Ab work and neck pain

[spyrosmom]

After all these years of ab work, my neck still hurts on those moves that don't have my hands behind my head. I know I have a big head, but you think my neck would have caught up by now. Any thing with arms extended, or holding a ball, or rope climbers are very uncomfy. After about 8 reps or so my neck gets tired. I try very hard to keep it all in alignment. I normally just tough it out, but I sometime end up putting my hands back there, esp for longer sets. Is there any way to get my neck up to par? Its not a pain that stays, just during the specific exercises, it gets tired holding up my big ol' noggin'

Nan

 

[morningstar]

After all these years of ab work, my neck still hurts on those moves that don't have my hands behind my head. I know I have a big head, but you think my neck would have caught up by now. Any thing with arms extended, or holding a ball, or rope climbers are very uncomfy. After about 8 reps or so my neck gets tired. I try very hard to keep it all in alignment. I normally just tough it out, but I sometime end up putting my hands back there, esp for longer sets. Is there any way to get my neck up to par? Its not a pain that stays, just during the specific exercises, it gets tired holding up my big ol' noggin'

Nan

There are neck strengthening exercises that you can do, but they are hard to describe in writing. I used to do them to cure my headaches, as I always had neck strain.

 

[Shannon_B]

Oh me too! Man o man, and then next day I get an unbearable headache from all the tension it left in my neck and shoulders. My doctor gave me a list of stretching exercises, but I haven's found them to work too well.

 

[janiejoey]

Same here. I wonder why that is, that we can't get stronger in that area. If anyone has a link to get to that will help with neck strengthening I sure would appreciate it. I have a long skinny neck.

Janie

 

[measuredoak]

same here. I have not been able to do the ab circuits medicine ball routine for that reason. I tried it once & then was left with severe neck pain for several days later & that may account for the headaches later in the day.

 

[syzygy314]

Geez, and I thought I just wasn't getting any stronger in my abs! I always thought my neck hurt because I was using it more than my abs to lift! Now I know it's just all that great brain matter in there making it too heavy to hold up! (ha!)

I feel better knowing I'm not the only one out there who still experiences neck pain/strain during ab routines!

I thought I remembered it going away after a while back when I was working out in my 30s! Maybe my memory is just going . . .

 

[nancy324]

Me too, Nan. I would love to strengthen my neck.

 

[horseshowmom]

I've given up on hoping my neck would stop hurting during abs!
During pilates and abs classes at the Y, we use the small Silver Sneakers balls (just a small child size ball) as support. It has made a huge difference in how much I am able to focus more completely on my form and ab contraction. Just an idea!
Becky