Dead hangs for strength and joint health
- Thread starter Jones
- Start date
Relegate you to coach thenI’ve had the rings for like 8 years, the bar is fairly new, I don’t hang everyday though, I definitely feel like I’m cheating because I’m sort of like a monkey, if I see bars at a park I feel compelled to show the children how it’s done.
When I hang I use my abs and leg/hip position to let my spine hang in a neutral position, then I activate the lower lat fibres in a partial lat shrug. Then from there check my shoulder rotation, pelvic balance, etc. correcting any asymmetries. Hanging for 2 mins gives plenty of time to neutralise the spine, balance the shoulders and arms. I think best results would be obtained by not hanging passively. So holding y.ourself in a good posture to optimise results.
Hanging every day will be interesting to see how body adapts.
Good idea, another one I find really useful is a handstand in an inverted ‘L’ shape. With the feet on the wall, hips flexed to 90 degrees and knees fully extended. It strengthens the shoulders (provided the alignment is good and joints are stacked) as well as decompresses the thoracic spine. It’s counter intuitive but works really well for me.
Thanks for the heads up, I do have lower back instability - spondylolisthesis with bilateral pars fracture:
It was measured at grade two at my last set of images a year ago, but hopefully it's realigning into better position as I work with the chiro.
....but, have been doing a modified version of the cat-camel stretch daily for a year and added a traction element that stretches both shoulders and spine to that exercise around 6 months ago. If Mercola is correct, the traction has already started the process of mechanotransduction to strengthen the tendons and ligaments and I feel keen to give it a go, because while I take on board the warning about lower back instability, I feel like I need more traction through my shoulders and thoracic spine. There is calisthenics park just down the road that has some bars that I can try dead hangs from before I decide whether to invest in equipment and I'll also run it by the chiro.
If you want to try adding some traction to the cat-camel I'll describe how it's done.
From the neutral position of the cat-camel as in figure 1:
- position yourself so that you are facing a bed or couch and move close enough so that you can place your forehead and elbows onto the bed or couch. For the cat-camel without traction, bend your elbows and place palms down on the area between your neck and shoulders. From here you'll be able to feel the flexion and extension of your upper spine and will also be engaging your shoulder blades to add additional force onto your ribs > spine as you move through the pose.
For the traction element straighten your arms out and place palms down on the bed or couch. Although now I realise that shoulder rotation is also important, I guess you could vary the orientation of your palms. As you move through the pose, when you get to the neutral position as in figure 1. above, press your knees towards the bed/couch and push your backside away from it. You can control how much force you put into it and it's limited because if you put too much force into it, your arms just start sliding on the bed/couch.
Initially I mostly felt the traction through my shoulders, but as time went on I started to feel the traction go further down my spine.
I'd also like to do upside down, but that might be a little way in the future. At the moment I'm concerned that I'll fall on my head! So steady as she goes
In the absence of shoulder problems, shoulder work focusing on stretches is also important for posture correction, along with stretches to open up the chest. If your shoulders roll forward then your head will also move forward and pull your spine out of alignment. For each degree the head moves forward, another approx 4kg of strain is put on the neck and back, if I've remembered the details correctly
Posture is one area where a somewhat objective measurements can be taken to track progress. There is an app. called APECS that will assess posture and give an idea of how far out of alignment the spine is. My chiro reckons most people are surprised by how far their head has moved forward. He thinks that this is because the spinal segments stop communicating with each other proprioceptively after a while and so there is no signal that the head is out of alignment and the shoulders have lifted and rolled forward - which is a stress reaction in a lot of people. The forward head position also serves to hide much of the neck to protect vulnerable parts under threat. But there is probably more blocked proprioceptively than just the communication between the spinal segments. A phrase heard from my chiro on occasion is 'Let's see if we can get this bit and that bit talking to each other.' The other thing that the chiro dropped into a group chat on standing, sitting and sleeping arrangements was "If you have a short neck then.....but if you have a long neck like Jones and I, then....." I didn't hear the rest because I was thinking "Wait! I have a long neck? I've been turtling!"
The free version doesn't have as much function but there's enough information to get a general idea of posture and misalignments, the paid version is probably more for professionals.
Hint given by my chiro: When you're setting up for someone to take the necessary photo's for the app, close your eyes, put hands out front like a zombie and march on the spot for 5 or 6 steps then put your arms down before the photo is taken. This will correct for any attempt to try to improve ususal posture for the picture and so will give a better idea of whats what.
Checked out the bars at the calisthenics park this afternoon and managed to do two dead hangs of about 10 seconds each so I think it's going to be doable. I'll probably end up buying a set of calisthenic rings to take with me if the chiro can't see any problems with it. The wider bar, approx 40mm diameter, was definitely more comfortable for my palms than the narrower ones that were probably around half that.
Areal yoga hammocks are inexpensive and pretty safe as long as they are installed properly and used wisely. You can master upside down flip in no time.I'd also like to do upside down, but that might be a little way in the future. At the moment I'm concerned that I'll fall on my head! So steady as she goes
I use it mostly for hanging upside down or for working on the abs from upside down position but there are many other exercises you can use it for.
You can even use it to chill out with floating sensation like you are in the womb
Nević Nenad
The Living Force
How? If I fold my legs at knees, I really cant do the real thing with the rest of my spine. Does that "batman" shoes that you can buy helps?
I started doing pull ups and hanging couple of years ago when I fell from the roof from a height of some 4 meters and stopped on my left leg and arm on hard concrete. If I didn't do stretching and hanging exercise my left knee, and left elbow wouldn't be functional now.
I really cant explain it to you how great those exercises are. But, IT REALLY IS REJUVENATING! Be aware, chiropractor which I was visiting said to me: if you are experience pain in your back, you shouldn't do "dead" hanging (and thats where your feet are loose in the air, doesn't touch the ground), but you must always have your feet on the ground and do it slowly.
There is also a book that he recommended to me. I put it in good use. I have it on paper in my language, but found it on the internet as pdf (think whatever you must). Its stretching. Helps, and you usually need just a door frame. Great illustrations too, big help in what you ought to do.
See my second post
I would never bother with braces that hook to the bar, much more difficult to install and doesn’t seem as safe.
I used to do dead hangs occasionally, now I just do regular pull-ups. I use a cantilever bar which you can just hang in a doorway when you need it, like this.
Pull-ups have completely cured the neck and back pain I developed after moving to a desk job a couple of years ago.
Pull-ups have completely cured the neck and back pain I developed after moving to a desk job a couple of years ago.
Just so all you know, I'm cheating on the 1st of Nov start date too. I've been calling into the park once or twice a day and am up to doing 2 reps of 20 seconds at each visit. I feel as though I could hang for longer stretches, but still haven't caught up with the chiro. I like it and it's great after work and to start the day off. I haven't yet noticed any additional lower back discomfort but figure I won't race into longer hangs and will give some time to build up better tendon and ligament strength.
Tuulikki
Dagobah Resident
Bars are irresistible; especially if there is no one watching....
I'm mainly interested in traction for stretching and joint decompression, and traction seems to have other benefits as well.
Hanging is a more accessible exercise for many people. Not many women can do pull ups.
