If Your Back Feels Wrecked, Start Here

For years, I dealt with recurring back strains.

Nothing catastrophic. Just the kind of random tweaks that show up during training. Tight upper back. Rounded shoulders. That feeling like something is always slightly off.

I also knew my posture wasn't great. Years of sitting, lifting, and not paying attention to alignment had caught up to me.

About a year and a half ago, I decided to take posture correction seriously.

And one movement kept coming up over and over:

Dead hangs.

Just hanging from a pull-up bar.

It sounded too simple to matter. But I started doing it daily.

Now it's my minimum standard.

Why I Started Hanging

I wasn't looking for a flashy exercise. I was looking for something foundational.

Something that would:

• Help decompress my spine
• Open up rounded shoulders
• Strengthen my upper back
• Reduce random back strains

Dead hangs check all of those boxes.

When you hang, gravity gently pulls your spine into traction. Most of us live in constant compression — sitting, driving, lifting, scrolling.

Hanging gives your spine the opposite stimulus.

It also forces your shoulders into a healthier position. If you deal with rounded posture, tight lats, and forward shoulders, hanging provides both mobility and strength in the right places.

Why Dead Hangs Help

1. They Decompress the Spine

Most of us live in compression. Sitting. Driving. Lifting. Looking down at screens.

Hanging lets gravity gently traction the spine. It gives the vertebrae space instead of constant pressure. For someone dealing with tightness and posture issues, that decompression matters.

2. They Counteract Rounded Posture

Bad posture often means:

• Tight lats
• Tight pecs
• Weak mid-back
• Shoulders rolled forward

When you hang, your shoulders are forced into a more natural alignment. Over time, this helps retrain positioning and strengthens the muscles that support better posture.

3. They Build Shoulder Stability

A lot of back pain actually starts with weak or unstable shoulders. When your shoulders don't do their job, your lower back often compensates.

Dead hangs strengthen:

• Rotator cuff
• Scapular stabilizers
• Lats
• Grip

Stronger shoulders = less strain downstream.

4. They Improve Grip Strength

Grip strength is one of the best general indicators of overall strength and longevity. Hanging trains it directly.

My Back Isn't Perfect

Let me be clear:

This didn't "fix" my back overnight.

My back still isn't perfect.

But since making dead hangs a daily habit, I've noticed:

• Fewer random strains
• Better shoulder positioning
• Less tightness in my upper back
• More stability when I train

It became the foundation of everything else I do.

How I Built Up to One Minute

When I started, I don't even remember how long I could hang.

Maybe 10 seconds. Maybe less.

I didn't aim for 60 seconds.

I just hung for however long I could.

Then I did it again the next day. And the next.

Over time:

10 seconds became 20. 20 became 30. 30 became 45. Eventually, I passed a minute.

It took about a month of consistency to build past 60 seconds.

Not intensity. Consistency.

Why One Minute?

One minute isn't magic.

It's just long enough to:

• Create meaningful decompression
• Challenge your grip
• Build shoulder endurance
• Stimulate adaptation

But short enough that you'll actually do it every day.

Some days, I don't have time for a full workout.

On those days, I still go upstairs to my condo gym and hang for as long as I can.

That's my "at least."

If I skip everything else, I don't skip this.

If You Want to Try It

Don't aim for a minute on day one.

Start where you are.

Hang for as long as you can. Rest. Repeat if needed.

Then try to extend it slightly over time.

Even 10 seconds counts.

The goal isn't to impress anyone. The goal is to build resilience in your shoulders and give your spine some space.

Final Thought

If your back feels wrecked — start simple.

You don't need a complicated routine.

You might just need one consistent minute.

Small habit. Big difference.