Just standing straight again can be a real, um, stretch.
But Ive discovered a shortcut to opening back up my back and shoulders: the dead hang exercise.
This move is pretty much what it sounds like.
Katie Thompson / Amanda K Bailey
For people who sit for long periods of time, its a great thing to start learning.
This might sound simple enoughkids do it on the playground all the time, right?
We need to be mindful of what our goals are.
Katie Thompson
After letting go, you might even notice yourestanding a little taller.
Then there are the performance benefits too.
Many gymgoers also perform dead hangs to work on theirgrip strength.
Its honestly one of the simplest, most effective ways to build it, Sanchez says.
And if youreworking on your pull-ups, Sanchez says these are a great way to practice.
Just by hanging out in anisometric(a.k.a.
But not all dead hangs are created equal.
For beginners, Dr. Van Den Meerendonk suggests using a bar at a height thats easy to grab onto.
Either way, when youre reaching up, youre already reaching the bar, he says.
This will give you control over how much stress youre putting through your shoulders.
Little by little does the trick.
Just remember to keep your core tight to support youand maintain your tight grip on the bar.
For long-term benefits, make dead hangs a regular part of your warm-up.
A dead hang is gentle enough on your body that you’re able to do it every day.
So its a good way to train how the back should be feeling in the correct position.
But if at any point you feelpain,stop hanging.
The exercise itself should be promoting shoulder mobility and stability and not making it worse, he says.
Van Den Meerendonk warns this isnt a treatment you should try as a DIY fix at home.
you’re free to really injure yourself, he warns.
Heres how to do an active dead hang the right way.
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