A little hang goes a long way.

A minute a day keeps the back pain away.

Crave your hangover.

Hang Habit Apple Watch app showing Start Session and weekly progress
Hang Habit iPhone app showing Watch connection and activity
⌚Auto-detection 🙌Hands-free 📈Progress tracking
Download on the App Store

Free on the App Store

The Science

Four reasons to hang every day

Silhouette of a person doing a dead hang with callouts: grip strength, shoulder mobility, spinal decompression, longevity biomarker
1

Grip Strength

Grip strength is the strongest single predictor of all-cause mortality. Dead hangs build it with every second you hold on.

2

Shoulder Mobility

Counteract desk posture. Dead hangs stretch the shoulder capsule under load, opening range of motion you didn't know you'd lost.

3

Spinal Decompression

Gravity creates space between vertebrae. Relieves pressure on discs and nerves. Your spine after hanging vs. after sitting all day is night and day.

4

Longevity Biomarker

The Lancet studied 140,000 people across 17 countries. Grip strength predicted cardiovascular death better than blood pressure.

The Truth

It looks simple. Hang from a bar. But try holding on for 60 seconds. Most people can't.

Harder than you think

Your grip gives out. Your shoulders burn. Your mind tells you to let go. That's the point.

Worth every second

Decompress your spine. Build grip strength. Improve shoulder mobility. In one simple movement.

Rewarding to track

Watch your time grow. Beat your average. Chase your PR. Small wins compound into real change.

Want to try right now?

No download required. Just a bar and your browser.

This is a taste. The app is the full experience.

Why this app exists

In 2014, I was riding my '86 Honda Spree through a green light when a Prius turned left and hit me head-on. I flew off onto the pavement. Next thing I knew, I was in the hospital.

Life goes on. Three kids, a desk job, the usual wear. But some days my back reminds me it's still there.

Hanging from a bar for a minute a day keeps it quiet. I feel better. I move better. I can keep up with them.

I built this app to stay accountable. Now it's yours too.

1986 Honda Spree scooter

Progress you can feel

One hang won't fix your back. But one hang a day, stacked over weeks? That's compound interest. Seven zones from first grip to legend status.

1 Grip
2 Hold
3 Hang
4 Habit
5 Forge
6 Fire
7 Legend

Gold is earned. Reach Zone 4 and you've hit the sweet spot.

Ridiculously

Over-Engineered

For something so simple

Knows When You're Hanging

Accelerometers, gyroscopes, quaternion math. Your Watch knows when your arms go up and you hold still. Start timing automatically. No buttons to fumble.

Four Haptic Modes

Because apparently we needed four ways to vibrate your wrist. Pulse keeps a beat. Breathing guides you in and out. Transitions marks the zones. PR Coach loses its mind as you approach your record.

Seven Zones

Grip, Hold, Hang, Habit, Forge, Fire, Legend. Colors that shift as you climb. Gold means you've hit the sweet spot. Keep climbing.

Apple Health & Fitness Integration

Every hang is a Functional Strength workout. Counts toward your Move ring. Syncs to your Activity history. Your watch already knows you're working out. Now Apple does too.

Your Data

No cloud. No account. Anonymous analytics only. HealthKit if you want it. Everything lives on your device. We don't want your data. We want you to hang.

No Watch? No Problem

iPhone-only timer. Tap to start, drop to stop. The Watch is magic, but not required.

Track a Friend

Friend wants to challenge you? Track their hang, then share the session with them. Competition makes everything better.

Share Your PR

It's not bragging when you do the work. Hit a new personal record? Share it. Let your friends know what you're made of.

Can't find something to hang on?

That's a heck of an excuse.

A tree. A basketball hoop. A doorframe. A playground. There's always something.

Need a bar for home? Get one for under $30 #CommissionsEarned - keeps this project hanging

30s
is incredible
60s
is a real challenge
2min
you're a legend

Go Deeper

Learn why hanging works

The science, the technique, and the challenge.

Learn

Dead Hang Benefits

Grip strength, spinal decompression, shoulder health, posture, longevity.

How to Dead Hang

Proper form, common mistakes, and progression tips.

30-Day Challenge

Zero to 60 seconds in 4 weeks. Progressive targets.

The Science

139,691 adults. 17 countries. Grip strength predicts longevity.

For Athletes

Climbing

Fingerboard-ready grip endurance. 45% grip gains in 8 weeks.

CrossFit

Stop dropping off the bar. Grip endurance for unbroken WODs.

Golf

Tour pros grip 2x stronger. More club control, more distance.

View All Sports →

For You

Beginners

Start with 10 seconds. Reach 60 in 4 weeks.

Desk Workers

Undo 8 hours of sitting in 30 seconds at lunch.

Seniors

Grip strength predicts longevity. Safe progression guide.

View All Guides →

FAQ

About Dead Hangs

A dead hang is hanging from a bar with arms fully extended and feet off the ground. This simple 30-60 second exercise decompresses the spine, builds grip strength (a proven longevity biomarker), and improves shoulder mobility. Most people struggle to hold for 60 seconds at first.
Dead hangs build grip strength, decompress the spine, improve shoulder mobility, and relieve stress in one simple movement. Grip strength is a proven longevity biomarker, and spinal decompression helps counteract the effects of sitting all day.
Dead hangs primarily work the forearms, lats, shoulders, and core stabilizers. Your grip muscles do the heavy lifting while your lats and shoulders support your bodyweight. Even your core engages to prevent swinging.
In a passive dead hang, your shoulders relax fully and your ears touch your arms. In an active dead hang, you engage your scapula by pulling your shoulder blades down and back. Both have benefits - passive for decompression, active for shoulder stability.
Multiple dead hang records exist across age and gender categories. Notably, Bonnie Sumner, age 81, set the women's over-80 record at 3 minutes and 3 seconds in 2026. The overall records extend well beyond 10 minutes.

Health & Benefits

Yes, dead hangs create spinal decompression by letting gravity create space between vertebrae. This can relieve pressure on compressed discs and nerves. Start with short holds and consult a doctor if you have a spinal injury.
Yes, dead hangs can improve shoulder mobility and reduce impingement by stretching the shoulder capsule under load. Many physical therapists recommend them for overhead mobility. Start gently if you have existing shoulder issues.
Yes, dead hangs are one of the most effective grip strength exercises available. Time under tension builds forearm endurance and crushing grip. Grip strength is linked to longevity, making dead hangs a simple investment in long-term health.
Yes, dead hangs open the chest and stretch the shoulders, directly counteracting the hunched posture from desk work and phone use. Regular hanging helps reset your upper body alignment and can reduce tension headaches caused by poor posture.
Yes, most people can dead hang daily since it's low-impact and primarily a stretch under load. Start with shorter holds and build up gradually. Listen to your body and rest if you feel joint pain rather than muscle fatigue.

Getting Started

Absolutely. Start with 10-15 second holds and build gradually. Use a bar low enough that you can step off if needed. Most beginners reach 30 seconds within a few weeks of daily practice. Hang Habit's zones celebrate progress at every level.
Beginners should aim for 30 seconds as a starting goal. Most adults can't hold 60 seconds at first. Start with 5 minutes total per week (about 43 seconds daily) and add 5 seconds per week to build up steadily.
It depends on your goals. Aim for 30-60 seconds per hang for general health and spinal decompression. For grip strength training, work toward longer holds or multiple sets. Hang Habit's zone system helps you track progression.
Consistent practice and progressive overload are key. Add about 5 seconds per week to your hold time. Grip training exercises like farmer's carries help too. Hang Habit tracks your progress so you can see improvement over time.
All you need is a sturdy overhead grip surface. A pull-up bar, doorframe bar, playground bar, or even a tree branch works. Doorframe pull-up bars start around $25 and require no installation. No gym membership needed.

About the App

Hang Habit uses Apple Watch accelerometers and gyroscopes to detect when you grab a bar and hold still overhead. It starts timing automatically and stops when you release. No buttons needed - just grab the bar and hang.
Hang Habit uses Apple Watch accelerometers and gyroscopes to detect when your arms go overhead and you hold still. Timing starts automatically when you're in position and stops when you release. No buttons to fumble with while hanging.
No, Hang Habit works on iPhone alone with a manual timer. However, Apple Watch enables hands-free automatic detection, making it easier to just grab the bar and go.
Yes, Hang Habit is completely free with no ads, subscriptions, or premium features. All features are available from day one, including Apple Watch detection, Health app integration, and progress tracking.
Yes, all data stays on your device. Hang Habit has no cloud sync, no account required, and only anonymous analytics. Your hang times and health data are stored locally and never uploaded.

Ready to hang?

Decompress your spine. Decompress your life.

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