Dead Hang

Hanging from a bar with straight arms for time. It is grip work, shoulder decompression and the foundation position for every hanging movement, and it costs nothing but a bar.

Standard: A valid hold keeps both hands on the bar with the arms fully extended and the feet clear of the floor for the prescribed time, without kipping or resting a foot down.

How to do the Dead Hang

1. Take a full grip on the bar, thumbs wrapped, hands about shoulder-width apart.
2. Step or jump off and let the body hang with straight arms.
3. Keep the ribs down and the legs together rather than swinging.
4. Let the shoulders sit at the top of the hang if the goal is decompression, or pull them down if the goal is active control.
5. Come down under control before the grip fails rather than dropping off it.

Common faults

• Gripping with the fingers only and losing the hang long before the shoulders are tired.
• Swinging or kicking to pass the time, which makes the hold harder rather than longer.
• Holding the breath through the whole set.
• Dropping from height onto locked legs when the hands give out.

Scaling & progressions

• Keep the toes touching the floor and take some weight off the hands.
• Break a long hold into shorter sets with brief rest, accumulating the same total time.
• Use a lower bar or a rig strap so you can step off any moment.
• Alternate hands on a single-arm hang once the two-arm version is easy.