Control into the Hang


One of the reasons hang lifts often allow us to lift more is that we’re creating a stretch-shortening reflex with the motion down into the hang. However, that doesn’t do us any good if excessive speed down turns us into a dust cloud of flailing body parts.
 
Jamming down at terminal velocity into a hang position is like holstering a pistol at max speed—a great way to shoot yourself in the foot.
 
Keep in mind that we’re not talking here about doing a bunch of reps as fast as possible—that’s a different goal and has different rules. We’re talking specifically about training the lifts as well as possible to lift as much as possible long term.
 
The overwhelming priority in all lifts is position and balance—nothing else works properly if these aren’t in place.
 
Control the movement down into the hang enough to ensure tension throughout the legs, hips and trunk, proper balance over the foot, and the correct position for that hang height. How slow this actually needs to be will depend on your strength and  skill level.
 
You don’t need to pause in the hang, although that’s a good tool to employ in some cases, but control the motion enough that you’re able to hit the right position and change directions to start the lift without any unwanted shifts.

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