How to Do Dead Hangs: Tips & Proper Form

Good gymnastics rings are great for indoor and outdoor use and offer a full range of motion for your shoulder joints, enhancing mobility.

How to Perform Dead Hang On Overhead Rings

1. Set up the rings so you can hang them without your feet touching the ground.
2. Grab the rings with an overhead grip.
3. Hang straight, aligning your legs with your hips and spine.
4. Rotate your shoulders both internally and externally as you hang.
5. When you're maxed out, gently let go and land on the floor.
6. Aim for three sets, hanging as long as you can, with minimal rest in between.

Neutral Grip Dead Hang

This variation, requiring parallel pull-up bars, puts your shoulders in a balanced position, perfect for stretching and strengthening.

How to Perform Natural Grip Dead Hangs

1. Find parallel bars spaced at least shoulder-width apart.
2. Hang with a neutral grip, keeping your body straight.
3. Focus forward, let those lats stretch and feel the burn in your forearms.
4. Once you can't hang on, lower yourself down.
5. Do multiple sets, resting briefly between, and hang as long as possible each time.

For those surpassing 60 seconds in a basic dead hang, the one-handed version (or weighted dead hang) is a tougher challenge, proven by the Journal of Human Kinetics to significantly enhance grip strength and lat stretch [3].

How to Perform a One-Handed Dead Hang

1. Grip the bar with one hand and test your strength by lifting your feet off the ground.
2. If a full one-handed hang is too hard, keep one foot lightly on the ground for support.
3. Once ready, lift both feet and hang as long as you can.
4. When your grip gives out, lower yourself down.
5. Alternate hands for several sets, resting adequately between each.

Improving your grip strength can be difficult and dead hangs are one of the best exercises for bulletproofing your forearms.

Earlier mentioned research from the Journal of Human Kinetics shows a 34–45% increase in grip endurance from regular dead hang practice.

"The pull-up is a foundational upper body exercise that carries many benefits — namely more back and arm muscle, pulling strength, and full-body control. It’s also straightforward to do."

- Mike Dewar, Certified Personal Trainer

Grip strength isn't just about muscle; it's a health indicator linked to overall locomotor system health. A firm handshake in older men often signals good heart and respiratory health, as per Clinical Interventions in Aging [4].

It's best to start with bilateral dead hangs, then level up to one-handed versions for ultimate grip strength.

Stretch the Upper Body

Throughout my athletic career, I've frequently used dead hangs to stretch my latissimus dorsi muscles, which is crucial for preventing shoulder problems and correcting posture issues.

In today's sedentary lifestyle, I've noticed tight lats are a common issue, often leading to a hunched back.

From my experience, it's not just about strengthening the scapular protractors – stretching the pecs and lats is equally important.

Also Read: Best Chest Stretches Before a Workout

Having dealt with tight shoulders myself, I've found dead hangs to be an incredibly effective solution.

Begin with neutral grip dead hangs and gradually try overhead ring variations. The rings enable a full shoulder motion, stretching tight ligaments.

Regular practice can maintain shoulder health, which is essential for sports like basketball and baseball.

Learn More: 30-Minute Shoulder Workouts

You must always use the proper technique to work out safely and avoid injury.

Performing the proper technique is key to avoiding injuries and optimizing your performance to make as much progress as possible.

The next thing is to rest enough intra- and post-workout.

This means incorporating proper rest intervals between sets and reps and between individual workouts throughout the week.

Lastly, nothing can replace high-quality sleep and nutrition, since those are paramount to preparing muscle growth and development.