Getting started

If you haven’t already noticed, hanging from a bar is a popular activity among fitness enthusiasts. Not only does it increase overall body strength, but it also improves grip strength and joint health.

The most important thing when starting out with any new exercise is proper form. Before attempting any active hangs, make sure that you warm up your muscles first. There are many variations of an active hang, we’ll start with two most common.

Low Active Hang

Jump up (if you need) and grab the bar with your palms facing forward. Forward palms activates the shoulders and backwards palms is more bicep activation. We want the shoulder activation. Now activate your shoulders like you going to a do a pull up and just stay there holding that position. Do this everyday with whatever time you can do. I started with twice a day (morning and evening) for 15 seconds and now I’m up to 20 seconds.

High Active Hang

This is just as simple but instead of hanging with your arms extended you are going to hold your active position with your chin above the bar. I just tried this tonight. It’s hard for me and maybe get 2 seconds. I know what I’m going to start adding to my daily routine. My pullups got better last year, but I always struggled at the top.

Variations and Advancing

There are SO many variations and advancements you can make. The simplest is to just keep making longer goals for time. Then move into 1 arm hangs. Next thing you know you’ll be the next Ninja Warrior. If that is your goal you need to get to a 5 minute hang time.