I thought this was worth sharing. Having been a gymnast for most of my life, most people are amazed at how long I can hang from a bar, the number of pullups I can do, etc. Some of this may be old news to some of you, but some others might find this very informative. I mentioned in a different thread that I currently teach a class at my local gymnasium that's based upon gymnastic related exercises and techiques, so I thought I would mention it here as well. Here's what I said:

Gymnast secret: On of the main reasons why most gymnast are able to hang or suspend themselves in the air using their hands is because of the false grip technique. A false grip consist of locking the end of your fingers by creating a cup or "hook-like" position with your fingers. This puts much less stress on your forearms, which is critical in being able to sustain ones self with their hands while doing exercises such as the olympic rings. Also, this false grip technique is very beneficial while performing exercises such as the lat pulldown and your basic overhand pullup. The false grip technique forces you to keep your elbows wide to achieve maximum leverage. Also, try keeping your thumbs running straight underneath the pulldown or pullup bar to ensure proper biomechanics. Try this technique as most of you will find yourself keeping your wrist straps at home moving forward.

Grace and peace,
Mavsluva