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John Peterson
10-28-2008, 01:30 PM
Hey Friends,

Sometime ago I sent an e-mail Daily Transformation blast that extolled the benefits of "hanging" (by your hands and not your neck, although that certainly would have a tendency to elongate and decompress at least part of the spine) to decompress the spine. And truly, just simply "hanging" is a great exercise. BUT, what if one is not yet strong enough to hang? Can we still decompress the spine? And specifically, what do I mean by decompressing the spine and why? Read on Kemo Sabe, and I'll show you.


Here's the deal. Regardless of who you are, the incessant downward pull of gravity alters your anatomy, your physiology, and your intellectual and emotional responses. Due to mankind's two legged stance the constant downward pull of gravity alters our inherited physical structure. This is why we are taller in the morning than we are at night (no joke, it's easy to prove) Most of the stress of gravity on us is borne by the intervertebral discs of our balancing spine. These are the 24 small pads of fibrous cartilage which are sandwiched between every pair of our 24 vertebrae. They are literally shock absorbers designed by God to give each of us maximum mobility against every strain and stress on our spinal column.

However, our intervertebral discs (also called spinal discs) degenerate with age, due to lack of necessary nutrients, abuse(squatting with heavy weights and heavy dead lifts), and disuse. This in turn results in shrinking of the spine. So much so, that some men have been known to lose up to three or four inches in height as a result. Along with height loss comes pain due to pinched nerves and other serious health complications. Knowing this, doesn't it make sense that a conscientious program of Spinal regeneration and corrective exercise that greatly alleviates the condition is a smart thing for every man of any age to do? You bet it does. In fact, the spinal exercises that I am presenting here in "Virility 10---A Man's Guide To Super Health, Extraordinary Strength, and Maximum Lifelong Virility" should be done by every man of any age with no exceptions every single day. As a result you will look younger, feel much taller and stronger, overcome disease more easily, and be far more fascinating to others that will be amazed by your lithe, perfectly sculpted physique. So now let's look at the single best spinal decompression exercise for all men of all ages. An exercise that was recommended by three Physical Culture greats. They included Frank Rudolph Young, Paul Bragg, and Charles Atlas.

"THE RESTING BACK ARCH"

"The Resting Back Arch" is the single best exercise for lifting pressure from your spinal nerves. This is how it is done:

THE POSITION TO ASSUME ( Lie on your back, arms at sides, legs straight, toes pointed downward)

1) Take a deep breath into your chest (not abdomen) and simultaneously bend your knees and flex them to your chest.

2) Clasp them with both arms as shown in illustration (2)

3) Exhale while clasping your knees so tightly with your arms that your hips rise several inches from the floor, bed, or exercise mat. (You will feel a strong pull all through the lower two thirds of your spine; as shown in illustration 3) Now, at the same time...

4) Raise your head slightly of the ground and stretch it away form your body ( Now, you will feel a strong pull all the way from your neck and the upper part of your back all the way to your coccyx... tailbone as shown in illustration 4) Hold for a slow count of seven then release legs and return to starting position.

FREQUENCY: One set each day for ten consecutive repetitions (I personally perform this exercise twice each day; morning and night).

What this exercise accomplishes:

1) By stretching the whole back and neck while placing the muscles in a state of Dynamic Tension, it widens the space between your vertebrae, where your inter-vertebral discs lie. This encourages regeneration of shrinking intervertebral discs and allows them to thicken once again.

2) It firms and flattens the muscles of the abdomen.

3) By firming the muscles of the waistline, it also squeezes your liver liver and spleen, massages your stomach, and forces fecal matter down your bowels, combating constipation.

4) It limbers your back in a safe and natural forward bending direction.

5) the nerves in your back will be relieved of much of the unnecessary compression of your packed down vertebrae and restore the circulation of both blood and NERVE FORCE to all vital organs to a point of youthfulness when practiced daily. You will look much younger, feel more vital and alive, be far more physically attractive , actually be much younger and stronger, and overcome disease more easily. Best of all it concentrates NERVE FORCE and allows you to function at a much higher level as it multiplies concentration power.

So there you have it friends, step one toward lifelong strength and virility.

---John Peterson

P.S. This is a short excerpt from my new book Virility 10 (which I have been working simultaneously with my Ultimate Push-Ups For The awesome Physique) A man's guide to Super Health, Extraordinary Strength, and Lifelong Virility

gruntbrain
10-28-2008, 02:30 PM
Even those who are capable of hanging may wanna experiment with grip assistance so that they can prolong their hang times. With assistance I can hang for at least 5 minutes but only 2 minutes unassisted. In any case, don't let your grip limit the benefits of PROLONGED hanging

JoeJustice
10-28-2008, 02:36 PM
I do a similar move to that as part of my weekly stretching session. It feels great!

Stretchingly yours,
-Joe

GB
10-28-2008, 03:00 PM
Suggestion:

This is a great exercise and one that many of us will be adding to our personal programs. When ever a post like this (something that I’m sure I’ll use or want to reference now or later) comes along by John or any other contributor I copy and paste it to a word document and save it in a file on my computer.

Having these gems on my computer for later reference makes it much easier to locate in the future and in the event of some unexpected problem with the forum I still have my copy.

Question:

I often stop by the forum and read the posts without logging in and am not able to view photos that are posted. Is this happening to everyone else? Is this the intent? Are forum members the only ones able to view photos and attachments?

GB

govegan
10-28-2008, 03:01 PM
I've been doing a lot of hanging exercises lately, but I can still only manage about 45 seconds. Strangely enough, though, if I start to do some other exercise I can usually trick myself into going longer. So, I'll start doing some hanging leg raises or twists near the end of my time.

I remember on an episode of Arrested Development there was some sort of subplot involving the son only being good at hanging motionless from monkey bars and the narrator said something about how the President's Council on Fitness ranked static hanging as "slightly easier than the slide." I remember when I first saw that saying something to my wife about how that was crazy and that's it's actually a good exercise.

chris64
10-29-2008, 12:34 AM
My wife has begun doing this as part of her training. After sets of chin ups on a gravitron machine she goes to chin up bar and hangs for about a minute in total for 3 sets beginning with 10 knee to chest raises then just hangs. I am hoping that eventually she will be able to do chin ups. In between her sets I do my chin ups. In one exercise she builds up her functional strength, grip and abs and decompresses her spine. This takes place at a gym we are members of (till mid Feb then its goodbye to the place) where she is surrounded by people sitting on weights machines watching music videos while they "exercise".

gruntbrain
10-29-2008, 08:09 AM
Sneak in all kinds of ab moves while hanging; it MAY be the best way to work your abs/lower back

HE LIVES IN MY HEART
10-29-2008, 09:15 AM
John:

That looks like one of the exercises that Frank Rudolph Young advocated.

John Peterson
10-29-2008, 09:28 AM
Hey "He Lives In My Heart",


It most certainly is! It was also recommended by Paul Bragg and Charles Atlas. I did add my own twist to it though, and that is to: hold for a slow count of seven. But you are correct. I should have stated it's origin and will make a correction to reflect it. Thank You.

---John Peterson

kenpopaul
10-29-2008, 09:53 AM
Great post John!

I hang twice daily for up to a minute each time (sometimes 3-4 times daily) and now don't know how I lived without it!! It's worked wonders for my back trouble.

I can't wait for this new book John. With the trouble I've had with my back the past year it will be a welcome saviour!! Let me know if you need anyone to 'test it out' for you before it's printed - My back will be pleased.

Kenpopaul

stuckerj
10-29-2008, 10:11 PM
4) Raise your head slightly of the ground and stretch it away form your body

This is the part I don't quite get. What does it mean "away from your body"? I'm trying to loosen my spine, and have some neck tension as well at the moment, and don't really know what to focus on around the neck and shoulders.

Thanks for any additional info.

John Peterson
10-29-2008, 10:48 PM
Thank You Stuckerj.

It should read: 4) "Raise your head slightly off the ground and stretch it away from your body." In other words, it should feel as though you are elongating your neck.

---John Peterson

zanehaynes
11-29-2008, 11:53 PM
Hanging feels good. The first full spine crack and relax is ecstasy.

I've also been doing that Frank R. Young exercise and others for years.
I swear by his leg lifts.
Atlas suggested it too? Old world eh? Anyone know if he's still alive?
Amazing a guy like that has no website or tribute site. This group is one
of the few places online that discuss him.

Zane

NoBite
11-30-2008, 05:43 AM
Even those who are capable of hanging may wanna experiment with grip assistance so that they can prolong their hang times. With assistance I can hang for at least 5 minutes but only 2 minutes unassisted. In any case, don't let your grip limit the benefits of PROLONGED hanging

I am curious as to what you mean by "grip assistance."

mts
11-30-2008, 07:14 AM
hanging does feel good on the spine and I always get a few cracks down the line. I amost never remember to do this one with any frequency.

Can't wait for the new books. It would be great if we could order them together.

gruntbrain
12-01-2008, 08:15 AM
Nobite
Seek out some weight trainers straps or hooks to prolong your hang times. Using this type of assistance is an exaple where "cheaters can prosper". Meanwhile work your grip separately.