Back · Bodyweight
Dead Hang Stretch
How to do the dead hang stretch, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- time
- Movement
- Isometric
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Reach up and grab a pull-up bar with both hands and let your body hang fully, arms straight and feet off the floor. Relax your shoulders and let gravity decompress your spine. Hold, breathing slowly, then step down with control.
- 1Feel a stretch through your lats, shoulders, and along your spine
- 2Let your body hang heavy and relax into the decompression
- 3Keep a firm grip on the bar and breathe slowly throughout
Common mistakes
- Don't swing or kick your legs while hanging
- Avoid fully shrugging into your ears; let the shoulders settle naturally
- Don't drop off the bar suddenly; lower your feet with control
Muscles worked
The dead hang stretch mainly works the lats and forearms, with the upper traps assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- ForearmsPrimary
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- Mid TrapsMinor
Kovo programs the dead hang stretch for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More back exercises
- How to do the archer pull-up
- How to do the resistance band assisted pull-up
- How to do the machine assisted pull-up
- How to do the back extension bench back extension
- How to do the machine back extension
- How to do the back lever
Last reviewed June 2026.