Started by MrPuppeh, April 19, 2013 · 12 Replies · 43,337 Views
I know it strengthens the grip.
But i also feel a light stretch in my lats and shoulders while doing them.
Is the exercise mainly for the stretch ?
The german hang is a prerequisite for a Back Lever but how does it help the actual back lever ?
At first I tensed my traps and shoulders during the german hang ( As i thought that the hold with straight arms is beneficial for the back lever ) but i heard Joshua Naterman say that you just need to hang and feel the stretch.
Help me on this one
They do wonders to trash your shoulder.
I think the average person should take these very slowly and easily when starting these dont just jump into 4-5sets of 30 seconds. If it is too uncomfortable at first you can even use your feet on the ground as a spot.
Yeah, I tend to lose circulation in my arms when I german hang for too long. Does wonders to prepare the shoulder girdle for back lever and russian dips though.
Christoph said:They do wonders to trash your shoulder.
Explain.
The main purpose of the German hang as a prerequisite to the BL is that it conditions your joints, which are the main limiting factors. Skin-the-cats are also great for building the strength necessary for the BL.
If you are having shoulder issues while doing German hangs, there is something wrong with your shoulders that you need to address.
Christoph said:They do wonders to trash your shoulder.
Eh? Not IME of doing them daily for 30-60 sec in warmup.
ausswe said:I think the average person should take these very slowly and easily when starting these dont just jump into 4-5sets of 30 seconds. If it is too uncomfortable at first you can even use your feet on the ground as a spot.
Very True! Be carful!
The German hang puts you in a position where your shoulders could be seriously injured if they were to extend much further. If you do not have enough strength or flexibility, just the force of your own bodyweight is enough to cause injury. Especially if you have existing shoulder problems. So if you're completely new to them, some caution is warranted.
However, if you're reasonably strong and flexible, it should pose no danger to your shoulders, either immediately or in the long-term.
You're probably right. By german hangs I injured my right shoulder vary badly. But the underlying reason was a horrible shoulder posture (rounded back). From climbing I got a shoulder impingement left shoulder before I learned to avoid really dead hangs - this could still be different than a bar/rings dead hang with good technique or so.
I guess they are for developing basic grip strength. Not the GermanHang so much but you do have to have the ability to hang from something and not fall off for basic skills on bars and rings. They do work on basic shoulder mobility as well. One has to be able to hang from a bar or rings before practicing basic hang turns or swings, pullover.
German Hang is mostly about shoulder mobility/health. Shoulder Extension.
So german hang and skin the cat aren't the same thing ?
Skin-the-cats are German hang pull outs performed for reps.
Christoph said:You're probably right. By german hangs I injured my right shoulder vary badly. But the underlying reason was a horrible shoulder posture (rounded back). From climbing I got a shoulder impingement left shoulder before I learned to avoid really dead hangs - this could still be different than a bar/rings dead hang with good technique or so.
Like me, you most likely have scapula dyskinesia and a lack of thoracic mobility.
A shoulder that cannot move correctly cannot be expected to perform dead hangs or German hangs without incurring injury. Priority number one should always be to correct one's posture and range of motion capabilities. After that is accomplished, you can train both dead hangs and German hangs quite successfully.