Mastering the Kip Swing Part 3: The Pencil Straight Hang
No kicking allowed! Our team is taking the shapes from the floor and applying them to the bar starting from a perfect, neutral pencil hang.
You have mastered the Hollow on the floor through all four stages. You have explored the Arch and understood the importance of thoracic mobility. Now, it is time to take those shapes to the bar. But here is the challenge I set for every one of our members at CrossFit Chiltern: No swinging yet. Part 3 of our series is about the strict kip swing transition, and it begins with a "pencil straight" hang. This is where we separate those who have built the strict strength required for the Open from those who are just "fishing" for a rep. In this section, we will focus on the principles of the strict kip swing transition.
The Starting Point: The Pencil Hang
Understanding the strict kip swing transition is essential for achieving better performance in your workouts.
Many athletes jump to the bar and immediately start kicking their legs to find a swing. I want you to do the opposite. I want you to jump to the bar and find a dead stop. This is the Pencil Hang.
- Your arms are locked out.
- Your ribs are neutral (not flared).
- Your legs are pinned together.
- Your toes are pointed toward the floor.
You should look like a perfectly straight line. This "zero point" is where true control is born. If you can't hang perfectly still and maintain tension, you won't be able to control the massive forces generated during a dynamic kip.
Strict Strength is the Safety Net
I cannot emphasize this enough: kipping is not a way to get your first pull-up. It is a way to do your 10th, 20th, and 50th pull-up faster. By performing the transition strictly from a dead stop, our coaches are helping you build the "functional" lat and shoulder strength required to stay in control when your heart rate is red-lining.
When you hang from the bar, gravity changes everything. You have to fight to keep that lower back "tucked" in the hollow and that chest "pushed through" in the arch. This is where we see who has truly built their "Growth Engine." If you can't control your body weight in a slow, strict swing, you have no business trying to do high-rep butterfly pull-ups. The "Strict" work is the insurance policy that keeps your shoulders healthy for the long term.
The Drill: The Strict Pencil Beat
- Jump to the bar and settle into a perfectly still Pencil Hang.
- Using only your core and lats (no kicking!), slowly pull your ribs down and squeeze your glutes to find a "Hanging Hollow." Your feet should move 6-10 inches in front of the bar.
- Pause for 2 seconds. Feel the compression.
- Now, push your head and chest through your arms to find a "Hanging Arch." Your feet should move 6-10 inches behind the bar.
- Pause for 2 seconds. Feel the extension.
Your feet must move forward and backward as one unit. If your knees bend even slightly, you are using your quads to cheat, and the rep doesn't count in our gym. This drill builds the "lat" pressure needed to "lever" the bar, which is the final secret we’ll share in Part 5. Master the slow, and you earn the right to go fast.
Looking for professional coaching in Amersham? Book a Discovery Call today with one of our team! https://kilo.gymleadmachine.com/widget/booking/sdUjnJkKy9dGRSLzEGzz
