Your backbone is perhaps the most essential structure in your body, hence it is critical to take care of it. Your vertebral column get loads of compression from everyday activities, gravity and general life. Plus the added compression you give it with strength training and you better start decompressing it.

Backbone health is really important, and I’m willing to bet that nearly everyone of you have back trouble presently. I myself hurt my lower back more or less a year ago, and this is one of the methods I utilized to regain it to 99% (yet occasionally gets tight or sore). I’ll do a comprehensive post on why you have back trouble and how to correct it soon. Meanwhile, read this without further ado.

What you want to do is follow an easy decompression process that helps to keep your spinal column well and mobile by helping it decompress to its original length.

Here’s all you need to know…

How To Perform Spine Decompressions

You’ll need a pull-up bar to perform your decompressions. As soon as you have that piece of equipment, there’s two ways to do this:

1. Obtain Gravity Boots: This is the process that I utilize. These are boots that you bind onto your ankles and have hooks on them so you can hang upside down from your pullup bar securely and allow your backbone to decompress. I make use of Teeter Hang Ups Gravity Boots. An extra bonus is that with these boots I can perform upturned sit ups for my abs and other cool “upside down” exercises.

2. Hang With Your Hands: This is simple. Basically hang from your pull-up bar and loosen all your muscles-hold it for as long as possible. The longer you hang the better shoot for no less than 5 minutes and build up from there. You most likely can’t hang that long, so here’s

How To Hang On Longer With Your Hands

The longer you hang the better, yet your grip will almost certainly give out. Even though I would never advise using lifting straps for your typical lifting, I recommend them for decompressions for it will allow you to hold longer. Go for nylon-type lifting straps or lifting hook straps as they’re more durable.

How To Ease Your Muscles So Your Backbone Decompresses

Your muscles need to be relaxed in order for your spine to decompress (staying tight won’t help). Here’s what to do whether you’re using the gravity boots method or the hanging from your hands method:

* Come down the pull-up bar

* Take a deep breath and sustain it

* Tighten up your whole body (focus on abs, glutes and make fists)

* Keep your whole body tight for 5 secs

* Release it all, your breath and the entire tightness. Kick back

When you do this you’ll sense your whole body relaxing and you’ll most likely “drop” down a bit. You’ll probably feel your back decompressing, particularly the first few times.

How Often You Should Decompress

Every day is great. Though I have to admit that I don’t do it day by day always. But you certainly should aim to do it as much as possible. If you get tired hanging upside down you can read a book or something. It’s great to do these right after your strength training sessions, right after your settle down-think of it as a part of your cooldown.