Customer Reviews

Ironman Gravity 1000 Inversion Table

5 star:		(175)
4 star:		(76)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I received a manual and detailed instructions for assembly. My husband and I spent about 45 mins putting it together - I wouldn't say it was real easy, but it wasn't rocket science. This inversion table is built solid - it doesn't appear to be "cheap". As soon as I got on it, I felt a difference in my lower back. I have a herniated disc between L4-L5. I wasn't sure that an inversion table would provide much "decompression" or traction. The stretch I felt in my lower back was immediate, and it felt very similar to the stretch I felt when I had DTS (like a VAX-D machine) at my chiropractor's office. The DTS machine is expensive and the most you can use it is three times a week, but you can use the inversion table several times a day if you have the time. However, you can't stay inverted for long - I can't imagine ever being inverted for more than 10 mins at a time, and I only stayed inverted for a few minutes each time. It only makes sense that if you feel funny, sit up/stand up on the machine for a few minutes until you feel normal and then try again for less time.

The big drawback of this and most other inversion tables is that getting out of the inverted position requires you to bend at the waist and sit up - maybe there is a better way to do this, but it doesn't really seem that you can control the rate at which you sit up. For me, sitting up like this after my lower back has been stretched/pulled, is uncomfortable - but with my herniated disc its expected for me to have discomfort when I bend or twist. I know that there are inversion tables out there that have more sophisticated "righting" mechanisms, but they are at least 3x as much as this one. I think this device is a great price - perfect for some one trying inversion therapy for the first time. I don't know if after using this table for a few weeks, I'll notice long-term improvement or if it will just provide temporary relief. I will post again after a 3-4 weeks to say whether I think its significantly improved my back condition or not.

Very sturdy table. Easy to assemble. It has really helped with my back problems.
I took two stars away from my rating because:
1) it does not fold up very easily and takes up a lot of space and
2) the ankle locks are not very comfortable. I found that if I wear sneakers that have a heavily padded tongue and upper that it is not as bad.
If I had to purchase again, I would spend more and find a model that has more comfortable ankle locks.

Having purchase both the Teeter Hangup (one of the most popular inverters) and this Ironman, I will try to make a comparison.

I purchased the Teeter Hangup table for my personal use. Very satisfied except that the leg clamps at the bottom are not nearly as comfortable as the Ironman. I am 6'4" and weigh 220, so that may be an issue. My wife does not have any discomfort at all.

My daughter and her husband really liked the benefits of inversion after using our Teeter (they find no discomfort either). But because of the leg clamp issue I researched other alternatives.

As a result we purchased this Ironman for them as a gift and it is a LOT more comfortable for me at the ankles and feet than the Teeter type leg clamps. Otherwise, the construction is equivalent in quality.

Other differences to consider:

Teeter allows the table to move further from your back when fully inverted. This allows more freedom to do more exercises without bumping the back.

Another thing you may want to consider is the ease of folding and moving to another place or for storage. The Teeter is easier, as the Ironman requires a wrench; the teeter does not.

The last difference to consider is that the foot rest on the Teeter is easier to adjust, an issue if more than one person uses it and they are significantly different in height and/or weight. The Ironman requires a wrench, the Teeter does not. It is more an issue for the Teeter because the leg clamps are not as comfortable as the Ironman, as I stated earlier, and both need to be adjusted for a proper and comfortable fit.

All in all, if I would have to do it again, I would buy the Ironman for myself. It was about $180 cheaper at the time. You could buy two Ironman Inverters for the price of a Teeter! The slight inconveniences of the Ironman over the Teeter would not warrant this price difference to me, because the leg clamps of the Ironman are significantly more comfortable.

As for the health benefits here, I do not think they are overstated. After a long day on my feet, or just exercising, it literally makes me feel like new. I feel "decompressed," and have more bounce in my joints. I feel more flexible. It allows me to recover from an activity faster.

My daughter, who trains for marathons, says that after a long training run, she feels so much better after inverting, recovers faster, and does not have any back or joint issues like she did before. She just ran the Pittsburgh Marathon, and the first thing she did when she got home was to "hang." She claims immediate relief and faster recovery time.

So no matter which inverter you get, it is an easy way (5-10 min) to feel sooooo much better. I can't recommend this activity more highly.

This is my first inversion table and I chose it because of the price and 300# rating. It is extremely well constructed and amazyling sturdy. Given the fact it is one of the cheaper ones on here, I did not expect it to be such a great product. I would defenitely recommend this to anyone whether experienced or new to inversion tables.

I received my inversion table as a gift. Assembly was fairly easy and I had it together and ready for use in less than 30 minutes.

After the first time I used it, I felt the benefits. My entire body felt much more flexible. I can only imagine how I'll feel after using it for an extended period of time. I plan to incorporate inversion therapy as part of my daily workout.

Great choice for anyone looking for an inexpensive way to get into inversion therapy. I can't imagine getting anything better at two or three times the cost.

Mine came with directions and was easy to assemble. The directions were fairly clear. I really like the finish on the unit more than a plain chrome one. I was surprised it came with all the tools required for assembly.

Still getting used to inverting, but adjustments are simple and fast. Seems to be just as nice as some more expensive models. The only negative is you have to break down the unit some for storage.

I received my table in the time line promised. There was some assembly required, no big deal. The table seems to be of high quality. My only issue is the ankle cuff/holders. For me they are uncomfortable so I am only able to stay on the table for about 2 minutes or so. Would like to hear if anyone has a suggestion on how to make these more comfortable so I can use the table longer to experience the benefits.

My wife and I recently purchased the Ironman 1000 from Amazon and received it in less than a week. Assembly was easy and the machine is very solidly built. My wife and I had experienced lower back pain, before getting the Ironman, and had been to the chiropractor a few times for adjustments. I have also had a pinched nerve in my left leg for about 3-4 months. I am 51 years old and have noticed after using the Ironman for less than a week have gained 3/8 of an inch in height. Our backs feel great and no longer have the pinched nerve problem. We now feel that we have more freedom of movement without pain and our backs are getting back to normal. Thanks Ironman for a wonderful product!

I got this inversion table for my wife in hope that it will ease her back pain. It arrived 3 days. One of the plastic pieces was broken ,I first called Amazon and they were very helpful than I called the manufacturer and they were very helpful. within a few days I had the replacement part for no additional charges. The machine is easy to put together and very easy to use. My wife enjoys it tremendously and her back pain is relieved.
Great inversion table for a great price.

The Ironman Gravity Inversion Table is certainly constructed of high quality materials. The backrest can easily be tightened, the height and tilt can be adjusted to almost any level, and the pull up bars are easily accessible. My back stretched out comfortably (I am 5'8" average weight), I lengthened and always felt in control of my tilt.

Unfortunately for me, the ankle cuffs leave much to be desired. The cuffs are of very hard (think car bumper) rubberlike material which seems to pull on instead of cushion my ankles. The distance of the foot rest to the ankle clamps is - even at its closest adjustable distance - too far up my leg to clamp sufficiently tightly around my ankles, so that on inversion they pull on the top of my feet rather than my ankles. This is rather uncomfortable. The cuffs also do not open very wide to accommodate the "larger" sizes (a friend of 6' 2" and about 200 lbs. had some difficulty inserting his feet through the sides).

As others state, wearing shoes and double pairs of socks does afford more comfort. However, I still can spend only a limited time even in 3/4 inversion before my ankles call for release. In the past I tried other inversion tables, and the ones with more padded ankle cuffs allowed me to stay inverted for 20 minutes or more (with breaks to straighten up once in a while of course).

I kept the Ironman 1000 table for its price, since the cost to dismantle it, get it to the post office and mail it were not worth the effort for the residual reimbursement. Also I am writing this since I was not aware of the extent of discomfort possible even though I read these other reviews. My mistake.