Training Tip: Straight Arm Hangs Part 2

Engage those shoulders!

We’re back for more straight arm hang fun.

In this position, it's super easy to hang out on your tendons and ligaments, avoiding a lot of the hard work involved in this simple hang. If you're not sure if you're engaged, try doing a pull-up or an inversion: if you have to adjust a bunch, you're probably not hanging right.

⭐️A great straight arm hang involves allowing the shoulder to rise slightly (not up by your ears! Just enough to allow for proper functioning), then engaging those serratus anterior muscles by turning the elbows in to face each other (exactly like the movement you performed in the Floor Pull-Ups). Voila! Shoulder engagement!

⭐️But we're not done yet! Check in with the rest of your body. Your toes should come slightly forward, but not because you're lifting from your hip flexors. Remember the Banana Rockers (or Canoes)? We're doing a vertical version of that: engaging the lower abs and knitting the ribs together to create a Hollow Body position.

Once you master this, you're ready for anything! 💥 You'll protect your shoulders and your back, avoiding many injuries and opening up a whole world of new skills.

Practice these, and other integral skills, in our Cirque-It Conditioning classes! Check out the schedule for days and times.