It’s rare to find an exercise that has so many benefits and is also fun. Chloe Hodson wrote in her Instagram Reels: Chloe Pilates Hanging from a bar is “the best exercise you can do for your shoulder health,” she says, “relieving pressure on your joints, increasing mobility, strengthening your muscles, and improving your posture,” and she shares some surprising benefits, too.
Hanging from a bar is an ideal exercise for anyone with shoulder or back problems. “By releasing pressure in the shoulder joint and improving mobility and strength, hanging can help reduce shoulder pain, especially if you have conditions like impingement syndrome or frozen shoulder,” Hodson explains. It’s also good for your back: “Hanging releases pressure in the spine, reducing back pain and improving overall spinal health,” Hodson writes.
In the video, Hodson starts with a dead hang, stretching his shoulders and back, then does four shrugs while moving his shoulder blades up and down, and the third and final move is a dead hang and torso twist.
Hodson explains why decompression is helpful: “It increases the space within the joint, relieving pressure on internal shoulder structures, including the rotator cuff tendons and shoulder capsule.”
It also improves shoulder mobility. “Regular hanging increases the range of motion in your shoulder joint,” Hodson writes. “It stretches the connective tissue and muscles around your shoulder, allowing them to move more easily, making them more flexible and resilient. Hanging also increases the mobility and stability of your shoulder blade, allowing your shoulder blade to move more freely, enhancing the function and coordination of your shoulder joint and shoulder blade.”
Shrugging your shoulders is an effective strength exercise. “Hanging engages and strengthens a variety of shoulder muscles, including the rotator cuff, trapezius, and deltoids,” Hodson writes. “It helps stabilize the shoulder joint and increase overall shoulder strength.” It also has a positive effect on posture, as it counteracts the effects of slouching for long periods of time. “Hanging helps counteract the effects of poor posture, such as rounded shoulders and a hunched head, which are common in people who sit or work at a computer for long periods of time.” And finally, it engages your hands. “Hanging improves grip strength, which is essential for many daily activities and other exercises,” Hodson writes.
Doing these exercises 2-3 times a week should make a noticeable difference in your shoulder health. Let’s get started!
Buy a removable door-mounted pull-up bar
In Lille, Hodson hangs from a squat rack, but a more affordable way to practice dead hangs at home is to buy a doorway pull-up bar. Here are three great options.
Sunny Health & Fitness Doorway Pull Up Bar
Centr by Chris Hemsworth Multi-Function Pull-Up Bar
Includes a three-month subscription to Chris Hemsworth’s fitness app.
