IDEAS

THE RINGS OF SANTA MONICA

there are no rules to the Zen of flying

By Austin Conrad

Rings 1 by Austin Conrad
There are not many sports that have somehow managed to avoid being controlled by rules. When we think of major or even minor sports we think about a set of rules to decide how a game should be played. When considering the idea of a foul we think about whether that action is harmful, and gives an unfair advantage to a player or team. Similarly, there are some sports that ignore rules and change the very nature of how people play games.

The traveling rings of Santa Monica beach have not only escaped the rules, but have also created a style of movement that has adopted techniques from highly rule-centric sports like gymnastics. Eight metal rings hang from ten-foot poles. The goal is to swing from one end to the other by using the momentum of your body in order to fly from ring to ring. In order to do this, you have to hold two rings simultaneously while pulling down the arm opposite of the direction that you are traveling. You then let go of that arm at the peak of your pull and that allows you to swivel around and hurl your body to the next ring.

Where it all began.
The Traveling Rings were first created in 1870 at the Arlington Baths Club in Glasgow, Scotland—we even have photos of them. These rings were suspended over a pool for safety reasons. There are even guides on how to swing on the rings that basically set the template for what was to come many years later. Traveling away from the Scottish bathhouses, the rings found a home on Santa Monica Beach. This new location triggered new techniques of swinging. Something sparked in someone’s mind that they could swing in ways that felt closer to actual flight.



The feeling of flying is something that everyone dreams about. The traveling rings give a beautiful approximation of what it feels like to be weightless. No matter how complex the description is, there is no way to capture the feeling of floating in the air. And Santa Monica is one of the few places you can do it. Locals have put their own twist on the limits of the rings. They have adapted techniques in gymnastics to preform tricks. These go from spinning on one ring at high speeds to complete flips while holding onto two rings. Locals combine their momentum with their legs, and their ability to roll their body over the shoulder without injuring their arm to perfect these tricks. Most people see the rings as an exercise to get from point A to point B, but it is much more than that.


Rings 3 by Austin Conrad

There will always be a tension on the rings. Different styles of swinging will dictate the personality of the ring swinger. There are no rules to this action, because it is a personal experience that one has with the rings. The only people who will judge are the people watching, but when you are flying the experience is completely personal. I see the rings as a way of experiencing the art of motion in a meditative state. Danger is always near and you must be calm and learn to think closely about the movements in your body. The muscles you activate and the movements of your body will change your motion on the rings, whether you want to move quickly or slowly. The rings are a free experience and have no rules that guide them. It is almost as if you are dancing with the rings.


The key to perfecting a style of swinging is to understand the rhythm of momentum. This rhythm is seen in the flow of how someone swings across. When perfected there will be a moment of weightlessness where the person is above the ring, and free falling into the swing. This rhythm of momentum is different for everyone; it can be taught and practiced, but only through personal style can a person truly understand their swing. Similar to the Zen art of archery, swinging on the rings is a very personal experience. Skill is not based on a person’s ability to travel across, but the ability to swing with fluidity.


Rings 2 by Austin Conrad

The tension on the rings is a constant. There is always a danger in attempting to swing. The only rule in this activity is the ability to avoid being hit by a flying ring, but this isn’t much of a rule, but more like common sense. It takes a certain kind of person to attempt to master the ability to swing; it is not for the timid. The people that you will find swinging at Santa Monica Beach are not who you would expect. Many of them are locals, and have been swinging for years. They all come from different backgrounds and places around the world. Some of the people who swing seem mysterious and intimidating.


The tension on the rings is a constant. There is always a danger in attempting to swing. The only rule in this activity is the ability to avoid being hit by a flying ring, but this isn’t much of a rule, but more like common sense. It takes a certain kind of person to attempt to master the ability to swing; it is not for the timid. The people that you will find swinging at Santa Monica beach are not who you would expect. Many of them are locals, and have been swinging for years. They all come from different backgrounds and places around the world. Some of the people who swing seem mysterious and intimidating.

There is a man from Japan named Yoshi who has been mastering the rings for years, and has discovered a unique style of swinging on the rings that he has passed down to many people who are interested. Born in Osaka Japan, Yoshi has left a family background of yakuza, and has made his way to California.  When leaving a lifestyle based in very strict traditions and rules it is natural for Yoshi to find something that ignores the rules and allows for free expression and community. These strangers at the beach begin to be recognized the more that you realize that this is almost a second home to them. It is a shared space that is respected by all of the people who use the equipment­. This gives a good mindset to the people who are visiting that they should respect the space and the rest of the beach in order to preserve the natural quality of the environment.


The new generation of people interested in learning the techniques of the rings is a constant rush on Santa Monica Beach. There are always people in line waiting to prove to them that they can make it across, as if it were some obstacle course. Many people get across and then never come back, but the few who become accustomed to skin ripping on their palms and fingers learn the true experience of flying.

©Austin Conrad and the CCA Arts Review

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