On July 29, the US Southern California Chinese American Youth Water Polo Team and Guangzhou Youth Water Polo Team met for a friendship match at the Guangdong Olympic Sports Center. It was a close and exciting game. The team from Southern California won by just one point, 13 to 12.

But the day was about more than just the score. With around 100 days to go until China’s 15th National Games, the match brought young athletes from these sister cities together through sport. It was a chance to build friendships, share experiences, and celebrate what connects us.

“We came to compete, but we’re leaving with new friends,” said Enzo Bryden, a player from the U.S. team. It is the first time for Coach Adam Hewko to visit China. “I think it’s so important, especially for the kids, to come here and realize that the world is a big place. We have to get along with everyone. It’s such a great opportunity to experience a wonderful culture and make new friends in a beautiful, first-class city,” said Adam.

The event is part of a broader people-to-people exchange between Guangzhou and Los Angeles, a friendship that goes back over 40 years, now renewed through a new generation.

Reporter: Li Fangwang

Video & Poster: Li Fangwang

Editor: Hu Nan, Shen He

Naples confirms itself as the capital of master water polo, having hosted the Italian championships in the welcoming setting of the FIN Federal Center at the Scandone pool. The Neapolitan teams, the pride of Maurizio Marassi, who is not only the coach of the M60 and M65 Nuoto 2000 Napoli teams but also the true driving force of the master movement in the Neapolitan city, triumphed. The field proved him right: the M65 team, coached and captained by him, dominated the tournament, winning the Italian title after an almost perfect elimination round (three wins and a draw) and after defeating the strong opponents of Europa Sporting Roma, among whom Adrian Muntean, 70 years old and not feeling it, stood out, being named the best player of the tournament and top scorer.

This is the M65 team: Schenone, Muntean, Ionescu, Scebba, Severino, Marassi, Nardi, Rapallini, Mancusi, Cametti, Cims, De Gennaro, Marchese, and Galassi V.

No less significant is the journey of the M60 team, also forged by Marassi, which won a well-deserved bronze medal. Although it failed to defend last year’s title, it decisively beat Torino 81 (later champions in the final) and overcame the tough Europa Sporting, winner of the group, in the third-place final. M60 team: Frodà, Imperatrice R., Rossomandi, Sciaccaluga, La Torre, Crovetto, La Sala, Grillo E., Guarino, Fonzi, Esposito R., Savasi, Falanga, and Margarita.

Alongside Maurizio Marassi, the silent but decisive work of Renato Galassi, coach of the M55 team and tireless organizer of the entire master group throughout the year, is no less important. Galassi is the logistical and relational pillar of the movement: he schedules training, manages communications, handles registrations and memberships, and oversees the integration of new athletes. Under his guidance, the M55 team won a prestigious bronze, improving on last year’s fourth place and demonstrating cohesion, sportsmanship, and ambition. M55 team: Leone, Licastro, Scivicco, Silvestri, Giovannini, Esposito P.M., Carbone, Bottiglieri, Avegno, D’Alò, Rosiello, De Vito, Galassi, and Princigalli.

Marassi and Galassi form a winning, complementary, and synergistic tandem: one is the technical-tactical architect, the other the organizational and motivational director. Their work has transformed Naples into a reference model for Italian master water polo, capable of combining victories, passion, and sportsmanship.

When actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu posts a workout, people watch. When she attempts a 90-second dead hang challenge, people take notes. No gimmicks… just raw upper-body strength, mental discipline, and the humble power of gravity. This is about longevity, joint health, and the primal satisfaction of holding on when everything tells you to let go.

The dead hang isn’t a flashy CrossFit move or a circus trick. It’s old-school, minimalist, brutally honest. You either hang, or you fall. And in those 90 seconds (or more), you learn a lot about your body and your mind.

What Exactly Is A Dead Hang?

At its core, a dead hang is just that: you, suspended from a bar, hanging motionless. Palms over the bar (overhand grip), arms extended, shoulders relaxed but alert. Feet off the floor. Core engaged. Gravity doing its job.

And yet, it’s far more than it appears. Dead hangs target your forearms, shoulders, lats, upper back, wrists, and core. They decompress your spine, improve grip strength, stretch tight fascia, and build a kind of calm, functional strength that machines and reps often miss.

Dead hangs exercise your forearms, shoulders, lats, upper back, wrists, and core at the same time (Getty Images)

How To Do Them Right

You’ll Need:

• A pull-up bar, monkey bars, or gymnastics rings.
• A bench or box to step up onto. Do not jump.
• Optional: wrist straps or chalk if grip is a limiting factor.

Instructions:

• Step up to the bar. Grip it overhand, shoulder-width apart.
• Lift your feet. Let your body fully extend. Arms straight.
• Stay still. Breathe deep. Don’t clench. Don’t cheat.
• Hold for 10–30 seconds to start. Your goal is 60-90 seconds over time.
• Step down safely. Shake it out. Repeat up to 3 sets.

Tip: Focus on nasal breathing during your hang. It slows your heart rate and builds mental endurance.

Modifications

• Beginner: Start with feet gently touching a box to reduce load.
• Intermediate: Add shoulder shrugs at the bottom of your hang to engage traps.
• Advanced: Try hanging with one arm. Or add weight with a dip belt.

Variations of Dead Hangs

Dead hangs can be altered to suit various fitness levels and goals:

• Overhand Grip Dead Hang: Involves gripping the bar with the palms facing away, focusing on forearm and grip strength.
• Neutral Grip Dead Hang: By using rings or a specially designed bar, the palms face each other, typically easier on the wrists and shoulders.
• With Movement: Adding slight movements, such as shoulder shrugs or leg raises, can increase the difficulty and strengthen additional muscle groups.

What Happens To Your Body When You Hang Daily?

This is where things get interesting. Daily dead hangs (or even 3–4x per week) can produce surprisingly far-reaching benefits:

1. Your Posture Improves

That forward hunch from your laptop? Dead hangs realign your spine and retrain your scapula. You start standing taller and moving better.

2. Your Grip Becomes Bionic

Whether you’re opening jars, deadlifting, or rock climbing, grip strength is your gateway drug to total-body strength.

3. Your Back and Shoulders Stretch Out

Feel like your spine is compressed into an accordion? Dead hangs create a natural decompression, which can relieve back stiffness and shoulder pain.

4. Your Core Fires Up

Yes, your abs work during a hang… especially if you maintain good pelvic alignment. It’s like planking, but vertical.

5. Your Nervous System Calms Down

The hang position triggers parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) activation, especially when paired with controlled breathing. That means Less stress. Better sleep. Sharper focus.

Why Dead Hangs Are a Smart Move for Ageing Athletes

If you’re over 40, or coming back from an injury, the dead hang is your friend. It allows you to load the joints passively, build tendon strength, and train core stability without impact. Even more compelling? Research shows that grip strength in your 40s and 50s correlates with mobility, cognition, and independence in old age. So yes, hanging around literally adds years to your life.

How long should you be able to dead hang?

By experience:

So go ahead. Grab the bar, hang tight, transform.

Read more:

1. Mumbai City FC Star Akash Mishra Shows What A Gen Z Pro Footballer’s Diet, Training, Sleep Schedule And Recovery Routine Actually Look Like
2. Explained: Why 7,000 Steps A Day Might Be All You Need To Reduce The Risk Of Death By 37%
3. What Is Metabolic Flexibility? 5 Steps To Reset Your Body’s Fat-Burning Mode

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – VMI was well-represented by the Southern Conference Wednesday as the league announced its Spring 2025 All-Academic Team and 2024-25 Academic Honor Roll.

SoCon Press Release

 

In order to achieve SoCon All-Academic honors, an athlete must hold a 3.20 cumulative GPA, be a sophomore or above in class standing and participate in at least 50 percent of the team’s contests.

 

The Academic Honor Roll recognizes the student-athletes who attained a minimum 3.0 GPA or higher for the 2024-25 academic year but does not require an athletic participation level.

 

A total of 2,734 student-athletes across the league were named to the Honor Roll, a new record number since the program began in 1989. In addition, a total of 288 student-athletes achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA and 846 received the Commissioner’s Medal given to those who attain a 3.80 GPA or higher during the academic year.

 

A total of 180 VMI cadet-athletes were named to the 2024-25 Academic Honor Roll led by the lacrosse and women’s soccer teams with 23 entries apiece.

 

VMI registered 24 cadet-athletes on the Spring 2025 SoCon All-Academic Team led by Indoor Track and Field with 10 team members listed.

 

Five Keydets achieved a perfect 4.0 for the 2024-25 academic year including Dayton Bagwell and James Boynewicz from lacrosse, Cameron Jones from women’s soccer, Jack Joyce (football) and Samantha Layton from cross country/track and field.

 

A total of 36 VMI cadet-athletes earned the SoCon Commissioner’s Medal for achieving at least a 3.80 GPA for the 2024-25 academic year.

 

A full listing of VMI’s cadet-athletes named to either the Spring 2025 SoCon All-Academic Team or SoCon Academic Honor Roll is found below.

 

 

VMI Cadet-Athletes named to Spring 2025 SoCon All-Academic Team (24):

 

 

 

VMI Cadet-Athletes named to 2024-25 SoCon Academic Honor Roll (180):

CUNYAC – NEW YORK – The City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) has announced its Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll for the 2025 Spring semester, handing out 445 citations for academic excellence.
 
The CUNYAC Winter/Spring Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll is constructed with student-athletes across eight member campuses who participate in a varsity-level sport and own a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better on a 4.0 scale.

The list includes sports that conducted their championship in the winter or spring (men’s tennis, men’s & women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track & field, men’s volleyball, baseball, and softball) as well as varsity athletes competing in non-CUNYAC sports.

 

Hunter produced a conference-leading 104 honorees among the eight institutions, followed by Baruch (81) and John Jay (80).

 

16 student-athletes have compiled a perfect 4.0 cumulative GPA to date.

For the complete 2025 Winter/Spring Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll, please click here.