Before the first session

Use a securely fitted bar and a stable way to step down. Choose an assisted or unassisted hold you can control without pain. Keep that variation consistent when comparing results. If you have an injury or concerns about the movement, seek individual guidance.

Your 12-week framework

Weeks 1–4

Establish the baseline block

Pick repeatable settings and keep assistance consistent. Record sessions as part of your wider training.

Weeks 5–8

Change one thing if appropriate

Review the first block before adjusting hold duration, rest or sets. Avoid changing everything together.

Weeks 9–12

Review and consolidate

Compare the blocks under comparable conditions. Repeat a successful setup or revise it based on your own record. No particular end time is required.

Plan around the rest of your training

Choose repeatable practice slots that fit your existing routine. Two non-consecutive days are one example schedule. Account for other grip work such as climbing or pulling exercises when deciding whether another hanging session is manageable.

  1. Write a starting setup for block one: bar, grip, support, hold interval, rest and sets.
  2. Keep that setup stable enough to collect comparable sessions. Record what you actually complete.
  3. Review at weeks four and eight. Keep a useful setup or change one variable for the next block.
  4. Compare the final block with the first using the same assistance. Export the record at week twelve before starting a new planning window.

Example decision: a visitor completes more of their planned sessions in block two while their best hold stays at 30 seconds. Their consistency has improved even though their recorded maximum has not. A longer planning window does not require adding weight or moving to a one-arm hang.

Choose your timer settings

Enter your own hang duration, rest duration and number of sets. The workspace's defaults are examples. You can shorten a hold or increase rest before starting. The timer pauses when the page is hidden and never saves a session automatically.

Open the timer & log

Record the work you actually did

Save the date, assistance, best actual hold and number of sets. Compare supported hangs with supported hangs and unassisted hangs with unassisted hangs. Export the log before clearing your browser or switching devices.

When the plan needs changing

Stop a painful hold. End a set before you lose the ability to step down under control. A missed session does not require making up extra sets. Repeating a block is an option; longer holds are not the only reason to keep a training record.

Review the block

Compare your current hold with an earlier hold made under the same conditions. The personal calculator shows the difference without inventing a population percentile.

Use the printable session planner if you prefer paper. Dead hangs are one part of a wider routine; the NHS activity guidance covers broader strength and aerobic activity.