If You Can Hold a Dead Hang This Long After 50, You’re Passing a Critical Strength Test
Though seemingly simple, dead hangs are a deceivingly tough bodyweight exercise. Hanging from a pullup bar with fully extended arms allows the body to hang with dead weight, testing grip strength. Accordingly, grip strength has long been considered a key marker of longevity and overall muscular strength.
"Grip strength—and by extension, an exercise like a dead hang—is one of the simplest and most reliable correlates we have with overall health and mortality risk," Jenna Moore, M.S., C.S.C.S., senior manager of performance and talent at Tonal, tells Men's Journal. "Being able to hold a dead hang reflects overall muscle mass, neuromuscular health, connective tissue integrity, and the ability to produce and control force."
Dead hangs are one of the easiest fitness tests to perform, whether at home, in a gym, or at a park. All you need is a sturdy bar to support your weight and a timer.
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Dead Hang Strength Test
For men over 50, holding a dead hang for 10 to 20 seconds shows a reasonable baseline of both grip strength and shoulder capacity. Maintaining a hang for 30 seconds or more indicates a strong level of fitness for men in this age range, assuming it’s relatively pain-free and technically sound.
Still, Moore emphasizes that these numbers are only a broad reference point. It's important to consider individual factors like body weight, injury history, training background, and shoulder health.
"I care less about the exact number and more about what it represents," she adds. "Can you control your body weight? Can your shoulders tolerate the load overhead? Do you have enough pulling strength to stabilize yourself? Those qualities matter far more than chasing an arbitrary time benchmark."
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How to Do Dead Hangs
- Grab a pullup bar with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart, allowing your body to hang freely with extended arms.
- Keep your shoulders engaged and your core tight.
- Hold the position for as long as possible, avoiding swinging the body.
Dead Hang Progression
If you have prior rotator cuff issues or limited overhead mobility, focus first on building pulling strength and scapular control. The following exercises are solid starting points if you have trouble holding yourself in a dead hang:
- Assisted Hangs: Keep one or both feet lightly on a box or the floor to reduce load. Gradually shift more weight into your hands over time.
- Active Hangs: Practice gentle scapular engagement to build joint control.
- Farmer Carries and Rows: Build grip and pulling strength.
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