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Film your hang, get your Grip Age™, and claim your spot on the world's first sanctioned dead hang leaderboard.
WDHC Pro ranks verified athletes by weight class. Clear your class threshold on a verified hang. No separate Pro submission. Pro Championships launch 2027.
Bodyweight on your verified submission sets your class. Your best verified time ranks you in that class.
Heavyweight (180+ lbs) · 4:30
Middleweight (130–179 lbs) · 5:00
Lightweight (under 130 lbs) · 6:00
Heavyweight (225+ lbs) · 5:00
Middleweight (160–224 lbs) · 6:00
Lightweight (under 160 lbs) · 7:00
Full verified rulebook standards apply. See current Pro qualifiers →
The World Dead Hang Championship (WDHC) was founded on March 1st, 2026 to launch the world's first sanctioned dead hang competition and build a new sport around grip endurance.
We believe that grip strength and hanging endurance are fundamental markers of physical capability and mental resilience. WDHC exists to:
WDHC welcomes unverified hangs on the global board. Verified proof unlocks Pro class, championships, and gym events:
Dead hangs represent the purest test of grip endurance. Unlike weighted exercises that can be "cheated" with momentum or technique, a dead hang is binary: you're either hanging or you're not. This simplicity makes it the perfect equalizer and the ultimate test of raw, sustainable grip strength.
Founder's Note: "The dead hang doesn't care about your gym membership, your equipment budget, or your genetics. It only asks one question: Can you hold on?"
Whether you're a seasoned athlete or a complete beginner, WDHC welcomes you. Record your hang, submit your video, and claim your spot on the global leaderboard. Your time becomes part of the documented history of human grip strength.
Ready to hang? Submit your performance and join athletes worldwide pushing the limits of human endurance.
Dead hangs naturally decompress the spine and shoulder joints, relieving pressure and improving range of motion. Regular hanging can help prevent and alleviate shoulder impingement, rotator cuff issues, and general stiffness.
Your grip is the foundation of all upper body strength. Dead hangs build crushing grip, supporting strength, and endurance, essential for pull-ups, climbing, and everyday activities.
Gravity compresses your spine daily. Hanging counteracts this by creating space between vertebrae, reducing back pain, improving posture, and increasing height temporarily.
Hanging until failure teaches mental resilience. The struggle against gravity builds focus, determination, and the ability to push through discomfort, skills that translate to all areas of life.
Dead hangs work the entire arm chain: forearms, biceps, triceps, and shoulders. This functional strength supports better performance in sports, lifting, and daily tasks.
The WDHC community provides motivation, accountability, and friendly competition. Seeing others push their limits inspires you to reach new personal bests.
Begin with 10 to 30 second hangs and gradually increase time as your grip strengthens. Focus on proper form: relaxed shoulders, engaged core, and full extension. Consistency matters more than duration, regular short hangs yield better results than occasional long sessions.
Pro Tip: Incorporate dead hangs into your warm-up routine to activate shoulder stabilizers and improve overhead mobility before workouts.
The dead hang doesn't care about your gym membership, your equipment budget, or your genetics. It only asks one question: Can you hold on?
Milo Birk · U.S. Marine veteran, founder
What WDHC reviewers check before your hang goes live.
Live benchmarks from the current board.
Two ways to win each month - longest hang of the month plus a rotating format. Full standings live on the Challenges page.
Sanctioned gym events
WDHC is expanding from the global leaderboard to official gym nights. Athletes can nominate their local gym. Gym owners can host a sanctioned event with the same rules as the world board.
Included with every athlete account
The Athlete Portal is your private workspace for training logs, Grip Age™ history, hang submissions, tier progress, and monthly challenge status.
Access is available after your first board submission at no additional cost. Your profile remains on file for return visits. Each new hang requires attempt details and the standard agreements only.
