How about just hanging from a pull-up bar with a pronated grip just outside shoulder width apart? It also serves to stretch the shoulders if hanging relaxed (dead hang), and strengthens the grip. Win-win all around.
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Has anybody ever "thrown their back out"?
- Thread starter Baron
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Yeah, but you head being weightless is beneficial. Also you don’t have your traps activated when inverted.
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I've never used an inversion table, so I can't comment on it. But I'm not sure I like the idea of being upside down for any length of time; I heard to can be risky.
In my own case, I bought a Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym doorway pull-up bar expressly for my lower back and (left) shoulder, which I injured outside the gym. I only use it for dead hangs since I work out at the gym.
Since posting my earlier comment, I found this site citing the benefits of a dead hang:
https://theworkoutdigest.com/dead-hang-exercise/
Seems like a pretty good multi-purpose alternative, no? At least for the lower back if perhaps not quite so much the upper.
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Sure, but the inversion takes all the load off of the CNS. Dead hang is beneficial.
Okay, that makes sense.
Just one thing about hanging off of a doorway pull-up bar: it's not high enough off the ground to hang straight down without touching the ground with your feet. I just watched the ~3-minute video on the site I posted earlier about the benefits of a dead hang, and disagree with the guy, who suggests bending your knees so that the feet are off the ground. I tried that when I first got the bar for purposes of hanging. But when I bend my knees to clear the ground, my lower back is not completely relaxed. I find that just letting my feet be on the ground either behind me or in front of me (but not exactly below me) works better at getting a relaxed stretch. And I can hold on even longer. So while I do pull-ups and chins with my knees at a 90-degree angle, I don't think this is the best bet for a dead hang on a doorway bar.
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It's hell getting old 
That's why I no longer do squats after seeing too many screw their backs up forever.
I once hurt my back and had pain for a few years when I was young, dumb and full of
No matter what I did nothing seemed to help
But an old timer told me to try sleeping on the floor on my back. Did it for about a week and I haven't hurt sense. A friend was also telling me he hurt his back and got some kind of massage with cbd oil and it was like a miracle the next day.
That's why I no longer do squats after seeing too many screw their backs up forever.
I once hurt my back and had pain for a few years when I was young, dumb and full of
No matter what I did nothing seemed to help
But an old timer told me to try sleeping on the floor on my back. Did it for about a week and I haven't hurt sense. A friend was also telling me he hurt his back and got some kind of massage with cbd oil and it was like a miracle the next day.
A few years back I sneezed.
And my lower back on one side was killing me.
After 3 days I was sure it was kidney related. I was dying.
Went to the hospital. They laughed and said ‘back pain’. Suck it up buttercup.
A few days later - it was gone. But it was brutal.
Inversion is good but I could only handle so much blood running to my head.
Keep pounding at the gym. I once hurt my knee skiing and the doctor said I needed surgery - I crushed it at the gym instead and the pain went away after a few weeks.
And my lower back on one side was killing me.
After 3 days I was sure it was kidney related. I was dying.
Went to the hospital. They laughed and said ‘back pain’. Suck it up buttercup.
A few days later - it was gone. But it was brutal.
Inversion is good but I could only handle so much blood running to my head.
Keep pounding at the gym. I once hurt my knee skiing and the doctor said I needed surgery - I crushed it at the gym instead and the pain went away after a few weeks.
Sounds like a happy ending.