In this article we are going to discuss the main differences between a passive hang and an active hang in the gym. You will be able to understand how they will benefit you within your training as we dive into the different benefits each hang offers.

Who Can Benefit from Including Hangs in Their Workout?

I would say most people would benefit from adding hangs into their training as they can always be modified to suit the individual’s strength level. Below are a few examples and the benefits.

• Beginners - Gym hangs can help you build a good foundation for your upper body strength, especially in the shoulders and back. Hanging from a bar will also help to improve your grip strength.

• Athletes - Hangs will help to improve grip strength, shoulder stability, and overall upper body muscular endurance which in certain sports is key for performance.

• Rock Climbers - A climber needs to have the ability to hold onto various surfaces and positions. Incorporating hangs would improve grip strength and finger endurance.

• Gymnasts - These athletes require a lot of shoulder strength and stability to perform complex exercises on rings and bars, so adding hangs would be greatly beneficial in their training.

• Strength Training Enthusiasts - When it comes to lifting heavier weights, you may find that you get to a point where your grip starts to fail but the muscles at work have the strength to lift the heavier weight. Adding hangs would be helpful in improving grip strength and holding heavier loads and they can reduce the reliance on wrist straps. It's one more reason to love training in your Power Cage.

• Office Workers - For someone who spends most of the day in an office, hangs can be a particularly good way to ease shoulder and back tension that tends to happen from sitting for long periods of time.

Benefits of Gym Hangs

Benefits of a Passive Hang

A passive hang is when you hold onto a bar and let your body relax on the Squat Rack with Pull Up Bar, meaning your shoulders would rise towards your ears. You would basically let gravity come into play to help lengthen the body, whilst you hang from the bar.

• Improves grip strength.

• Improves shoulder mobility.

• Helps to decompress the spine.

• Builds foundational upper body strength.

• Improves flexibility of the shoulders.

Benefits of a One Arm Passive Hang

This variation involves hanging from the bar with one hand, we aim to fully relax the body and allow the working shoulder to rise towards your ear.

• Improves grip strength.

• Improves shoulder stability.

• Increases unilateral upper body strength and muscular endurance.

• Helps to recognise and correct strength imbalances between each side of the body.

Benefits of an Active Hang

An active hang involves more activation and engagement of your shoulders and back muscles. To perform an active hang, you would pull your shoulder blades down and away from your ears (imagine squeezing a pencil between the shoulder blades) aiming to create a lot of tension in the upper body.

• Develops scapular strength and stability.

• Improves posture.

• Helps to prepare for challenging exercises like pull ups.

Benefits of a One Arm Active Hang

A one arm active hang is hanging from the bar with one hand whilst engaging the entire back by driving your shoulder blades down the back.

• Improves strength and stability of the scapular.

• Helps improves shoulder control.

• Increases overall upper body strength.

• Prepares you for advanced exercises like one arm pull ups.

As you can see above, incorporating both passive and active hangs into your training can help you in many ways. From increasing grip strength and shoulder stability to improved overall upper body strength and endurance. No matter your level of strength adding in hangs can be an effective way to enhance your training in the gym.

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Tags: Equipment > Pull Up Bar ; Exercise Type > Strength