Exercise
DEAD HANG
Form cues
About
The foundational two-hand hang from a bar — full bodyweight, full effort, and a straight body line. It's the base grip-strength movement every other hold in this routine builds from.
Instructions
Step-by-step technique
Set your grip
Grab the bar with an overhand grip, hands roughly shoulder-width apart.
Shoulder-width gripHang with full effort
Let your full bodyweight hang from the bar with arms completely straight and feet off the ground.
Arms fully straightBrace your body
Squeeze your core, bring your feet together, and keep your body in one straight line from shoulders to ankles.
Core tight, feet togetherHold and breathe
Maintain the position for the prescribed time, breathing steadily in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Steady breathingCommon mistakes
What goes wrong — and why
Letting the body swing
An unbraced core lets the legs swing and wastes grip energy on stabilizing.
Brace your abs and keep feet together for a still, straight hang.
Holding your breath
Breath-holding raises tension and shortens how long you can hold.
Breathe steadily in through the nose, out through the mouth.
Grip too narrow or too wide
An uncomfortable grip width adds unnecessary wrist or shoulder strain.
Use a grip roughly shoulder-width apart that feels natural.
Variations · Progressions · Regressions
Adaptations for every level
Feet-Assisted Dead Hang
Keep your toes lightly on the floor or a low box to reduce the load while building up hang time.
Towel Grip Dead Hang
Hang from a towel draped over the bar for an added grip-strength challenge.
Weighted Dead Hang
Add a weight belt once bodyweight hangs comfortably exceed 45–60 seconds.
Included in