Dead Hang

Pull vertical (prep) · seconds · bilateral The base of the chain: grip endurance and shoulder-tissue tolerance, built passively.

The movement

Hang from the bar with arms completely straight and shoulders relaxed, body still, for time. Pure passive suspension — no pulling, no effort beyond the grip.

Set-up — and what each part is for

• Grip pronated (palms forward), a little wider than the shoulders, thumbs wrapped under the bar. The wrap is what makes the grip secure; thumb on top slips.
• Arms fully straight; shoulders relaxed and high, rising toward the ears — the one level where the shoulders stay passive. → feel the stretch through forearms, shoulders, and upper back.
• Body still; slight pelvic tuck; ankles crossed if you tend to swing.
• Head neutral.

The hold

• Hold for the prescribed time, relaxed and quiet — no active scapular pull, no lat engagement.
• Exit: set or step the feet down before releasing. Never drop from the bar — the controlled exit protects wrist and elbow.

Breathing

Free and continuous, no holding. If breathing gets labored, the grip is failing first — release before it does.

Watch for

• Thumb on top of the bar → weaker, slips; wrap it under.
• Actively packing the shoulders down → that’s the next level (scapular pull-up); here the shoulders stay passive.
• Swinging → cross the ankles, pin the legs.
• Dropping off at the end → reset the feet, then release.

Within the level

• Harder: shift more weight onto one hand (both still on the bar); thicker bar or a towel over the bar for grip.
• Easier: feet lightly on a support to offload weight; shorter holds, more sets.

Dose

Test your max hold in clean form (stop before the grip actually fails), then hold half of that per set, spread through the day. Stop each hold well before the grip gives.