Chase said:
One of the hardest things I've added is working with Gymnastic Rings...I'm using my own body weight, but minus any stabilization, I can barely do anything...It's all wobblely, for instance, I can do three sets of ten bench dips (no problem), but can barely do three dips using the rings??? Go figure.
It makes perfect sense. When you use a stable base for the exercise you are only training the 'working' muscles. The related, stabilizing muscles get very little workout at all. If your entire weight training regime consists of very stable bench and machine work you never get those stabilizing muscles.

Traditionally the strongest guys have been workmen - farmers, dock workers, construction, etc... Lifting odd objects, full range of motion stuff really gets the body involved. Thats the type of strength the Highland Games relies on mostly, because it requires your entire body for each event.