Benchmark correction, 11 September 2026. Earlier versions of this page presented age-specific seconds and percentiles as established norms. We could not substantiate those claims from the cited sources. They have been removed. This page now separates published grip-strength evidence from personal training goals.
Dead hang times by age: what the chart can tell you
An age chart is only as useful as the test behind it. The same person can record different hang times on different bars or with different assistance. Keep the testing conditions consistent before interpreting a change.
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| Age group | What to use | What not to infer |
|---|---|---|
| Adults under 40 | Your own baseline with a consistent grip and bar. | An exact percentile from a generic internet seconds chart. |
| Adults 40–59 | Comparable holds and a record of assistance used. | A fixed decline in hanging seconds each decade. |
| Adults 60 and over | A controlled, suitable variation and individual advice where needed. | A required unassisted hold or a lifespan prediction. |
Men’s times and women’s times
Published handgrip-force norms differ by age and sex. Those measurements use a dynamometer and report force. Supporting bodyweight from a bar for time involves another task. Applying the force percentiles directly to hang duration would be misleading.
Dodds et al. explain the instruments and populations in their study. That paper does not provide the age-specific dead-hang seconds previously displayed here.
Why we do not give dead-hang percentiles
A percentile needs an appropriate comparison population and a standardised test. We do not have that dataset for these timed hangs. A result such as 60 seconds cannot truthfully become “top 25%” simply by assigning a band to it.
The calculator instead shows what fraction of your own target you have reached. A 30-second hold against a 60-second target is 50% of that target. It says nothing about how many people you outperform.
Is your time useful to build from?
A controlled hold gives you a starting record. A feet-supported hold is also recordable; keep it separate from an unassisted hold. Short holds are not failures. End the attempt while you can step down safely.
10, 30, 60 and 120 seconds are convenient round-number milestones. They are not validated age cut-offs or required fitness standards. Choose your next target and use the personal hang calculator to compare it.
What changes when you repeat the test?
Record your bar, grip and assistance consistently. A different bar diameter, chalk or foot support changes the conditions. Compare like with like. A lower result on one day is not a diagnosis of declining health.
Turn your baseline into a routine
Choose manageable holds and enough rest to maintain control. Record what you actually held instead of saving the timer setting as a result. The training plans organise practice and review points without promising a particular gain.
Common questions about hang time
What is a good dead hang time?
A useful starting point is a controlled hold you can repeat without pain. Use 10, 30 or 60 seconds as personal milestones if they suit you, not as population averages. Compare repeat tests under the same conditions.
How long should a 40-year-old be able to dead hang?
The sources cited here do not establish a required time for a 40-year-old. Training experience, bodyweight, grip, bar and assistance all affect the task. Record your own baseline instead of treating an age table as a pass or fail.
Is a two-minute dead hang good?
Two minutes is a sustained hold, but this site cannot assign it a verified population percentile. It is not necessary to reach two minutes before a session counts as useful practice.
Does dead hang time decrease with age?
Handgrip-force studies show age-related differences across groups. They do not tell us a fixed number of hanging seconds lost per decade. Your own repeated measurements are more useful than subtracting seconds from an invented age norm.
What is a good dead hang time for a woman?
There is no single women’s pass time supported by the sources on this page. Record the same grip and assistance over time. Population handgrip-force differences cannot be converted directly into a timed-hang ranking.
How long can the average person hang from a bar?
We cannot verify one population average from the studies cited here. A bar hang measures a different task from the dynamometer tests used in the referenced grip-strength research.
Sources and method
Dodds et al. (2014), Grip Strength across the Life Course, is the primary source for the distinction between age-related handgrip-force norms and timed hanging. The personal-goal examples on this page are arithmetic and editorial milestones, not research-derived training prescriptions.
Read our editorial standards for how we distinguish research, interpretation and equipment advice.