B2R Shoulder Stability Project. The Hang
A short terminology and orientation of the movements of your shoulder blade.
This programme will take you back to the roots of shoulder movement, the shoulder blade; and work out from there.
As explained in the video above, there are many movements possible at the shoulder blade and we need to be able to DO those movements in preparation for loading them. We will be utilising the ancient human skill of hanging or brachiation to facilitate rebuilding your shoulders, and more specifically ELEVATION and DEPRESSION of the shoulder blade.
This is a journey Luke made when he retired from rugby in 2014 (age 26) after 5 total shoulder reconstructions. Movement culture was a great inspiration and guidance through this process and remains a central pillar of our fitness and rehabilitation programming.
Brachiation using ape swing.
If you are an adult coming at this programme, there is a caveat, we must enter with caution if we have not ‘swung’ around like a kid for many years. Our bodies and more specifically our connective tissues (the pieces that often wind up leading people to seek a healthcare professional for help; tendon, cartilage, joint capsule, fascia, ligament….) have adapted to the lack of input. In other words they have become less resilient.
Tissue Tolerance & your Envelope of Function (EoF)
Watch the video below, this is very important before you begin (or continue) your training.
Tissue tolerance. Luke explains how we use the metaphor of ‘envelope of function’ for guiding tissue tolerance and loading in clinical practice and programming. Taken from the B2R 2019 tour of Australia with The Knowledge Exchange.
Reflect on the concept introduced in the video and consider applying it to yourself. When did you last hang for any extended duration? Is your EoF for hanging big or small? This can be zoned in further, is your EoF for shoulder mobility overhead big or small? Your grip strength? How about the skin (callus) on your hands, this has an EoF and will likely become the most readily visible evidence to you of the amazing adaptability that will be going on in your body. Many students of ours become frustrated that hand pain (or tears) holds their training back.
“Our envelope of function is dynamic and cuts both ways, this should give us optimism for finding where we are at and expanding it.”
Hanging (and the progressively more difficult variations) will challenge you from your fingers to your toes highlighting areas of weakness (or opportunities for improvement). Training at a rate these areas can adapt actually enhances longevity because while you can see the changes in your hands, similar changes that you cannot see are happening in your connective tissues as you develop a body that enables you to LIVE in.
The most important message to be taken from ‘the envelope of function’ is understanding that our capacity can both decrease, and increase. You are alive and breathing which should give you optimism that you can increase your capacity, once you know where you are at.
Advanced switch grip routine including single arm passive / active hang, rotational capacity and grip strength on the thick bar. Also worthy of note is to pick out the bars that my father built at his home, taking one less barrier away from being able to hang / train / move.
On the basis of connective tissue adaptation, we will not want to see any movements (unless prepared and specifically stated) done with momentum or loss of control (advanced switch grip routine above). Some lessons simply must be learned yourself, however if my personal sample below makes you squeamish, then do not watch. There is no such thing as good or bad movements, there are however movements we are not conditioned for and going into those positions with momentum is something I am optimistic others can learn from. Please be patient and build up the prerequisite strength in your connective tissue and train with good form - all the time.
“There is no such thing as good or bad movements, there are movements we are not conditioned for, learn from my successes and mistakes.”
Also shown is the immediate aftermath of rupturing the pec major and the start of inclusion of consistent structured hang work within 1 week of surgery (back in November 2018). This was part of a comprehensive programme that returned Luke to handstand training (modified) within a month and full recovery within 7 months leaving his consultant astonished on review. Recovery from a pec major rupture can often be 12 months and longer to return to pre injury levels of training.
Injury. Live footage of Luke rupturing his pec major in 2018 performing german hang single arm rotations he was not prepared for. There is no such thing as a bad or good movement. There is however movement you are not prepared or conditioned for. Example in case.
Rehabilitation. Luke shows total loss of power and bruising immediately after rupturing his pec major. Also shown; scapula conditioning on opposite side within one week of surgery (November 2018), the start of hang conditioning up to the present day.
Sore hands
Take care when coming down from the bar at the end of the set, rushing to drop off often causes unnecessary tears. Some people need more skin care than others. Wearing gloves can prevent some tears however it can also prevent adaptation that enables us to progress to more difficult hanging and can simply get in the way. Prior to B2R I worked as a labourer for builders, they did not use gloves for the same reasons. They also did not develop the required hand toughness overnight, so we need to be able to facilitate this adaptation and know when to pull back and let our skin recover. Wearing some gloves during this time might enable us to continue hanging movements but we recommend removing where and when possible. We might also be well advised to keep a build up of callus under control also as this can ‘catch’ and cause tears next to the hard skin. Nail clippers or a file will do.
This is what my hands look like. Clear adaptation across the base of the fingers (could be filed more if you don’t like the look?!). Also note the signs of adaptation in the bottom left of palm (false grip ring training).
BASICS
1. Passive Hanging - relaxed, deactivated, targets more of the passive structural integrity components than the more 'muscular heavy' hangs. It is where more often than not we will start with a beginner. (certain issues with shoulder health and integrity might require we start with active hangs for example)
2. Active Hanging - selective activation of the pattern, engaging musculature and minimizing the demands on passive structural integrity while maximizing the active-component demand and adaptation. Active hangs are a type of strength work. More specifically - Straight Arm Scapular Strength.
3. Dynamic Hanging - the use of a combination of passive/active hangs AND momentum to initiate a variety of dynamic actions such as Brachiation, Swinging, dynamic release and catch (Lache for example) and more.
Often times one type of hanging is regarded as superior to another, this represents a limited and partially biased point of view. The various types of hangs are actually very different and complementary in the type of adaptations they induce. One should engage in all three main types of hangs in order to develop optimally, context allowing. (Movement Culture).
REASONS TO HANG
As described by Movement Culture;
1. Shoulder/elbow/wrist health and the recovery of the lost 'overhead reach' range - promoting optimal range and making use of the upper body as it was designed to be used. By simply allowing gravity to 'do its thing' in the passive work or "fighting it" in the active work - one can send a very intense adaptation producing signal into one's structure. I wonder if we implement hanging work throughout our lives, from young age and into old age and without taking too large of a break what would be the results over the now lost 'overhead reach' range and shoulder injury rates.I suspect we would have little need to 'stretch our shoulders' any further. Of course shoulder integrity, elbow and wrist/hand/finger health can benefit tremendously from daily hanging as well.
2. Lead up to pulling work, climbing and more advanced patterns. Hanging sits at the base of those patterns, just like standing does for walking. A deficiency in hanging work will become evident at a certain stage - some get stuck early unable to develop even a single chin up. (very common female problem)
3. Active hang work is an especially important tool in certain advanced phases and scenarios - as a plateau breaker for advanced pullers approaching the One Arm Chin Up for example.
4. Grip Strength and Grip Endurance. If you can’t grip it - you can’t manipulate it/yourself. We have grown weaker all over due to the lack in physical demands in our daily lives. Grip is no different.
5. Creating 'Terminology' for future complexity. Hanging work creates awareness and a language of positions that can be later used to put together sophisticated pieces of movement in a variety of scenarios from gymnastics to parkour to tree climbing to rock climbing and more. It is a tool for improvisation and play.
Exemplar A2B exploratory task based session
What is ‘training’ that doesn’t leave the confines of the training space. We see training as crafting a body we can truly live in.
The following tasks require a sharp eye, opportunities are all around you. There is no specified warm up, we ease into the task and make it more difficult as we feel primed.
Take inspiration and cultivate creative juices.
Crawl
Cat balance tasks 5-10 meters / length of object. Try the following progressions.
Cat hold close to ground / 2 point hold
3 point walk close to ground / 2 point walk close to ground
3 point walk waist height / 2 point walk waist height / 2 point walk same hand & foot
Head height A 2 B - One must ensure they can safely fall should you choose to go up high, at your own risk.
Cat balance crawling.
Ascend
Try these ascending tasks on various objects you come to pass.
Cat hang pull up / cat hang wall dip / cat hang shimmy / cat hang muscle up
How high can you get your legs locked out in a cat hang leg press?
Sticky wall hangs / 3 point sticky wall hangs / stick wall A 2 B
An example from our task based training. A mastery of basic hang work opens up a great many movement opportunities for you to experience.
Suspend
These are some of my favourite drills. Every tree is a unique challenge to be solved
Table tasks 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 (Constraints provided under videos)
Tree A 2 B - Pick an entry, pick an exit
Tree A 2 B - feet must stay ABOVE hips from entry to exit
Tree A 2 B. Additional constraint here is maintaining feet above hips at all times. Keep eyes peeled for trees with opportunities like this (500 meters from my house). What is near you?
You will never be able to repeat this exemplar session in exactly the same way twice. Even if you simply copy these tasks and constraints you have a very rich landscape of movement to play with. I wonder what variations and adaptations to these are possible.
Movement over training
As described by Movement Culture:
Instead of engaging in hanging work as a 'strength session' or a 'WOD' (workout of the day), we try to see hanging as part of our daily lives - spread out and practiced shortly but often. If it is done in that manner, the stimulus will be more potent but more than that it is about a philosophical paradigm shift - "I am not training" but "I am moving - all the time".
“Spread your hanging throughout the day. I am not training, I am moving, all the time.”
In order to do so efficiently I recommend setting up anchor points that will be accessible to you. From buying a cheap and easy to install doorway pull up bar (have a look at a sport's shop next to you or online) to putting anchors in your ceiling for a pair of gymnastics rings, etc. Many of my students working in offices have done the same in their office. You read it right. Also see the bars in the advanced switch grip hang earlier in this article, Lukes father built these in his garden.
The basic logic is: if you have anchor points - you might hang from them. If not - of course you left yourself no option. I find people who have installed anchor points and made them readily available for themselves, their children, loved ones or office fellow workers tend to DO THE HANGING much more than those who need to 'go to the gym' to do so. First things first - install some anchor points. Do it now.
A Hanging Challenge
The Hanging Challenge is simple - spend 7 min of accumulative time (not in one go but spread throughout the day) performing various types of hangs - passive/active/dynamic for a period of consecutive 30 days.
This was the challenge by Ido Portal that really kick started an introduction to this training for us. We invite you to strive for 5-7 minutes of hang per day for 6 weeks throughout your first shoulder stability training block.
New hang programme templates will be released upon pre requisites being met (described below), all contributing to a minimum of 5 minutes per day.
Landmarks
To safely progress to be able to perform the two drills shown at the beginning of this article (ape swing & advanced switch grip routine) we must demonstrate a mastery of ‘Shawarma’ drill from 3 reps down to 1 on each side.
Shawarma hang drill.
To be able to safely train Shawarma drill, we must demonstrate a single arm active hang for at least 30 seconds with shoulders parallel to horizon and a single arm passive hang for 45 seconds per side.
30 second active hang pre requisite.
Example overhand single arm passive hang. Note the difference between passive and active hang positions.
Training single arm hang is a big step in load from two arm hang (double!). We should be able to demonstrate a 2 minute continuous passive double arm hang in all grip positions (overhand / underhand / mixed).
Underhand, double arm passive hang variation.
These serve as important markers of mastery and preparation of connective tissues and will dictate the programming released. There will be many other hang variations that will challenge more specifically mobility and coordination.
Example stationary swing with an underhand grip to develop coordination and preparation for rotational grip routines.
Archer hang reps are used to develop depression and retraction of the scapula. Done properly these are very challenging.
aN INVITATION TO HANG
The scene has been set, we have laid out some landmarks within the hanging landscape to motivate you to achieve at least 5 minutes per day of the particular level relevant to you in your programme. You will need to take responsibility for yourself by ensuring that you do not do too much today (hand pain) so you cannot train tomorrow, and further underpins spreading your daily hanging out into smaller doses. Of course you know your body better than anyone and your starting point will dictate what you can tolerate. If you need a day to recover then this is advised. If you can alter the level of difficulty, or object, then this is also a great idea.
“You know your body, if you need a day off, take it”
Vary what you hang off
Rings
Bars
Branches
Wall
Ledge
Rope
Towel
These are all great options to help build the habit, however progression through some of the drills shown will require a bar - so ensure you find a regular place you can access.
Alternative places to get hang time in your schedule
We have advised hanging independent of your training, however you could make use of warm up, superset and cool down to get your hang time. For example passive hang prior to handstand conditioning could really help open your shoulders.
Equally active hang work could prepare you for a gymnastic rings session.
Maybe you are squatting, complete some hang work in-between sets to optimise time.
Single arm active hang reps could be very helpful in preparing you for a rings muscle up session.
Last words of advice
Aches and pains are to be expected, maybe change your grip or what you hang off, if you have to have a day off, you make that call.
If you can use your thumb - do it. Thats why you have a thumb.
Vary your anchors - rings, bar, tree branch, rope, towel, climbing grips, etc - all are good and all - different. Of course different thickness bars / branches will impact how much you can do, less reps does not automatically mean you have regressed.
Do less but more often. We are meant to receive such frequent movement signals.
Be consistent with the work. For 6 weeks don't break the habit - form it!
You may not (probably won’t) achieve all the progressions shown here in your first training block, you will however be embodying an understanding of how you will achieve these in time - your shoulders will thank you and everyday life will be easier.
Welcome on board the programme,
Luke :)
Red Flight / Green Flight. With structured consistent training, we have more we can play with. This hang variation for example Luke learned with Jon Yuen requires significant scapular depression (active hang) strength and core strength. See youtube notes for more guidance.