Inversion tables (& other back tips)?

[ManVsIron]

I registered mainly to ask this question, hopefully it's in the right forum here...

Anyway, I don't have 'back problems' per se, but the issue is that I'm approaching a weight that's nearly 100 lbs heavier than my DNA expected me to be when it built my frame. Bones do become more dense, and actually grow thicker (very slowly) over the years as a result of the natural HGH stimulated from heavy weight training. But muscles of course grow much faster. Anyway, I'm not built like a powerlifter as far as my skeletal system goes... which is perfect for BB, actually. And, I do have some concerns.

Since I started training again in 2009, after almost a decade away from serious weight training, I've reach a point where I realize that I'm taxing my spine every time I do certain heavy exercises. Like standing calf under the Smith machine (getting into position), and barbell shrugs. Not to mention dumbbell shrugs, etc. My barbell squat is not exactly super-heavy, and I don't foresee any issues with that exercise, actually. But on certain other exercises, I go pretty damn heavy. I have to, to stimulate growth.

When I was 18 y/o, right after I graduated boot camp (where your posture is ridiculously perfect for 3 months straight), I was measured barefoot at 6'5". Normally I was/ have always been ~6'4"ish. Today I am exactly 6'3". Barely. I was shocked when I measured that the other day.

I'm trying to keep my core and lower back muscles as strong as I can, but there's no doubt I'm getting top-heavy, relative to what my frame was expecting me to weigh. And I feel it after prolonged periods of sitting. I really can't get comfortable when I have to sit for long periods. I could just stand all the time... but that's not really practical.

So, I'm thinking one of these inversion table things would be absolutely perfect for me. Never tried one. But my instincts are just telling me that I need to take some weight off my spine so that it can recover & grow stronger. Lying down in bed is fine, but I think going fully inverted and getting the full stretch would be even better. Supposedly the discs of the spine expand... more surface area... better inflow of blood/nutrition, etc. Plus they're not under load whatsoever and can thus actually grow and heal. I hope they make these things strong enough for my weight. Anything you all can submit on this subject, as well as any other related back/spine tips, would be appreciated. For example, if the whole thing is one big placebo, I'd like to know about that. Hopefully not the the case, though.

[Tyciol]

There could be an element of placebo involved (much like with anything) but it's not entirely placebo, no. Traction is real and does have real effects. I'm just not sure how much.

One thing I want to point out: this whole "not under load and can actually grow and heal" thing. Most of your healing (I'm not sure if you expect your discs to grow as opposed to re-inflate from this? I don't think it happens...) will probably still be done while you sleep. For the most part, especially as someone heavy and new to inversion, you won't be inverted for long enough periods for much healing to be happening. It's at first actually a new kind of stress on the body (different from compressive stress of course) which you'll be adapting to.

It's something you can do after you're done the days lifting, as part of a stretching routine before bed and stuff like that.

If you want to do full inversion, I hope you can find a table with safety straps, they stop the table at degrees short of partial inversion. You can still get decompression benefits from being at these angles, especially if you have a nylon bed because there's little friction and you can easily slide down it as you decompress. Some of the newer beds (by teeter) are rubber so I imagine you don't slide as easily, but you can still walk your scapulae down, it'd just be a little more awkward.

The benefits to stopping at partial inversion angles is that it's less of a blood rush, less stress on the ankles and you can do it for longer periods of time and focus on relaxing and slowly getting accustomed to it. The strap I got with my teeter has 3 different lengths which I try out now and then. Even when you fully invert, instructions are usually to stop at partial angles before and after full so that the change is not too dramatic too fast.

If there's an option for the bigger arms, I'd recommend getting them, they're good especially for full inversion if you are having trouble getting upright again. That's because it will be trickier to properly shift the weight towards the feet again once you're stretched.

waste of money.

Waste is subjective. Feel free to tell the army they're wasting their money btw: http://www.teeter-inversion.com/teeter-Military.asp

unless you want more blood in your head for a while like a headstand.

That's actually the part I dislike the most, though the makers usually try to tout benefits about it. I do find you get used to it after a while though... but one thing I never get used to is the acid reflux. If you lack tight eso****ual sphincters like I do, consider investing in some Tums to avoid burning your throat because gravity pulls that crap like a vomit sometimes and it's kind of annoying.

best stretch you can do is hands/knees on floor, hands slightly in front of you, and slowly sit back and down until your face is on the ground and your butt is on your heels. your arms at this point will be stretched out in front of you. try to bend your feet all the way instead of being on your toes.

The heck is that supposed to do? That's not going to help to stretch out your hip flexors bro. Arching your back (or having your bro push it for you) while hanging with traction can though.

That said: the benefits of traction can also be had by hanging by your hands from a pull up bar (pavel has a free PDF on dragon door telling how to do this) or by using ab slings (they sell these on perfectonline) or hanging from a captain's chair or dip bar. These non-inverted upper body dangling tractions also benefit the hips/lower back without all the issues regarding blood rush or reflux. The one thing it doesn't do is decompress the neck, but you can do that if you kick upside down on a pull up bar and hang like that, or do so on a back extension machine.

An i-table is just one other option, basically.

Also, I hate the chicks on the shopping channel who hawk it because they're all "inversion takes the load off you". No, it doesn't, it's the traction that does. There are plenty of ways to invert that don't involve traction on most of the spine, like the headstand you mentioned, hanging upside down from chin bar with hands like I mentioned, handstand (though I guess a handstand might decompress your neck, I'm not sure).