I would like to make it in thru cathes ab work in mis.My neck gives out before my abs.I try to use proper form but .my neck still hurts.Has any one else had this problem? Any suggetions.My problem is my lower abs,but i still need to work upper abs. It sure would have been nice if my abs went back into place after having kids. My sister had 8 kids and her abs look pretty good and she doesn,t exercise. Some of us have to work so hard at it.
abs and neck pain
- Thread starter reba
- Start date
jgoycoolea
Cathlete
In MIS the lower abs, which you want to focus on, receive more focus toward the end of the routine. And you say your neck gets sore. Why not do some lower hip thrusts with your head left on the mat, hands by your sides or slightly under your butt for support, BEFORE doing Cathe's routine. It may be tough to then make it thru, but at least you will have hit your problem area and avoided the neck problem. I don't generally get a sore neck, but when my head starts to feel heavy, I remind myself that my abs are supposed to be bearing the weight load and I really focus in on them to do the work. Jeanne
jgoycoolea
Cathlete
Oh yea, you know what else I have done to really hit the lower abs? I have done hip thrusts on a decline step (head at the high end) with a five pound weight held between my knees. Flat without weights seem so easy in comparison.
Connie1
Cathlete
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Dec-28-01 AT 04:54PM (Est)[/font][p]Here are a couple of pointers. I think neck pain is common with ab work, because it's hard to hold up the head. When we put our hands behind our head to support it we sometimes kink it too far forward.
Make sure the chin is a fist's width away from the sternum. As you do ab work, also work on neck strength to increase the ability to hold up your head without your hands. Just reduce the pressure of your fingers or palms on the back of your head. It forces your neck to do some of the work, and also ends up focusing the exercise more onto the abs. But remember: keep the chin a fist's width away from the chest.
The neck is part of our stabilizing core and can sometimes be shortchanged when we don't concentrate on it.
Another trick is to think of pressing your head down onto your hands, when you start feeling this pain.
These techniques have worked for me. When I tried Pilates I saw a lot of ab work with the head unsupported. It looks safe as long as you don't push beyond your present strength level. I hope this helps.
-Connie
Make sure the chin is a fist's width away from the sternum. As you do ab work, also work on neck strength to increase the ability to hold up your head without your hands. Just reduce the pressure of your fingers or palms on the back of your head. It forces your neck to do some of the work, and also ends up focusing the exercise more onto the abs. But remember: keep the chin a fist's width away from the chest.
The neck is part of our stabilizing core and can sometimes be shortchanged when we don't concentrate on it.
Another trick is to think of pressing your head down onto your hands, when you start feeling this pain.
These techniques have worked for me. When I tried Pilates I saw a lot of ab work with the head unsupported. It looks safe as long as you don't push beyond your present strength level. I hope this helps.
-Connie