Morning Workout #3

Inversion Boot Hang

Fitness is about growing and evolving, which is why I have recently changed up my workout routines. The workout I would do immediately after my Hanging Shoulder Exercise is a session of timed inversion boot hanging. I would do this in different timed increments. I would start with a 3 minute round, wait 6 minutes, then do a 6 minute round, wait 9 minutes, and then finish it up with a 9 minute round! I have altered my morning workouts though, flowing them together better. I still start out with the Wim Hof Method Breathing Exercise, which I will feature in a later post. After that it's onto the first 30 second round of the hanging shoulder exercise. Immediately following that 30 second round, I clip on The Inversion Boots, and hang myself upside down for the first 3 minute round. After the first 3 minute round of inversion boot hanging, I then head right back over for round two of hanging! 

Now that you know the layout, I will get into the details of the different positions that I do while I am hanging upside down in the inversion boots. Most of these positions do not take place during the first 3 minute round. There just isn't enough time for it in this round. It is mostly spent in Position #1, and a little bit of Position #2. The rest of the positions take place in the longer 6 minute round of hanging.

Position #1

Elongate

Once I get myself upside down, I first start out by focusing on elongating the spine and stretching my head towards the floor. This position really helps decompress the spine, ankles, knee joints, hip joints, neck and more! While I start stretching I always feel my lower back crack and adjust in just the right spot that was troubling me. This is also when I really feel a good stretch in my legs. I alternate flexing my leg muscles while I get my ankles and knees to decompress. This feels great after the long day of being on them the day before. Now that my ankles, legs, knees and hips are feeling stretched and decompressed. I really focus on elongating and stretching my neck. As I am stretching and pushing my head towards the floor, I feel my neck pop and decompress in the areas that have been causing me pain. 

Position #2

Upside Down Squats

Now that my body feels decompressed and adjusted, I start to do some upside down squats as slowly as I possibly can. Slow with resistance on the way up, and slow with resistance on the way back down. This really gets the blood flowing in my hamstrings, quads, calves and glutes. I really like to focus on this one on Leg Day. On non-leg days I typically do just a few reps (3), on leg day I do (3-6) reps.

Position #3

Abdominal Stretch

Following the upside down squats I switch my focus to my core. I start by twisting to my left (pictured above) engaging my core and abdominal muscles in an abdominal stretch. I hold this stretch for around 30 seconds, then twist to my right and repeat. As I switch sides, I make sure I do it slowly with control and resistance. On Chest/Core Day I may repeat this position for some extra core work.

Position #4

Lower Back Stretch

After I get some blood pumping in my abdominals and stretch my core really well, I switch my focus to my lower back. Hanging upside down with these Inversion Boots really enables you to get a deep lower back stretch & back bend. I often stretch back to this position while I am doing hanging sit-ups on Chest/Core Day to really take the workout to another level!

Position #5

Leg Stretch

The last position I am going to focus on in this blog post is the leg stretch position. I save this for the end, before I dismount from the Bar. After the lower back, back bend position, I slowly sit-up engaging my core on the way. Once I have fully sat up, I pull my face towards my knees and sink into a deep leg stretch. I hold this for about 30 seconds, lower myself down, sit back up and repeat!

The Dismount

Now that all the positions are done and both the 3 minute and 6 minute rounds have been completed. It’s time to get the heck down and let the blood flow back down to my feet! You get quit the head rush towards the end of the 6 minute round. That’s also when my ankles are telling my they need out! This ends the inversion boot hang portion of my morning workouts. If you haven't already, be sure to check out my blog post on the hanging shoulder exercise and keep an eye out for that post on the Wim Hof Method Breathing Exercise post that will be coming!