Like most evolving gym-goers, I eventually realized that to really build abs, I needed to start doing more core training ( Please try to imagine!). But when I added lots of crunch variations to my regular routine, I realized that it wasn’t my abs that were weakening from fatigue, but my neck. Every time I stood up, the muscles supporting my head screamed louder than my future six-pack abs.
The pain went away like a typical muscle pain, so I thought it was just a weak neck. Embarrassed, I never thought much about it until I was working out with my girlfriend’s friend, but in the middle of a crunch, she, unprompted, asked me what I was feeling, even in my heart. Not, rather – you guessed it, I said. It’s – in her throat. “Neck pain during crunches is very common,” assures Pete McCall, C.S.C.S., a San Diego-based trainer and host of the podcast “All About Fitness.” Plus, he told me, he couldn’t really “strengthen” the neck and it wouldn’t be much of a solution anyway. (However, you can relieve “technical neck” pain with these yoga poses that improve posture and improve neck pain.)
What is the actual problem? You’re doing crunches completely wrong.
“Most people do crunches with their upper body instead of their abdominals, which puts strain on their neck muscles and doesn’t work as well as they would like,” explains Joel D. Dr. Seedman, C.S.C.S., owner of Advanced Human Performance in Atlanta.
Think of your spine like noodles. The spine can bend forward and backward, but its structures always remain connected by fluid lines. The exception is the cervical vertebrae, the upper part of the spine that extends from the shoulders to the skull.
The head is physically connected but can move independently from the other noodles. And crunches can cause your head to fall back, disrupting your perfect arch and putting gravity on your supporting neck muscles, McCall explains. (Here are ways to address some other imbalances that cause pain.)
When done correctly, crunches keep your spine in a straight line from your hips to your head. However, hanging your head down can put strain on your neck. “Think of each disc between your vertebrae as a jelly donut,” says McCall.
“When your head juts forward, it puts too much pressure on the front and pushes the jelly backwards. At most, this slight pressure causes mild discomfort and is enough to train your abs to look good in the mirror.” ”However, if enough pressure is applied, this incorrect shape can cause the disc to bulge, causing severe pain, numbness, and muscle weakness.
Some studies have shown that simply pulling your chin toward your chest before and during crunches reduces neck muscle activity. why? It activates the hyoid muscle, which runs from the jaw to the collarbone and acts as a stabilizer, McCall says.
try it. Imagine holding a peach between your head and neck, McCall suggests. If you don’t squeeze it, it will fall out, but if you use too much force, it will crush the fruit and the juice will spill out everywhere. (If you have trouble visualizing, fold a towel and place it between your chin and chest.)
Then, instead of doing crunches with your hands behind your head (which pulls your head and creates additional tension), place your hands on your forehead. (Alternatively, you can skip crunches altogether and opt for his 18 different sit-up exercises for a flat, toned stomach.)
In fact, a 2016 study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science found that pulling both your chin and chin during crunches relaxes and relaxes your sternocleidomastoid muscle, a thick muscle that runs from your ear to your collarbone. Okay, sore neck compared to a simple crunch where the face was lightly touched. Bonus: This variation also puts more strain on your abs and abdominal muscles.
Draw your hips and stomach toward the floor, Seedman says, because it also tilts your pelvis slightly backward and prevents your upper spine from moving independently. Then slowly chop it into small pieces. “When performing crunches, many people think they have to lift their upper body off the ground in this big movement. “In reality, it should be a small, compact movement,” he explains.
Remember, the goal is to activate your abdominal muscles, not to lift your shoulders or head. When you take the momentum off and stick your lumbar spine to the mat, it sends a signal to your nervous system to contract your core and actually engage your abdominal muscles, making your body stronger and pain-free.
