What does hanging do for the body?

The dead hang is a technique that's known as a good stretch, but there's more benefits than most realize.  A dead hang is when you grip a bar or similar structure to hang from arms extended straight above you and just hang.  It's simple, but can do a lot for you, such as...

1. Improved Posture - for people with lazy posture, those that sit at a desk all day, and people who spend a lot of time looking down at their phone your back and neck will thank you for hanging.  Dead hangs can realign and help improve your overall posture over time.

2. Increased Grip Strength - weightlifters, wall and mountain climbers, and parkour practitioners all share their common interest in increasing their grip strength, but we could all benefit from a stronger grip.  Think about this next time you're trying to open a  jar.  Hanging provides an opportunity to work your grip strength since you can only hang for how long your grip will last.

3. Better Shoulder Mobility - Suspending your body with your arms raised up in a hanging position allows your shoulders to experience their full range of motion.  This is something the average person does far to little.  Think about how many times throughout the day you actually raise your arms over your head, behind you back, and straight out in front of you.  We may often reach out in front or down, but seldom to we really experience the full range of motion our shoulders are capable of in our daily lives.  This can cause your shoulder muscles to become tight and restricted.  Hanging not only forces us to utilize a larger range of motion, but also uses gravity to assist in the stretch.

4. Spinal Decompression - When hanging you are stretching your arms, shoulders, and back to name a few.  The stretching of the spine in particular can alleviate pressure between vertebrae and provide a spinal decompression.  This decompression can alleviate back pain, further improve posture, prevent and relieve stress on the discs of your spine, and more.

Hanging to Workout

Go beyond the dead hang and implement hanging exercises as well.  Below are several recommended exercises that use a hanging strategy while also integrating a bodyweight workout.