john grimek used to do that in his training . he claimed to add an extra inch and a half to his height from it. John C. Grimek:
Around 1930 I incorporated such training in my program as a means to increase my height and devised a contraption by which I could suspend myself in an inverted position. I found this to be very beneficial and could feel my legs and spine stretch. This convinced me it ought to work.
To assure progress progress I kept pulling weights to my chest and supporting it from 20 to 30 seconds before replacing it. I repeated this several times and have succeeded in holding over 300 pounds in this position. Whether this had anything to do with increasing my height, I cannot say, but the fact is that my height did increase a few inches.
It was while in this position that I began experimenting with other exercises and found it to be especially good for the abdomen, obliques and the erector muscles of the back. The same exercise as the standing press can be done in this position, except the whole action is in reverse; the biceps and upper back muscles do all of the work.
Perhaps one of the best exercises you can do in this position is to "thigh chin." That is, you pull yourself up with your legs in exactly the same manner as you perform the chinning exercise with your arms. This exercise will build the biceps femoris leg muscles better and fuller than any other exercise I know.
Regular arm curls can be done in this position, having a different effect.
You can learn to "one arm chin" in this position better than in any other way. You simply pull a dumbbell up to your shoulder and keep increasing your strength. Depending on your bodyweight, you may be able to chin with one hand long before you can handle a weight that approximates your bodyweight.
While in this upside down position all the internal organs have a chance to be relieved of the pressure that is naturally thrown on them our upright position. It can be noted that numerous beauty shops today advocate positions with the head downwards as a means to stimulate circulation in the scalp and face. Congestion in the legs, after doing a lot of leg work is often relieved by hanging in this position a few minutes.
