Before I get going with my review...If you don’t have much time to read and would really like to get your hands on the Teeter EP-950 in a hurry, simply click here for ordering information.
Also, if you prefer viewing videos instead of reading text, you can skip directly to the videos that I have included in this page for you by clicking on these links: results of independent safety tests of various brands, ease of use, back-pain relief and posture improvement and inversio for the athlete.
I have lived with certain pressure points in my back since childhood when I was diagnosed with scoliosis - a sideways S-curvature of the spine.
Over the years, I have used a combination of tools, therapies and approaches - from massage to acupuncture, swimming and yoga - to relieve these pressure points and ease the pains and aches that usually go with them.
Recently I realized that inversion therapy is something that I could actually do at home with my own reasonably-priced equipment, so I went online to research on what's new about this field and find out the optimum home inversion equipment for my needs.
My search finally led me to the Teeter Hang Ups EP-950 Inversion Table, one of the most popular models of inversion products, named after its creator and company founder Roger Teeter. It is the top of the line for Teeter's EP-series, with more features than the more basic EP-550 and the EP-850.
The more I researched though, the more I realized that buying one based on price alone could lead to problems later on; in fact it could even be downright dangerous.
I also learned that there are certain things one needs to consider before buying an inversion table:
- Most importantly, the product must have been independently tested and proven to be completely safe and secure - a critical requirement for a piece of equipment that has you hanging upside down secured only at the ankles.
- It must be proven to be durable and able to withstand years, even decades, of regular use - you buy it once and use it for a Lifetime.
- It must be easy and comfortable to use, kind to your ankles, thus encouraging you to use it regularly.
- It must have a bed that provides good support yet is flexible enough to allow you to move freely so that you can maximize the benefits of your stretches - easier said than done, as this actually requires breakthrough technology to achieve.
- It must allow you to pre-set the inversion angle and give you the ability to control the speed of rotation, a very important requirement especially when you are just starting and trying to get the hang of inversion.
- It must be balanced precisely so you can comfortably control oscillation, alternating between inversion and ascent with complete ease, whether your height is 4 foot 8 inches or 6 foot 6 in. or anything in between.
- It must be easy to assemble and quick to fold for storage, saving you lots of time and space in your home.
- Finally, it is a big plus if the equipment is produced by someone who is passionate about inverting because he has personally experienced the benefits that it can bring.
So stay with me as I share what I have discovered in my research and explain each of these important points in relation to the Teeter Hang Ups EP-950.
Since you will be hanging upside down against the force of gravity, clamped only by the ankles, you would want to be fully confident that your inversion table is strong enough to support your full height and weight.
As Teeter says, "If a treadmill breaks, that could be annoying. But if your inversion table breaks apart, that could hurt you."
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| Solid Guarantee Of Safety |
With this in mind, the manufacturers of the EP-950 firmly believe that quality is the most important thing they can offer consumers who want to buy this machine that needs to hold them upside down.
In fact, the Teeter EP-series Inversion Table is the only inversion table brand currently in the market certified to UL 60601-1 Medical Grade Standards. This standard categorizes medical equipment for use in a clinical setting and is a rigorous specification that tests a unit in its extreme-use positions.
Unlike most fitness products, inversion tables are not required to meet any mandatory structural or performance requirements. However, Teeter has voluntarily put its EP-950 through the rigorous specifications for Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) 60601-1 and passed the tests with flying colors.
And who is Underwriters Laboratories? It is "an independent, not-for-profit product safety testing and certification organization (which has) tested products for public safety for more than a century."
Watch the video below titled "Superior Quality Of Teeter Hangups" to see for yourself how all Teeter Hangups inversion tables are tested to the limit and how they compare with 6 of the other most widely distributed inversion tables. The tests shown are both by UL as well as Dynamark Engineering, a state-licensed non-biased engineering firm.
- Results Of Safety Tests
During repetitive endurance tests, Teeter outperforms its nearest competitor by 39,000 test cycles, which is equivalent to 50 years of everyday use of the equipment by a two-person family.
Every test of a table from competing manufacturers ended in structural failure, resulting in broken or bent metal, with the only exception being the Teeter tables.
Many cheaper models failed structurally at very low weights, including one that started to buckle under the weight of a 190-pound person. Teeter on the other hand was able to withstand up to 1440 lbs, or more than 4 times its specified tolerance.
These engineering tests have shown that Teeter inversion tables surpass competing brands on every measure of quality, durability, ease of use and functionality.
Teeter is always looking for ways to improve the quality and design of their tables and has implemented more than 70 upgrades from the 1983 original, to make sure that you will never have to worry about your safety when using their equipment.
Click Here Now To Check Out The Teeter Ep-950 Inversion Table.
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| Wider Feet For Greater Stability |
Following are more features incorporated into the EP-950 to assure your safety:
- Stable Base (plus additional protection against floor slippage): The corner feet increase the A-frame base by 20 percent and minimize sliding on hard surfaces such as hardwood or tile flooring.
- Unique and Patented Security Features: Auto-locking Hinges, cam locks, and heat-treated steel parts make this equipment more secure and more reliable.
Update!
Now Teeter is the only brand to meet the NEW UL 1647 standard, designed specifically to evaluate inversion tables by simulating "real world" usage, testing important safety points including:
- Cycle Testing: At least 30,000 repetitions required.
- Weight Load testing: Must be able to bear at least 4 times the maximum rated user weight for a minimum 400% safety margin.
- Ankle Closure Endurance Testing: Must be able to withstand at least 30,000 repetitions.
- Top-Speed Rotation Testing: To ensure safety under extreme use.
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| Easy To Reach Ankle Lock |
The EP-950, with its Ergo-Embrace Ankle SystemTM, is ankle-friendly where it counts most. It has ankle straps made of foam and curved to fit snugly, plus a dial that easily adjusts your ankle clamps so you are safely and comfortably secured whether you have smaller or larger feet. The patented ankle closure system ensures that body weight is distributed comfortably around the foot and heel.
It employs an easy-to-reach Ratchet Ankle Lock System that click-locks your ankle strap setting in one direction as you try to adjust it to your most comfortable and secure position. This is in addition to its triple lock security feature.
Other features that make the EP-950 a pleasure to use are:
- A de-rattler knob and specialized pivot bearings ensure a squeak and rattle-free rotation.
- The Over EZTM Handles, which are larger padded support handles which make it much easier to go into inversion as well as when you ascend.
This home inversion table is Safe, Comfortable and Easy To Use. It is conducive to relaxing those tight, tired muscles; and encourages regular exercising as it becomes more easily incorporated into your daily life. Check out the video below to see exactly how:
- Easy To Use
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Teeter uses its patented Flex Technology, with a new, flexible, plastic bed surface that twists and moves with you, rather than holding you back as what happens with rigid, padded beds - thus encouraging a greater range of motion than tables from other brands.
This is important, because moving your body while inverted promotes better realignment and muscle relaxation.
It has a smooth texture that offers low friction against your inverted body, enabling you to slide easily and achieve a premium stretch, plus an adjustable head pillow for added comfort.
No Tear, No Stain Construction: Flex Technology is built to be far more durable than the average nylon or vinyl beds which cannot withstand wear and tear for long. The easy-to-clean surface means that you will always have a pristine-looking Teeter EP-950 even after years of use.
With the EP-950 you have full control of the pace of your inverting as this table allows you to stop at a desired pre-set angle and modify the speed of your rotation by simply moving your arms.
This is important as each person will have a preferred angle and speed depending on how long they've been using the table, their fitness level and inverting goals.
The only inversion table on the market that can be modified with accessories, the EP-950 comes with a restraining body strap that lets you pre-set exact rotation angles at 20, 40, or 60 degrees. As you become more advanced in your use of the EP-950, you will of course be able to hang at 90 degrees - that is, fully vertical - to get the maximum stretch.
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| Pushing On The Traction Handles |
EZ StretchTM Traction Handles. If you want an even deeper stretch, you can push on these handles for greater traction, and they also allow you to swing back and forth - they also help you to return upright from full inversion with just a gentle push. (The traction handles come as standard with the EP-950, optional upgrade for other Teeter models).
Note To Total Beginners: You may want to have another person around as you get used to inverting, perhaps starting at a gentle angle of 15-30 degrees before going for the higher degrees.
Here are some inversion degree guidelines you may find useful:
20 - 30 degrees: At this angle, you experience mild stretching to your joints and muscles. It can also lead to improved circulation, more efficient lymph waste removal, improved oxygen flow to the head and repositioning of internal organs.
60 degrees: A medical study has found that a pull of 60% of the patient's body weight is needed to decompress the lumbar spine. This pull roughly equates to 60 degrees on a Teeter EP-950 and is the angle in which your spine can fully decompress.
90 degrees: This angle is not required to achieve full decompression of the spine. It will allow you, however, to do inverted exercises and stretching while hanging freely. You can try hanging for short periods of time to make sure you can tolerate this angle.
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Engineering tests show that Teeter inversion tables are the most precisely balanced among their competitors.
With this excellent design, very little effort is required for controlled oscillation, thus encouraging fluid movement in the joints, and it allows secure lockout in full inversion when doing more advanced stretches and exercises.
You can easily adjust the "balance point", depending on your height and build, so that the fulcrum is right at your center of gravity, thus controlling inversion and ascent with very little movement on your part. The image on the right shows the simple mechanism for this adjustment.
The EP-950 is 90% pre-assembled when delivered. While other brands tested by Dynamark Engineering required 71 minutes to assemble on average, the EP-950 was reported to need 13 minutes of assembly time.
One of the main reasons for this is that Teeter Hangups only have 25% of the number of parts for assembly compared to its competitors.
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| Easy To Fold And Store |
The EP-950 folds in just a few seconds to 28" x 16" x 66" (71 x 41 x 168 cm), saving you a lot of time as well as space in your home. See image to the left to see how small a footprint it does have.
When deciding on a product, sometimes it helps to know who the people are behind it. What led them to create it, and can you trust them to continue to care that their product serves the interests of their customers?
From chronic back pain at 40 to feeling great at 70...Roger Teeter was a Boeing engineer who suffered from chronic back pain when he was in his 40s. He has applied his engineering expertise since 1981 to create and continuously improve inversion tables known for their quality and comfort.
Now in his 70s and without the back pain, Teeter reports feeling fully relaxed and rejuvenated as ever.
More importantly for you, having personally experienced how inversion can significantly improve people's lives, Roger continues to be very passionate about making sure that his products are the best that the market can offer.
Perhaps you are searching for information on "inversion tables" because of a specific condition that you want to alleviate - lower back pain for example.
But you might be interested to know that Teeter Hangups are able to help improve a variety of conditions, which may apply to yourself or to a friend or family member. If you want to learn more about these, read the boxed information following, otherwise you can simply skip over it by clicking this link or you can even go directly to the order page.
Regular inversion has the dual action of rehabilitation and prevention. Here’s a list of possible benefits:
Gain A Healthier, Pain-Free Back
As pressure is taken off damaged or still healthy spinal discs, they are allowed to lengthen and become infused with nutrients that help in their repair or continued health.
It has been reported that the U.S. Army Physical Fitness School plans to include inversion into their worldwide physical training regimen to prevent compression fatigue joint injuries.
Reduce Pressure On Pinched Nerves That May Lead To Sciatic Pain
Passageways for nerve roots are opened up by inversion.
At the Newcastle Hospital in England patients who were told they needed sciatic operations were divided into two groups. The first group added inversion to their regular physiotherapy exercises, while the second group did not. Patients from the first group were found to be 70.5% less likely to require surgery.
Improve Your Posture
This is achieved through spinal traction which is the process of applying force through body weight, weights, and pulleys to draw apart the vertebrae of the spine.
This progressive decompression and realignment of the weight-bearing skeleton and back muscles can be made possible by applying a traction force of at least 60% of a person’s body weight, roughly equal to inverting at an angle of 60% on an inversion table like the EP-950.
Relieve Stress and Fatigue
Inversion lowers your heart rate, reducing muscle tension and providing the "perfect" full body stretch as you do nothing more than hang upside down.
One study has found that muscle tension activity declined 35% within 10 seconds of inverting. This was monitored through an EMG or electromyogram which graphically records electric currents associated with muscle contractions.
Get Rid Of Wastes In Your Body And Improve Blood Circulation
Unlike oxygenated blood that is pumped out by the heart, lymphatic fluid carrying body wastes and toxins back to the chest are transported upwards via one-way valves through alternating muscular contraction and relaxation. When the body is inverted, the simple force of gravity helps push this lactic fluid up the chest and accelerates the removal of wastes.
Nourish The Brain By Increasing Oxygen Flow
It has been pointed out that the onset of senility may be postponed or avoided by simply keeping the brain well-supplied with oxygen. Inversion provides oxygen to the brain which makes up only three percent of the body's weight but consumes 25 percent of the body's oxygen intake.
Reduce The Effects Of Aging Caused By Gravity
You can keep your original height by inverting regularly. Because water content in the spinal discs decreases from 90% in a baby to 70% by age 70, most people can shrink 1/ 2" to 2" (1-5 cm) in height over their lifetime due to thinning discs.
Regular inversion may also help prevent a sagging midsection and ease the strain on prolapsed internal organs which have moved downward over the years due to the constant force of gravity.
- Relieve Back Pain
* Height capacity: 4'8" - 6'6" (142 - 198 cm)
* Weight capacity: 300 lbs (136 kgs)
* Assembled dimensions: 83" x 27" x 59" (210.8 x 68.6 x 149.9cm)
* Packaged dimensions: 50.5" x 30.5 x 8" (128.3 x 77.5 x 20.3cm)
* Packaged weight: 78 lbs (35.4 kgs)
You can buy the Teeter Hang Ups EP-950 from the Amazon website for $399, which is much lower than an already very competitive and consistent list price of $459.95. The EP-950 also ships for free with Amazon's super saver shipping deal.
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Included in the package are:
* A laminated Owner's Manual attached to the frame for quick reference
* An instructional DVD on the correct assembly and use of the equipment.
The DVD also includes Five Healthy Back Routines, a series of stretches and exercises, each lasting ten to fifteen minutes, presented by Dr. Shawn, a chiropractor and a fitness professional, and herself someone who has recovered from a nasty car accident through inversion therapy. These are the following:
* Good Morning (wake up and warm up your spine)
* Strength & Stretch (build your core muscles)
* Posture Correction (look better and function better)
* Gym Ball (specialized core building class)
* Inversion Table (to receive max benefits from your Teeter)
Yes, the Teeter Hang Ups EP-950 includes a 5 year warranty, unparalleled in the industry. It extends to the owner a repair and replacement warranty against manufacturing defects in materials, workmanship, fabrics and padding.
The EP-950 has received an extraordinary average consumer review of 5 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com and here are some of their comments to date:
"This thing is great. I now have hope. ... The first night ... I slept so deep and my pain and numbness was much relieved... 2nd night: Slept great, pain much less than day before, and a great day at work with no pain WOW! I just wanted to make sure I told you how great it is ... "
"This is a great product and worth every penny. I bought it because I have back pain and pinch nerve causing my right arm to be numb. since I have used it on average 5 minutes a day the pain and numbness are gone! I wish I knew about this product long time ago."
"I have suffered with a herniated disc and endured chronic back pain for years. I experienced relief after my first use of the inversion table and slept better that night than I had in years. For now, I invert on a daily basis for a few minutes and am close to being free of back pain. I sleep better and begin each morning with little or no back pain. Absolutely amazing! I told my family this really has been the best purchase I recall ever making! No buyer's remorse here."
The very few complaints I found on the Amazon site for this table mostly centered on unpacking and assembly rather than product performance.
One consumer advised to watch the DVD on assembling to save you a lot of time putting it together. Another suggests using your own metric socket wrench (13 and 10 mm sockets) for a quicker assembly.
Another consumer who bought the product during an acute phase of his recurrent lower back spasms cautions us to be careful with a shipping box weighing 75 pounds.
Another helpful tip is to follow the instructions carefully and "make sure you attach the angle adjustment strap, because it ships unconnected and will have you completely vertical the first time" if you don't.
You can buy this Teeter EP-950 inversion table from Amazon.com. Amazon does seem to currently have the best deal especially with their Free Shipping option. Click here to view the EP-950 on Amazon.
The best place for reviews from people who have actually bought and used the product is Amazon. Click here to read the reviews on Amazon.
Sure! You may not have any specific health problems, but the Teeter EP-950 and other Hang Ups models would be great for you if you are an active athlete (see video on right). And also if you simply want to improve your posture (see video on left).