Inversion Table

[Nid]

I can see how it could annoy the ankles and knees of some people. Not a problem with me, though.

Chair looks comfy.

[meataxe]

Baiscally I was told is that it's traction and a lot of people including Dr's recommend it

Well, I won't dis it since I haven't tried it and haven't heard anything bad about it. (Cerebral aneurysm?) Until then I'll file it under "things I'm suspicious of but other people swear by them". Right next to ear candling.

[Quikfeet509]

Well, I won't dis it since I haven't tried it and haven't heard anything bad about it. (Cerebral aneurysm?) Until then I'll file it under "things I'm suspicious of but other people swear by them". Right next to ear candling.

I think you are confusing the chiropractic manipulation of C1/C2, which may lead to an increased risk of cerebral anuerysm, and an inversion table.

If Kein Haar says that he likes using an inversion table, then you are getting a thumbs-up by one of the most accurate posters in this forum...not that I'm making an "appeal to authority" argument or anything.

[Neildo]

I wish I ~ow~ had one of these right now. ~urk~ I threw my back out last night, ~gak~ and can't find a chiropractor that's open on a sunday.

[tyciol]

I've never used one, but I definately plan to get one.

I think a table is a much better option than gravity boots due to the oscillation.

Heck, since I want to discuss brands, let's use the most popular one that's always on the shopping channel and the first you get on a google search: Teeter Hangups.

For the tables, you can get manual ones. I think they're better, they teeter back and forth based on your arm position and how you set the height or tie the strap.

There's a motorized one. The benefit is that it can stop at any angle. The above can only stop totally upside down. I don't think that really matters though, upside down is the best angle after all, so we should just work up to it, and then start doing stuff.

The only potential benefit I can see to using the gravity boots besides the cheaper expense is that you have the option to hang by 1 leg once you're very strong. It seems like the way to work up to it would be to buy the table first.

The table has a 300lb weight limit, the bar only has 250lb. So what you do, work up to that weight limit by holding handweights. Then, you can transition easier to hanging by a single leg.

There's also one called the DEX which is like reversed sitting or a yogi swing, it reminds me of a leg curl machine. Your weight is on the top of your thighs, with a pad behind the knee. I like it too, looks like something good to use before an inversion table since less of you is inverted so it's less of a big change. But variable muscle angles are just good.

I have a bar, and I use it, but a bar doesn't have all the benefits of these machines. It does not decompress the cervical vertebrae (neck), only inversion will do that, so you would have to do a handstand or hang from an inversion. Inversion would also decompress your ankles/knees/hips much better, and since they bear the most weight they probably need it worst.

Inverted situps would be murder on the hamstrings and you can work your biceps too until you can do it without arms. It seems like a superior form of hamstring stretching since that muscle doesn't bear any weight, too.

Plus, hanging upside down does weird things with the blood, I want to find out what that's like. You can also hold arms straight out to side with dumbbells to work up to strength for stuff that gymnasts do like the Iron Cross.

Tai Chi and Yoga don't really widen the space between the vertebrae, they just like to say they do. In all the boses, gravity still pulls down on you. They're relaxing and involve control and flexibility, but only inversion involves decompression.

Actually, you can decompress your cervical vertebrae by using a chinup bar, just not simultaneously with your lower spinal vertebrae. You have to put your arms like in the position at the top of a deadlift or doing shrugs. This will hang you upside down. You can do inverted shrugs this way, they're pretty cool.

In this position, your spine will not be decompressed though. Much like in a handstand, it is still under compression, but the neck isn't.

Handstands are also another option, actually. Difference being that they compress the arms rather than decompress them, but arm traction isn't really something anyone who does any heavy pulling exercises has to worry about adding in.

Well, I won't dis it since I haven't tried it and haven't heard anything bad about it. (Cerebral aneurysm?) Until then I'll file it under "things I'm suspicious of but other people swear by them". Right next to ear candling.

Inverting the heart above the head does tend to increase blood pressure, but then again, so do things like squats or fighting. I can't see it being that huge a deal. Like anything, you can control gradual progression and get feedback on how you feel and stuff. I wouldn't put this next to ear candling. The principles this operates under are a lot more sound and obvious compared to that.