Inversion Boots
In the 1980s, chiropractor and osteopath Dr. Robert M. Martin had the mainstream defying the laws of gravity and hanging upside down like Spandex-draped bats. This was thanks to his invention of inversion exercises, inversion tables and boots.
Today, you probably won't run into many pairs of inversion boots unless you happen across a set in an older sibling's fitness vault. You'll be relieved to know that inversion boots aren't a type of torturous footwear. Actually, they're used to suspend oneself upside down from a chin-up bar. This position takes advantage of the laws of gravity and is said to alleviate back pain and stress on the spine and neck by bathing the thyroid gland and the brain in blood and oxygen. I found many studies that support the claim that inversion therapy helps purge the system of lactic acid (a glucose/glycogen waste product produced in the muscles during intense exercise) and lymphatic-waste buildup, while at the same time increasing the metabolism and strengthening the immune system.
Today, inversion therapy is still used as a post-workout regime by some athletes, and prescribed by osteopaths to back pain sufferers, but in all honesty, I don't know how crazy I am about having blood pool in my brain (I mean I get dizzy enough trying to do a cartwheel). However, I defy the laws of gravity all the time in order to get most out of traditional exercises. One example can be noted when I perform abdominal crunches or leg lifts on an incline/decline bench. In this case, gravity puts more emphasis on the contraction of my abdominal muscles and doubles my results.
Personally, I'm happy sticking with my incline bench, but if you feel like trying something new and have the extra cash you can find a complete inversion system with boots and rack starting for about $150 online.
