurance will be my main limiting factor here.

One thing I should work on is looking straight ahead instead of looking up at my feet when I am in the Inverted Hang.  I think I have a habit of looking at my feet because of the fear of being upside down.  I overcame this fear enough to do exercises getting in and out of Inverted Hang, but if I can keep my gaze perpendicular to my torso, I can improve my spatial awareness and not be so freaked out by being upside down then moving out of that to face the floor.

All in all, it was a stronger debut in Phase 2 than my Above The Rings session.  I hope I can apply what I learned about muscle tension in the torso during the Skin The Cat reps to my Assisted Tuck to Tuck Shoulder Stand.