Tired of going to the gym and not seeing results? Then it’s time to make a change in your gym exercising routine towards the most effective exercises known to man. It’s time to take up inversion exercises.
Inversion therapy has been around for a while, and using inversion therapy tables is great for reducing sciatic nerve pain (sciatica), helps relieve back pain, and improves blood pressure. Nowadays, more people are using inversion exercises to gain strength that matters at the end of the day.
Give yourself the power to do things you’ve never thought you could before, moving or carrying heavier loads longer and farther than before. You can do anything with the strength you have, you just need to achieve it first.
And you can do that than with these five awesome inversion exercises. Like with inversion therapy, they’re easy to do, require little to no equipment, and give you life-changing results in no time. Just get on an inversion table and start getting the body you want. There’s no reason not to start doing these exercises today.
Let’s begin with a variation that most of you should know.
Inverted Crunch
In the fully inverted position on the table, place your hands on your chest and use your abs to lift your upper body about one-third of the way up. Gently lower yourself back into resting position, but do not relax your ab muscles.
Lift yourself back up again one-third of the way, lower, and repeat. Be sure not to strain your neck muscles or hold too much tension in the head or face, as this could give you a stress headache and other injuries. Other than that, it’s a simple exercise that strengthens the core quickly and efficiently.
Inverted Russian Twists
This is a variant of the crunch, but with more muscles worked at a higher intensity. Lay flat on your inversion table with your hands resting on your chest. Then sit up almost to the full sitting position (tension should still be held in your abs).
Twist left, so that your body faces the left side of the machine and your right oblique is worked, then face right so that your left oblique is worked. Once that is done, lower yourself once more to a flat position, but not fully, so that your abs are always engaged throughout the entire process.
15 to 20 of these should make you sore for the next couple of days, the sign that your body is changing for the better.
Inverted Squats
To get a butt that turns heads, there’s no better exercise than the squat. Without an inversion table, you’d simply stand with your feet shoulder length apart, squat as if you’re about to sit down in a chair, then return to standing position. You can alter intensity with dumbbells or other weights, but it’s a classic for killer glutes.
With an inversion table, you’d do pretty much the same thing, except now your body is inverted to fight gravity. All you have to do is hang yourself upside down from an elevated position and start squatting.
Your hamstrings and glutes will pull you up, and you’ll feel them working soon into the exercise. If you have back pain but still want to work out these muscles, then inversion will take pressure off your back and allow you to work your butt into greatness.
The initial rush of blood to your neck and head might be uncomfortable, but unless there is pain present the inversion should have no negative effects up there, only positive effects through exercise.
Inverted Leg Lifts
Yet another ab champion. This one allows you to keep your upper torso flat on the machine, so you can watch Netflix or read the news as you do this.
Laying flat on your back on the machine, press your ankles together and lift both of them up about a foot off the machine. Hover in the air for about five seconds, then slowly lower your ankles to resting position.
Do this in sets of 15 to 20, and do multiple sets throughout your workout. It’s tough, but it’s great for adding definition to the lower abs.
To increase the difficulty (as if the force of gravity wasn’t enough), you can always add ankle weights or heavy devices to your shins to add more resistance and thus work the muscle more.
Inverted Diamond Push-up
Did you think we forgot about your back and arms? Of course not! The push-up is a great, simple exercise to work those muscles until you look like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s younger, more attractive sibling.
Simple lay stomach-down on the machine, making a diamond with the tips of your thumb and pointer finger pressed together under your chest. Then push against the machine, lifting your upper body off the table.
Hold yourself up for about three seconds, then lower yourself back down. Do this in sets of ten, since even on the ground this is a tough one.
However, nothing will be better for working those backs and arms on the table. You’ll start seeing results in no time.
Importance of Stretching
Inversion exercises are great for adding resistance to your exercise routines, but be sure to stretch properly before you jump into squats or push-ups or Russian Twists. Stretching prevents injury and keeps you in tip-top shape so you can continue exercising.
There are no set exercises for stretching on an inversion table, but it’s best to do what you’d do standing regularly on the machine. You lie on the table and raise your hands above your head so you’re one straight line.
This should stretch your back muscles and loosen up your core. You can touch your toes by sitting up and reaching for them or stretch your hamstrings by lying down and raising one leg so that it’s eye level.
Do what feels natural and continue until you feel loosened and relax. After that, grab some water, take a swig of your protein shake, and start your exercises.
In conclusion
Inversion exercises are great for exercising the whole body due to its gravity-resisting properties. Do the exercises mentioned above and you’ll get that killer body you’ve always wanted in no time.
