How to Use a Chair for Inversion Exercises
While performing exercises certainly confers benefits, there are additional rewards to be reaped by performing a similar set of exercises while inverted. An inversion chair is a piece of exercise equipment which allows you to hang partially or complete upside down, reversing gravity's effect on your body and increasing the level of challenge for a number of training exercises.
Instructions
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Perform the most basic exercise of all--inversion hangs--to relieve spinal discomfort and elongate the spinal column. Turn the chair to its maximum inverted position and hang there with your arms above your head for a predetermined length of time. Consider beginning with only five minutes, working your way up to 10 or 15 minutes as your body becomes more used to being upside down.
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Perform inversion situps after becoming comfortable with the basic hanging position. Begin with five to 10 reps per set. Increase the total number of repetitions as your muscles become stronger, working up to at least 20 or 30 reps before making the movement even more challenging by further increasing the level of inversion.
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Perform inverted situps with a twist to add a new level of challenge to your typical inversion chair routine. Perform a situp as usual. When you reach your full "up" position, hold there for a few seconds, twisting fully to the right, then to the left, to work your obliques as well as your abdominal muscles. You should be able to perform at least 20 regular situps in the full inverted position before trying this exercise to minimize your chances of muscle strain or injury. However, performing it regularly can help to take your abdominal development to an entirely new level.
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Tips & Warnings
If you have never performed inversion exercises before, start with a mild degree of inversion at first so your body can get accustomed to the position.
Strap yourself carefully into the chair, double and even triple checking the attachments to prevent a possible injury.
Have a partner/spotter on hand at all times to prevent a fall in case of equipment failure.
