Dead hang
Grip and forearms; decompresses the spine and improves shoulder mobility.
How to do it
- Grip the pull-up bar with your palms facing forward, shoulder-width apart.
- Lift your feet off the floor and hang with your arms straight.
- Keep your shoulders slightly active (don't let them sink all the way to your ears).
- Hold as long as you can, breathing normally.
Cues
- Firm grip with the whole hand, thumb wrapped around the bar.
- Body still, no swinging.
- Ribs closed, legs together and slightly in front.
Common mistakes
- Swinging.
- Dropping off suddenly at the end (come down onto your feet).
A good target is to hold for 60 s. It's the grip foundation for pull-ups.
Photos: free-exercise-db (public domain).
Want a plan that includes this exercise?
AppGym builds a plan that fits you, tells you what weight to use on every set and lets you know when to go up, deload or ease back in after a break.
Create my plan