The Hang Challenge is a fitness trend that has been gaining some momentum in recent years. This challenge involves hanging from a bar or a set of rings for a certain amount of time. The goal is to increase grip strength, endurance, and overall upper body strength. At Hang2Win we take it up a notch. We add in the rotating bar.

The Hang Challenge can be done in various ways, including dead hangs, active hangs, and pull-up hangs. Dead hangs involve holding onto a bar or rings with straight arms, while active hangs involve engaging the shoulders to pull the body up slightly. Pull-up hangs involve holding onto the bar or rings while in the top position of a pull-up. Now magnify that times by a factor of about 10 and you have the Hang2Win Challenge. We’ll talk about both below.

Many fitness enthusiasts have taken on the Hang Challenge to improve their grip strength and overall upper body strength. It is a simple yet effective exercise that can be done anywhere with a bar or set of rings. With consistent practice, participants can see improvements in their ability to hang for longer periods of time and perform other upper-body exercises with greater ease.

What We Do Here At Hang2Win

Participating in the Hang Challenge can be a great way to challenge yourself physically and mentally. What we do here is a rotating pull-up bar. This adds an inordinately hard degree of difficulty to the challenge. We focus on selling these custom rigs to customers that are interested in hosting their own Hang Challenge at events OR adding the rotating pull-up bar to their fitness regime.

Here are some reasons why you should consider taking part:

Physical Benefits

The Hang Challenge can be a great way to improve your grip strength and endurance. Hanging from a bar or other apparatus for an extended period of time can help to strengthen the muscles in your hands, arms, and shoulders. This can be especially beneficial for athletes who rely on upper body strength, such as climbers, gymnasts, and pole dancers. From a Hang2Win perspective, rock climbers are my best/worst customers! I mean they win, so I pay out $100. (You can only win my Hang2Win challenge once, folks.)

In addition to improving grip strength, the Hang Challenge can also help to improve overall body strength and endurance. Hanging from a bar requires a significant amount of core strength, and can also help to strengthen the muscles in your back, chest, and hips. How does a dead hang improve hip strength? It’s a bit of a stretch, but mostly you taller folk have to hold your legs up off the ground (a bit of a disadvantage) so you are firing your hip flexors to do so.

Mental Benefits

Participating in the Hang Challenge can also be a great way to challenge yourself mentally. Hanging from a bar for an extended period of time can be a test of mental fortitude, requiring you to push through discomfort and fatigue. Many potential H2W customers think they can complete the challenge. After all, what’s so hard about hanging from a bar for 100 seconds, right? Reality often sets in at about the 30-second mark.

Completing the Hang Challenge can also give you a sense of accomplishment and boost your confidence. Knowing that you were able to push through a difficult challenge can help you to feel more capable and confident in other areas of your life. For those that participate in the Hang2Win Challenge in addition to the sense of accomplishment, you get $100.

How to Prepare for the Hang Challenge?

Preparing for the Hang Challenge requires a combination of strength, grip, and flexibility training. Bear in mind that while these tips can help you on your fitness journey AND will provide tangible results on a static bar, there is no substitute for a spinning or rotating bar. The Hang2Win Challenge is still a different beast from a simple Hang Challenge.

Here are some tips to help you get ready for the challenge:

Strength Training

Strength training is essential for the Hang Challenge. You need to have a strong upper body and core to hold your body weight for an extended period. Here are some exercises that can help:

• Deadlifts
• Pull-ups
• Chin-ups
• Rows

Make sure to incorporate these exercises into your workout routine at least twice a week to build strength.

Grip Training

Grip strength is another crucial factor in the Hang Challenge. You need to be able to hold onto the bar for an extended period. Here are some exercises that can help:

• Farmer’s Walks
• Plate Pinches
• Grip Strengthening Tools (e.g. Grip Trainers, Hand Grippers)

Add these exercises as “finishers” to your routine to improve your grip strength and endurance.

Flexibility Training

Flexibility is often overlooked in the Hang Challenge, but it’s essential to avoid injury and maintain proper form. Here are some exercises that can help:

• Shoulder Dislocates
• Doorway Stretches
• Wrist Stretches

Include these stretches in your warm-up routine to improve your flexibility and reduce the risk of injury.

Tips for Successfully Completing the Hang Challenge

Proper Technique

When attempting the Hang Challenge, proper technique is essential. The participant must hang from a bar with their arms fully extended and their feet off the ground. It is important to engage the shoulder blades and keep the core tight to maintain good form. The participant should avoid swinging or using momentum to keep themselves up, as this can lead to early fatigue and a shorter hang time. For the Hang2Win Challenge, we ask that you use either a double over-hand grip OR a double under-hand grip. No mixed grips allowed. Then you have to keep your feet off the ground and you cannot do pull-ups. Just a dead hang. That’s it for 100 seconds.

Mental Strategies

Completing the Hang Challenge requires mental toughness and focus. One strategy when you are training is to break the challenge down into smaller goals, such as aiming for 10 seconds at a time. Try to hang for 30 seconds a day for a week to start. Then add 30 seconds at a time, but add another daily session so you are now hanging for 30 seconds twice a day for a week.

Then do the same thing at 40 seconds for a week. Then 50 and so on. The participant can also use visualization techniques to imagine themselves successfully completing the challenge. Positive self-talk can help maintain motivation and confidence throughout the challenge.

Equipment Considerations

The type of bar used can impact the challenge. A thicker bar may be more challenging to grip, while a thinner bar may cause more strain on the hands. Gloves or chalk can help improve grip and prevent slipping. It is also essential to ensure the bar is securely mounted and can support the participant’s weight.

Here at H2W, we have a 1.25″ diameter bar with slight knurling from the powder coating process. We want to test your grip not make some overly thick or slick bar that falsely fails you. The rotation of our bar takes care of the rest. We allow participants to use chalk, but not gloves. So consider that in your training if you are training to beat the H2W Challenge. Regarding the engineering of the bar, we have it rated for up to 950# in an attempt to over-engineer it and to ensure participant safety as much as possible. Please make sure your training setup is safe.

Conclusion

The Hang Challenge is a fun and challenging way to test one’s strength and endurance. By hanging from a bar for as long as possible, participants can push themselves and see how long they can last. While it may seem like a simple exercise, the Hang Challenge requires a great deal of upper body strength and grip strength. In addition, completing the Hang2Win will make you potentially $100 richer for 100 seconds of “work”.

Overall, the Hang Challenge is a great way to challenge oneself and improve upper body strength. With practice and dedication, participants can see significant improvements in their performance and endurance. The Hang2Win Challenge is a great side hustle or a fun full-time business.
If you are looking for your own custom rotating pull-up bar set up to start hosting your own Hang2Win Challenge please contact us.