Another Stupid Workout Question From the Newly Physical. =)

[ACMESkydiver 0]

I can't 'relax my neck' when doing any kind of crunches; shoot it's even tense and painful when I walk or run.

I am so incredibly stiff right now it's just killing me and I need to go workout. I iced it for 20 minutes...

Any thoughts on how to protect my neck when doing crunches or running? Please? I have gotten 'just relax your neck' and that's not flippin' possible! Any thoughts on making it stronger or something?

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[chaoskitty 0]

Get your honey to give you a neck rub.

But other than that.. start with a relaxed neck. Roll up a towel or something. Or one of those funnoodle things your kids might have. Anything to increase the natural C-curve in your neck. Lay on the floor with the towel under your neck and reeelax. roll your head from side to side.

When youre doing crunches, look at the ceiling, do slow reps, and pay attention to where the pressure on your neck is going.

Or do some ab work other than crunches.

[Nightingale 0]

When doing crunches, don't put your hands anywhere near your head. Don't put your hands behind your neck. Cross your arms over your chest and look at the ceiling.

I don't know about running... you might want to try an elliptical machine or a bike instead. It's much easier on your body, impact-wise.

Try heat, not ice. Heat relaxes muscles, ice reduces swelling. One of those therma-care heat packs on your neck might help a lot.

[ACMESkydiver 0]

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Get your honey to give you a neck rub.

I like that.

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But other than that.. start with a relaxed neck. Roll up a towel or something. Or one of those funnoodle things your kids might have. Anything to increase the natural C-curve in your neck. Lay on the floor with the towel under your neck and reeelax. roll your head from side to side.

When youre doing crunches, look at the ceiling, do slow reps, and pay attention to where the pressure on your neck is going.

Or do some ab work other than crunches.

Good advice, I'll work on that.

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[ACMESkydiver 0]

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Cross your arms over your chest and look at the ceiling.

I know you and kitty both suggested this, but thinking about it, I still end up holding this stupid ol' head up when I try that...I think I just have an extremely weak neck.

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I don't know about running... you might want to try an elliptical machine or a bike instead. It's much easier on your body, impact-wise.

Try heat, not ice. Heat relaxes muscles, ice reduces swelling. One of those therma-care heat packs on your neck might help a lot.

I'll give the heat a try, thanks.

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[Nightingale 0]

If you can't do crunches without holding your head, you need to do a different exercise. Try leg lifts... lie on your back, pillow under your head, hands under your tailbone, and lift your legs six inches off the floor, and hold them there for ten seconds. repeat.

You also might want to look into yoga. It builds strength, flexibility and stability, and is a really amazing work-out. It's also a great stress relief.

[ACMESkydiver 0]

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You also might want to look into yoga. It builds strength, flexibility and stability, and is a really amazing work-out. It's also a great stress relief.

I'll try yoga next week; our yoga/pilates instructor is on vacation to Austin this week.

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[RALFFERS 0]

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I can't 'relax my neck' when doing any kind of crunches; shoot it's even tense and painful when I walk or run.

I am so incredibly stiff right now it's just killing me and I need to go workout. I iced it for 20 minutes...

Any thoughts on how to protect my neck when doing crunches or running? Please? I have gotten 'just relax your neck' and that's not flippin' possible! Any thoughts on making it stronger or something?

How much have you been working out since you started? When I firsst started a month ago, I was trying to take it easy at first and thought I was successfully doing so, yet, my body hurt from hjhead to toe for the first two weeks. Pain is your body's way of drawing needed attention to itself; slow down. I'm no expert, but it sounds like you pulled a muscle or something; I've done that just by sleeping in a bad position...oh the pain in the morning Therefore, I'm sure the probability of something like that happening by working out is much higher

Kitty seemed to have the right idea as well.........just take it easy

Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself -

"from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of

[ACMESkydiver 0]

I don't wanna take it easy! I don't! I don't! I don't!

I know I gotta slow down some. I'm not 20 any more...


Thanks for the advice.

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[Casurf1978 0]

Talk to a trainer. If you can pay for one or two training sessions go for it. This will save you time, money and will prevent you from developing bad form. If you're experiencing neck or lower back pain from crunches STOP and talk to a trainer. It's really hard to explain proper form over the internet. You need someone to sit down with you and show you how they are done.

[Conundrum 1]

Try a different stomach exercise.

Put your back on a workout bench (or any body length bench) and put your butt on the very end. Gran the bench behind your head with both hands and keeping your feet off the ground at all times, slowly raise and lower your legs up and down for 3 sets of 10, or 15, or whatever is comfortable for you. It really works the lower stomach muscles, and your head is supported the whole time.

Or you can use the captain's chair method, pictured below.

[Beerlight 0]

Just stop doing crunches.... Every other exercise, from weights, to running etc, will help build the core anyway.. Still sounds like your overdoing it a bit.

[NWFlyer 2]

That's a great exercise - I do it all the time!

Jaye - if lifting your legs straight up and down is a bit much at first (it was for me when I first started working out), you can bend your legs at the knees. Just make sure that you keep the legs together and don't cross them. As you get stronger at that exercise you can get your legs straighter and straighter.

Do it sloooooowly so that you really get the benefit - if you get into crazy swinging of the legs you're relying on momentum rather than your core really working.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Casurf1978 0]

Not really. The core is made up of over 29 muscles and like all the other muscles you need to work them out. Yes, you might hit a few of them with other exercises but they will act as stabilizers and if weak you will get hurt. Look at someone that is doing a simple benchpress. Most guy will really lift the lower back off the bench when they lift the bar. That is a sign of a weak core, so much pressure is being put in the lower back. Same is true when you do simple seated dumbell raises. Why do you think so many people have lower back problems, they have a weak core.

[ACMESkydiver 0]

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Do it sloooooowly so that you really get the benefit - if you get into crazy swinging of the legs you're relying on momentum rather than your core really working.

Yep...that's what my pilates instructor keeps saying...'Slow, don't swing'.

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[millertime24 8]

You might also try some flutter kicks and/or planks. Neither puts any strain on your neck muscles.

Muff #5048

[ACMESkydiver 0]

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You might also try some flutter kicks and/or planks. Neither puts any strain on your neck muscles.

I - HATE - PLANKS!!

...but they are very effective, so that's what I'm doing.

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[Beerlight 0]

dude....I know that, you know that, we all know that..... she's just starting out. Seems logical to concentrate on not getting injured. btw, I know nothing about working out so no one listen to me....

[klaposta 0]

Exactly what is your hand positioning, as well as your head positioning during this activity?

[ACMESkydiver 0]

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Exactly what is your hand positioning, as well as your head positioning during this activity?

For pilates, hands are at sides and my chin tucked in to chest. -But it hurts too much after a few roll-ups, so I have to support my neck with my hand.

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[MrFreefall383 0]

Since this is my thing, I'll give you my pearls.

You can do various neck, chest, abdominal, and back stretches to aid in de-stiffening your spine. Neck stretches are simple. Just bend your head forward and backward slowly, then slowly side to side, and do that pattern several times. Move to your chest, put your hand on a pole, thumb up, and rotate your chest away from that arm. Switch arms and repeat. Then you can move do your abs, and the best stretch for this is lay on your belly, prop your upper body with your elbows at 90-degree angles, and thrust your navel into the ground while lifting your chin. It'll stretch your abs more than anything else, but it'll also hopefully stretch your upper and lower back. As for the back stretches, do some standing torso rolls. Hands on your hips, and rotate at your waist on the vertical, shoulders side to side. If that doesn't work, PM me, I'll be glad to look into other routines.

By the way, never a stupid question unless you already know the answer.

"If at first you don't succeed... well, so much for skydiving." - aviation cliche

[ACMESkydiver 0]

Thanks a lot! I'm going to try that stretch for the abs and neck.

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[Broke 0]

check this out

www.boosworld.com

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[ACMESkydiver 0]

I'm thinking that's just a smidge too far away prolly...

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[Broke 0]

Listen to his radio shows on the web page

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192