By hanging upside down to counteract the harmful effects of gravity, Roger was virtually symptom free within a month. He was so excited by the results that he decided to make it his life's mission to enlighten people about the wonders of inversion.

The Gym Inversion Table, Roger insists is not solely for people with back pain. It can improve your posture, relieve the pressure of sore joints and reduce stress.

Hanging Around with Roger Teeter

Bats do it!

Opossums do it!

But the thought of dangling upside down seemed to serve no purpose to me besides looking absolutely ridiculous.

Perhaps it was those days of witnessing some unpopular freshman being hung upside down over a toilet bowl that conjured up such negative sentiments.

But after chatting with Roger Teeter about the Gym Inversion Table, I'm starting to re-think my position.

"You see it's all about gravity," Roger Teeter explains. "And the effect it has on your joints and back! The Gym Inversion Table helps counterattack these effects, alleviating back pain and reducing stress."

As I began to pack up my things and put my tape recorder away, Roger asked if I wanted to try the table?

A little uneasy at first, I said OK.

We proceeded through the studio to the fitness set. In the far corner, I saw radiant host Tanya Yanaky talking about the exquisite Madre Perla line.

Then I began to panic. Here I am in the studio, I'm about to be hung upside down and I can't even scream.

I won't even venture onto a rollercoaster because you go upside down, how can I get through this without losing my lunch and disturbing Tanya's live broadcast?

I mustered up all the courage I had and strapped myself in. Surprisingly, it wasn't bad at all. It's quite disorienting at first, but after a while I loosened up and relaxed.

At the risk of sounding like an infomerical, I must admit that night I felt more energized. Could it be because the weekend had arrived? Truth be told, I think the Inversion Table may have had something to do with it.

Q: What is the Gym Inversion Table?

Roger: It's a way to slow or reverse the harmful compression of the body by gravity. Gravity is the most powerful force that affects us over our lifetime. It's trying to pull every cell in your body to the centre of the Earth. Gravity alters your body shape as you age. These changes, coupled with poor posture or weak muscles can lead to serious back pain. Inversion is a way to relieve back pain, improve circulation, relieve stress, increase flexibility, stretch muscles and maintain your original body shape.

Q: How often should you use the table?

Roger: It depends on your symptoms. The majority of our customers have waited until they have back pain. I would hope that people get it for the overall health benefits that come with it. But if you do have symptoms, you need to do it three times a day. It's a passive exercise, so you can do it in high heels or street clothes. It's gravity that's doing the work. You simply kick back and enjoy the oxygen high to your brain and the flushing of your lymph system. It's a feel good activity.

Q: How long should you go in one sitting?

Roger: The whole purpose of the activity is to relax and decompress. The minute you feel your body tense up, it's time to stop. Most people use it for 5 to 15 minutes.

Q: I notice that you can select your angle. What angle should one take?

Roger: I would suggest people start at a low angle and then work their way up to 60 degrees. That's the angle at which the joints get to zero pressure, according to one medical study.

Q: But isn't there zero pressure on joints when you are lying flat?

Roger: A lot of people think that there is zero pressure on your joints when you are lying flat in bed. That's not the case. Those joints are encased in ligaments and muscles that hold the joints like rubber bands. So when you go to bed, you carry 25% of your standing pressure on your joints. That's why you can't get rid of most back pain just by lying down. So you need to pull enough traction to overcome all the rubber bands that hold the joints in place.

Q: How long has this science been around?

Roger: Well, inversion for relief of back pain is well documented back to 400 B.C. by Hippocrates. The Greeks had a lot of problems with back pain. The Romans hung upside down, so did members of the Ottoman empire. Every successful society has back pain because they sit too much, have weak muscles and lots of stress.

Q: How did you get involved in this venture?

Roger: Twenty five years ago, I wrecked my back at work. I did everything I could to alleviate the symptoms, including wearing a laced up corset. I wore that everytime I did any design work, but it was too restrictive. I was then introduced to inversion. It worked! I was so impressed that I entered the business. Today, we sell all over North America, Japan, Italy, Germany, England, the Netherlands and France. It's been a fun job, which I love.

Q: How long did it take to correct your problem?

Roger: I think in my case, I got rid of my symptoms in about a month. I've had some people notice dramatic changes after one set of inversion.

The symptoms may take a month to disappear, but you will notice remarkable improvements after your first few sessions. Your posture and circulation will improve.

Unfortunately some people go too far, too fast--especially men. They get this macho idea that they are going to do upside down sit-ups. They have no idea how detrained their body is to hanging upside down.

We all spent the last six weeks in the womb upside down. That's when your brain is built. That's why little kids always sleep on their knees with their butt in the air and their head down. They instinctively recognize the benefits of being upside down. So, you need to retrain yourself. The main thing is to relax.

Your inner ear is the centre of your balance, but if you've ever tried to do a backwards flip on the trampoline you'll notice it's near impossible. You have to train your ear to be upside down and then you can take part in sports like gymnastics.

Many Olympic coaches use inversion, including the Romanian gymnastics team. The U.S. Olympic diving team also use inversion to train their inner ear to excel at complicated dives.

Q: So a lot of athletes use inversion?

Roger: Yes! A lot of athletes will use inversion after a workout. Exercise is great on your muscles, but extremely hard on your joints. Think about all the athletes who are forced into retirement. It's not because of the muscles, it's the joints. Inversion helps decompress joints and give yourself a burst of oxygen.

Q: So what activities do you do when you're upside down?

Roger: Well, I read the newspaper. It's the last thing I do before I go to bed. I find that it jump starts a great night's sleep. I do pelvic rotation and I stretch. Some people watch TV. Some people make phone calls.

Q: What age range can use the table?

Roger: My daughter started when she was five years old. I have 70, 80 and 90 year olds who use the Inversion Table. There is no age limitations. People with narrow angle glaucoma, recent stroke or uncontrolled high blood pressure shouldn't use the inversion table. Your doctor is always the one who should make that decision.

Q: What are you doing when you aren't hanging upside down?

Roger: Not much! I've traveled 200,000 miles this past year. I'm on eight TV stations around the world. This is the last leg in a three week trip. When I have a moment, I go to the gym. In the summer, I love to waterski and hike.

Q: You sell all over the world, how do Canadian customers differ?

Roger: You have to convince Canadians. They are a skeptical lot, but that's very good. They are very intelligent and curious. There are so many claims that are being made out there, so you have to be skeptical.

One thing I love about The Shopping Channel is the 30-day money back guarantee. I'll tell you this table has changed my life. If I could just convince Canadians to try it. It doesn't mean that you have to buy it. Try inversion according to the instructions. You will be amazed by the benefits you will see in a few days. You can't live on this planet for over 20 years and not appreciate what gravity is doing to you. Luckily, the Gym Inversion Table is the perfect weapon.

-S. Wulffhart