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Deadhang Progressions

Muscles worked

  • Forearm Flexors
  • Forearm Extensors

Equipment

Pull Up Bar or Gymnastic Rings
Pull Up Bar or Gymnastic Rings

Form Cues

  • Grip the bar or rings with a shoulder-width overhand grip, thumb wrapped around

  • Step off a box to enter the hang, avoid jumping into position

  • Let your shoulders rise toward your ears while keeping slight muscular tension to protect the joints

  • Hold the bar in the base of your fingers, not deep in your palm, to maximize grip endurance

  • Breathe slowly and deeply, relax your legs, hips and core

  • If you feel sharp pain in the shoulders, come down and reduce the duration

Progressions

  1. 01

    Deadhang

    • Grip the bar or rings with a shoulder-width overhand grip, thumb wrapped around

    • Step off a box to enter the hang, avoid jumping into position

    • Let your shoulders rise toward your ears while keeping a slight muscular tension to protect the joints

    • Breathe slowly and deeply, relax your legs, hips and core

    • Hold the bar in the base of your fingers, not deep in your palm, to maximize grip endurance

    • If you feel sharp pain in the shoulders, come down and reduce the duration

  2. 02

    Towel Deadhang

    • Drape a towel over the bar and grip both ends firmly with one hand, creating a thicker grip challenge

    • The thicker grip forces your fingers to work harder, making this a grip strength progression

    • Let your shoulders rise toward your ears while keeping slight muscular tension to protect the joints

    • Breathe slowly and deeply, keep the rest of your body relaxed

    • Step off a box to enter the hang, avoid jumping

    • If the towel slips, use a thicker towel or fold it to increase friction

  3. 03

    One Arm Deadhang

    • Grip the bar or ring firmly with one hand, thumb wrapped around

    • Step off a box and slowly transfer your weight to one arm

    • Keep slight muscular tension in the shoulder to protect the joint, do not hang completely passive

    • Resist body rotation by engaging your core lightly and keeping your hips square

    • Breathe calmly and let your legs and free arm hang relaxed

    • If you experience sharp shoulder pain, come down immediately and build up to this progression gradually

  4. 04

    One Arm Towel Deadhang

    • Drape a towel over the bar and grip both ends with one hand for an extra thick grip challenge

    • Step off a box and slowly transfer your weight to the gripping arm

    • Keep slight muscular tension in the shoulder to protect the joint

    • Resist body rotation by engaging your core lightly

    • Breathe calmly and let the rest of your body hang relaxed

    • This is an advanced grip progression, make sure you can hold a regular one-arm deadhang first

  5. 05

    Weighted One Arm Deadhang

    • Grip the bar or ring firmly with one hand, thumb wrapped around

    • Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in the other hand, letting it hang straight down

    • Step off a box and slowly transfer your weight, do not jump into position with added weight

    • Keep slight muscular tension in the hanging shoulder to protect the joint

    • Resist body rotation by engaging your core lightly

    • Start with a light weight and increase gradually, the added load significantly increases demand on the shoulder and grip

Common mistakes

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