Inversion: Improve Your Health
and Productivity by Hanging Upside Down

I am not a doctor. The health benefits listed here are based off my own research and personal experience. Please consult your primary care physician before attempting inversion.

In this week’s episode of The 5 AM Miracle Podcast I discuss inversion.

I am always on the lookout for any strategy that has the potential to improve my health, and in turn, improve my productivity. When I stumbled upon inversion, I was immediately struck by its uniqueness and potentially amazing benefits for both my fitness and focus.

Photo Credit: Intamin10

Reversing gravity has a funny way of making people smile. It’s weird. It feels funny. Blood rushes to your head and your whole world flips upside down.

That’s not exactly what I picture when I am seeking to improve my fitness or ability to get work done. However, in my life, inversion has proven to be a vital tool with those exact benefits.

Remarkable Benefits of Inversion

I was first convinced to try out inversion after watching a series of YouTube videos, many of them from Dr. Robert Lockhart, an Australian physician who has been practicing daily inversions for more than 40 years.

The goal behind inversion is to reverse the effects of gravity. Gravitational forces are hard on the body and when you reverse gravity, you relieve incredible amounts of pressure and disrupt your normal rhythms, which carries with it benefits you cannot get with any other exercise.

#1: Significant Reduction in Back Pain

I used to suffer from back pain on a regular basis. After I began running marathons, practicing yoga, and using a standing desk all day, my back pain slowly dissipated.

However, due to a running injury and the introduction of cycling, my back pain returned. I began inverting as a means to reduce the pressure on my spinal column, relax my back muscles, and rehydrate the discs in my spine.

The end result is that inversion has eliminated back pain when nothing else would. Hanging upside down opens up your back and allows everything to relax, which significantly reduces stress in your back muscles and reduces, or even eliminates, acute and chronic pain.

#2: Reduces Stress

As soon as you adjust to hanging upside down, usually after 60 seconds, you begin to feel the relaxing benefits of inversion. I find that simply hanging upside with my eyes closed is a great time for meditation or just relaxation.

Others have said that inversion feels like a whole body massage. Either way, the benefit here is clear. Inversion puts your mind and body at ease.

#3: Improves Focus, Balance, and Brain Function

When you hang upside down, oxygen-rich blood flows to your brain (which is a little bizarre at first) but after you adjust to it you begin to notice your brain feels more alive.

Since you brain is the largest consumer of oxygen in your body, more blood means more oxygen, which means better brain function.

I personally noticed that after inverting I feel more focused, my balance improves as I adjust to seeing the world from different perspectives, and I can think more clearly.

My first experience with improved brain function occurred after my first aerial yoga experience, when I inverted for only a few minutes. The benefits here are clear and immediate.

#4: Improves Leg & Core Strength

One of the greatest benefits of inversion is being able to exercise without interacting with the ground. While inverting, you can do upside down squats, crunches, or even push-ups.

If you are an experienced weight lifter, you will quickly notice how much harder it is to fight gravity in the opposite direction, which makes the workout that much more beneficial.

Inverted crunches are especially appealing because your back has little to no pressure applied to it as you curl up and back down. You will easily feel the powerful effects with just one set of ten repetitions.

#5: Improves Joint Health

Inverting reverses the pressure of gravity, which can aid your joints and ligaments just as much as your muscles.

The joints in your spinal column can fully open up and decompress the most when you are upside down, as opposed to sitting, standing, or even lying down.

If you have suffered from any pain in your joints, especially in your back, consider using inversion to decompress and improve your overall health.

#6: Better Flexibility

For years I have practiced yoga with the intention of greater flexibility in my core, hips, and back. Inversion is the quickest and easiest method I have ever seen to improve flexibility in all of these areas at once.

Beyond feeling more relaxed after inverting, your muscles will also be more flexible, which feels great.

#7: You Can Get Taller!

Ok, this is cool! As your back decompresses, it creates more space in your spinal column. If you invert twice a day (5 to 15 minutes per session), you dramatically increase your chances of increasing your height permanently!

Dr. Robert Lockhart, who I mentioned earlier, claims that he has grown 1.5 inches due to inversion, while the rest of his friends and colleagues have only gotten shorter.

Amazing? I think so.

#8: Better Posture

If you take advantage of the core strengthening exercises while inverting, you will certainly notice an improvement with your posture.

Since I have been using a standing desk for years, it wasn’t as obvious to me right away, but others I have heard from have said their posture improved very quickly.

#9: Clears Skin & Reduces Wrinkles

With an increase of oxygen-rich blood flowing to your head and face, you may also notice clearer skin and fewer facial wrinkles.

I can’t speak to this benefits on a personal level, but I have read multiple stories where this has been the case. And, it makes sense. The more healthy blood you have in your head, along with the reversal of gravity, the more likely it would be that your complexion would improve.

#10: Improves Your Lymphatic System

Your body drains waste through the lymphatic system, kind of like a sewer. Inversion (along with exercise, massage, and other methods) helps your body remove the waste with greater ease, which keeps you healthy and feeling your best.

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Potential Drawbacks

I’m not going to tell you that inversion is a silver bullet — it’s not. There are a few key drawbacks that will make inversion a challenge at first, so let’s lay all our cards on the table.

• Hard on the Joints: If you are new to inversion, you will certainly have an adjustment period where you could experience pain in your ankles, knees, hips, or back. This is common and there’s no need to worry about it, unless you are in serious pain. Inversion should be pleasant. If it hurts, stop. If you’re trying to be tough, stop. Don’t hurt yourself. Take it slow. You will likely have pain in your ankles and knees, which will slowly go away as you body adjusts to being stretched. Also, you can readjust your boots, shoes, and socks to ensure a snug fit.
• Takes a While to Get Used To: I’m serious when I say to take it slow. Start by inverting for 1 minute per session and then slowly increase over the next few weeks or months. It took me 30 days until I could invert for 10 minutes — and I’m in good shape.
• Could be Dangerous to do Alone: If you use gravity boots or an inversion table, it could be dangerous to do this alone. You will want a buddy to help out and be able to assist you in getting back on your feet. Even if you are in great shape, have a buddy.
• Devices are Large and Hard to Store: If you are cramped for space like I am, inversion tables and chairs are challenging because they take up a lot of space in your house and they are hard to store. If space is an issue, consider the gravity boots. (See the comparison chart below).

Comparison of Inversion Methods

There are three popular types of inversion devices (although you could just hang from your knees on the jungle gym like kids do). Here are the basic differences between the three options.

1. Inversion Table

Inversion tables are flat surfaces that you lay on, strap your feet into, and then lean back.

You will either have to purchase gravity boots separately or the table could come with them.

Your body weight is secured by the boots around your ankles.

2. Inversion Chair

Inversion chairs allow you to sit down while inverted.

You are secured by your feet and usually with a strap across your thighs.

You do not need gravity boots for inversion chairs.

3. Gravity Boots

Gravity boots are attached to your ankles and then hooked over a bar.

The bar is normally secured to a door frame, but the boots can also be used on any other sturdy pipe, like you might find at a gym or in a public park.

Pros and Cons

During my research to buy the right inversion device, I created a pros and cons chart for myself because I realized that this buying decision was tricky business.

This chart is not comprehensive, but it should give you a good idea as to which device could be best for you and your family.

My Recommendations

Here are my recommendations for the best device in each category.

Inversion Table:

Teeter Hang Ups EP 560 Inversion Table. I researched inversion tables for hours, and hours, and hours. My conclusion was clear: inversion tables are dangerous, poorly constructed, and not worth the effort when you have an inversion chair available.

However, I was contacted by the Teeter corporation and persuaded to give their product a second look. I will say that Teeter has gone above and beyond to test their table, which you can read more about here. I tried this model out at home for 30 days and I was impressed, but not convinced.

The inversion table was easy to build at home myself, easy to use, and the construction was solid. I had no fear of it breaking at all. But, the table was not as comfortable for my ankles as the gravity boots, which is a big deal. Also, there is very little room to do inverted squats or crunches. The table folds up for storage, but won’t fit under most beds.

Overall, I am still convinced that an inversion chair is best for people who want to invert alone in safe manner, while still getting the benefits of being upside down. Also, the gravity boots are far superior for inverted exercise. My final recommendation is to skip the table and go for a chair or boots.

Inversion Chair:

Health Mark Pro Inversion Chair. Just like the inversion table, don’t buy a cheap one! This specific chair is one of the only ones I found where the negative customer reviews never mentioned the quality the product. What this means is that this chair is sturdy. The quality is excellent. The reviews are great. If I were to purchase an inversion chair, it would be this one.

Gravity Boots:

Teeter Hang Ups EZ-Up Inversion System. These are the gravity boots I own, use, and love. They work beautifully and I highly recommend them. I won’t say they are perfect, but close. Also, I couldn’t find any comparable brand, so this may be your only reasonable option.

Final Recommendation:

If you can afford the space and the expense for the Health Mark Pro Inversion Chair, buy it. You get the benefits of inversion without the risk of damaging your ankles or knees. Plus, you can safely use the inversion chair by yourself, which is a huge bonus.

However, if you are a fitness junkie and want to take advantage of the inverted exercises, which I highly recommend, then the gravity boots are a great option. Once again, you need to be in good physical shape to use the gravity boots.

How to Get Started with Inversion

Inversion is whacky. It’s new, bizarre, and it will take a little while to adjust. The good news is that you will get used to the blood rushing to your head after just a few days, and the rest of your body should catch up within a couple of weeks.

• First, purchase and properly construct your inversion table, chair, or pair of gravity boots. This is a do-it-yourself project.
• Second, get dressed with loose fitting athletic clothing, snug socks, and a comfortable pair of athletic shoes. It’s important you wear the right clothing in order to make yourself as comfortable as possible.
• Third, grab a buddy and try inverting for 60 seconds. Experiment with tightening and relaxing different muscle groups to find a comfortable way to hang. The end goal is to be completely relaxed. You will have to consciously relax all of your muscles because your body will naturally tighten up.
• Fourth, after you have adjusted to hanging comfortably for one minute, try a few exercises. Swing back and forth, up and down, left and right. Try crunches, squats, push-ups, or any other movement that engages your back and core. You will have a better inversion experience if you move around more. Simply hanging lifeless will not be as effective.
• Finally, slowly increase your inversion sessions over a few weeks with the goal of getting to two, 15-minute sessions per day. This will likely take a few months to get to, so don’t rush. Inversion is fun, relaxing, and very effective.

What Questions Do You Have?

I know you have at least one question, maybe a topic I didn’t cover in this article. Contact me and I’ll be sure to find an answer for you!

Also, if you have any experience with inversion and want to share your sage advice, I’d love to hear it.