Headbangers

How To Do Headbangers

1. Hang On The Bar

Begin in a dead hang by gripping firmly on the bar using an underhand grip, at shoulder-width apart. Your feet should be off the ground. Keep your core tight.

Headbangers Workout

• Beginners should perform between 4-6 reps, for 4 sets, 3 times a week.
• Intermediate level athletes should perform between 8-18 reps, for 4 sets, 3 times a week.
• Advanced level athletes should perform 20+ reps or more for 4 sets, 3 times a week.

You should move on to harder variations once you have achieved your reps and set goals.

It is highly recommended that you utilize supersets to increase time under tension on the working muscles, which will overload the muscles, therefore, enhancing your muscular endurance and strength. An example workout could be:

• 3 chin-ups + 5 headbangers
• 3 chin-ups + 5 headbangers + 5s chin above bar isometric hold
• 3 pull-ups + 5 headbangers
• 3 pull-ups + 5 headbangers + 5s chin above bar isometric hold

The workout example above should be practice for 4 sets, 3 times a week.

Headbangers Benefits

Upper Body Hypertrophy

Headbangers do wonders for your upper body muscles due to their compound mechanics. It will target your lats, biceps, front shoulders, and abs. Practicing this consistently with high volume will definitely contribute to your muscle mass, giving you bigger biceps and a monster back. Moreover, your muscular endurance will skyrocket, which will be beneficial in other aspects of your workouts such as cardio, or HITT.

Improve Posture

If you have slumping shoulders or rounded back, it can lead to back problems and aches. To correct these issues, you should practice pull-ups and their variations to targets the upper body muscles and strengthening them. This will help stabilize the spine, therefore, improving your posture

Improve Grip Strength

Headbangers will develop your grip strength as you will be holding your body weight up in the top chin-up position. This will fire your forearms muscles away and aid growth, giving you crushing grip strength. A stronger grip strength assists you in carrying, holding, and lift items in your everyday life and your athletic performances.

Headbangers Variations

L-Sit Headbangers

This variation is a progression that will activate your core as you will bring your legs up at a 90 degrees angle in relation, creating an L-sit. This helps to develop midline stability and strength. To perform this exercise you will:

1. Begin in a dead-hang position gripping firmly on the bar using either pronated or supinated grip, at shoulder-width apart. Your feet should be off the ground. Keep your core tight.
2. Exhale and pull up to the top position where your chin is above the bar. Lift up your legs until they are at a 90 degrees angle in relation to your torso to hold an L-Sit. This is your starting position.
3. Create a push and pull motion by explosively pushing your head away from the bar by horizontally extending your arms, followed by pulling yourself back to the starting position. Aim to keep your chin above the bar throughout the movement.
4. Repeat this push and pull motion between 5-20 reps for 4 sets.

Headbangers Head Underbar

Headbangers head underbar is a regression to the regular headbangers. You will pull up using either a pronated or supinated grip until your head is just below the bar (bottom half pull-up). This is great if you are not yet able to perform a full pull-up, and you will still get the same benefits in targeting your biceps and lats. To perform this, you will:

1. Begin in a dead-hang position gripping firmly on the bar using the either pronated or supinated grip, at shoulder-width apart. Your feet should be off the ground. Engage your core.
2. Exhale and pull up until your head is below the bar (bottom half pull-up position). This is your starting position.
3. Create a push and pull motion by explosively pushing your head away from the bar by horizontally extending your arms, followed by pulling yourself back to the starting position.
4. Repeat this push and pull motion between 5-20 reps for 4 sets.

Headbangers Mixed Grip

Headbangers mixed grip utilizes both the pronated and supinated grip. This will increase lateral instability, which will develop your core, and broaden your lats (make sure to switch grip to prevent muscle imbalances!). To perform this, you will:

1. Start in a dead-hang position gripping firmly on the bar at shoulder-width apart, using a pronated grip in one hand, and supinated grip in the other. Your feet should be off the ground. Engage your core.
2. Exhale and pull up until your chin is above the bar, to the top half pull-up position. This is your starting position.
3. Create a push and pull motion by explosively pushing your head away from the bar by horizontally extending your arms, followed by pulling yourself back to the starting position.
4. Repeat this push and pull motion between 5-20 reps for 4 sets. Switch grips after every set.

Other Pulling Exercises