Daily dead hang

What it is

Hanging from a bar with straight arms, feet off the ground, for as long as you comfortably can. At home, a doorway pull-up bar is enough.

What the research says

Grip strength is one of the most studied simple measures in healthy-aging research, usually measured with a handheld dynamometer.

• Grip and aging. In 139,691 adults across 17 countries, lower grip strength was associated with higher mortality. It’s a marker, not proof that grip itself is the cause. (Leong et al., The Lancet, 2015) A review of people aged 60+ found similar links with later loss of function. (Rijk et al., Geriatrics & Gerontology International, 2016)
• Hanging isn’t the same test. Dead-hang time measures grip endurance and shoulder tolerance while holding your body weight. It hasn’t been validated against the dynamometer tests used in research.
• No age norms. There are no published dead-hang norms by age and sex for the general population. Online “how long should you hang” tables are coaching estimates, which is why our test shows your time without a band.

How to try it

1. Check the bar. Make sure it’s rated for your weight and fixed securely.
2. Start with short sets: 3 hangs of 10–20 seconds, with rest between.
3. Keep feet close to the floor so you can step down anytime.
4. Add time slowly. A few seconds a week is real progress.

Stop if you feel sharp pain in your shoulders, elbows or hands. If you have a shoulder injury, ask a clinician or physio first.