How to Measure Your Dead Hang Time

How to Measure Your Dead Hang: A Test of Grip Strength and Endurance

The dead hang is a deceptively simple exercise that can reveal a lot about your grip strength, shoulder stability, and endurance. Whether you’re an athlete, a climber, or just someone who wants to test their fitness level, measuring your dead hang is a straightforward yet challenging way to assess how strong and durable your upper body really is.

In this post, we’ll explain how to perform and measure your dead hang, why it’s important, and what your results mean for your grip strength and fitness goals.

Why Measure Your Dead Hang?

The dead hang involves hanging from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended, relying on your grip strength and shoulder muscles to keep you suspended. It’s a fundamental exercise for building grip strength, improving shoulder mobility, and engaging your core.

While it’s commonly used by rock climbers and gymnasts, the dead hang is a beneficial test for anyone, as it can expose weaknesses in grip endurance, improve your posture, and help prevent shoulder injuries. Measuring your dead hang time regularly is a great way to track your progress in grip strength and upper body endurance.

What You’ll Need

A pull-up bar or your local playground: You’ll need a sturdy bar that’s high enough for you to hang from without your feet touching the ground.
A stopwatch or timer: This will help you track how long you can hold the dead hang position.
Chalk (optional): If your hands get sweaty, chalk can help improve your grip and prevent slipping.

How to Perform the Dead Hang

Follow these steps to perform and measure your dead hang:

Warm up: Before you start, it’s important to warm up your shoulders, arms, and hands with some light stretches or mobility exercises. This will reduce the risk of injury and help you perform better.
Grip the bar: Stand underneath a pull-up bar, jump or step up, and grab the bar with both hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Use an overhand grip (palms facing away from you) for a traditional dead hang, though you can also use an underhand grip for variety.
Hang with full arm extension: Once you’re holding the bar, let your body hang freely with your arms fully extended. Your feet should be off the ground, and your shoulders should be relaxed but engaged to avoid strain.
Engage your core: Keep your core tight to maintain stability and avoid swinging. Your body should remain in a straight line with your legs slightly together and your gaze forward.
Hold the position: Start your timer as soon as you’re in position and hold the dead hang for as long as possible. Focus on maintaining a solid grip and steady breathing throughout.
End the hang safely: Once your grip gives out, or you feel like you can’t hold on any longer, gently lower yourself back to the ground or release your grip and step down. Stop your timer and record your hang time in seconds.

Dead Hang Variations

For measuring your progress in Fit Forward it’s recommended to just do a standard dead hang but you can do these variations for fun and to improve over time.

Active Dead Hang: In this version, instead of letting your shoulders relax, keep them engaged and slightly pulled down to activate more of your upper back muscles. This adds intensity to the exercise and helps improve shoulder stability.
Towel Dead Hang: For an extra grip challenge, drape a towel over the pull-up bar, grab each end, and perform the dead hang. This variation makes your grip work harder and can significantly improve your grip endurance.

Interpreting Your Dead Hang Results

Your dead hang time will vary based on your fitness level, grip strength, and endurance. Once you complete your checkin on the Fit Forward site, our dashboard will compare your time to the ideals for your age and allow you to track it over time.

If your dead hang time is below average, don’t worry! Like any strength-based exercise, you can improve your performance over time with consistent practice and focused training.

How to Improve Your Dead Hang Time

Improving your dead hang time is all about building grip strength and endurance. Here are some tips and exercises to help you extend your hang time:

Grip Strength Exercises: Incorporate exercises like farmer’s walks, plate pinches, and hand grippers into your routine to improve your grip endurance. The stronger your grip, the longer you can hang.
Dead Hangs with Holds: Practice dead hangs regularly, aiming to increase your hang time by small increments. Start with 2-3 sets of dead hangs for 20-30 seconds, and gradually increase the time as your grip improves.
Active Dead Hangs: As mentioned earlier, engaging your shoulder muscles during a dead hang (active dead hang) will build upper back strength and improve your overall stability, allowing you to hold on longer.
Chalk or Grip Aids: If you find your hands slipping due to sweat, using chalk or liquid grip can help you maintain a strong hold on the bar. You can also try grips or gloves if necessary.

How Often Should You Test Your Dead Hang?

Fit Forward will ask you for your updated dead hang time once every 3 months. Like most endurance-based exercises, consistency is key to improving, so make sure you’re incorporating dead hangs and grip-strengthening exercises into your regular training routine.

Benefits of Dead Hangs Beyond Grip Strength

While grip strength is the most obvious benefit of dead hangs, there are several other advantages to including them in your workout routine:

Shoulder Mobility and Health: Dead hangs help decompress the spine and stretch the shoulder muscles, which can improve shoulder mobility and reduce the risk of shoulder injuries.
Posture Improvement: Hanging from a bar can help correct poor posture by encouraging proper spinal alignment and opening up the chest and shoulders.
Core Engagement: Maintaining a stable, rigid body position during a dead hang engages your core muscles, making this exercise a good addition to any core workout.

Final Thoughts

Measuring your dead hang time is a simple yet effective way to assess your grip strength, shoulder health, and endurance. It’s a fundamental exercise that can benefit athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and even those looking to improve their posture or prevent shoulder injuries. By regularly practicing dead hangs and incorporating grip-strengthening exercises, you’ll see significant improvements in your ability to hang longer and perform better in a variety of physical activities.