Weak Neck and Strength Training - HELP PLEASE!!!

Hi All,

I have had neck issues for quite a few years and I have recently started strength training. My neck gets strained a lot when doing certain moves like lateral raises.

Will the muscles around the neck get strengthened over time or am I making it worse by strength training?

Have anyone had any similar exp? Advice please...

squats...seriously. Best trap exercise there is (you brah's doing shrugs until you're blue in the face listen up).

oh, and yes I've strained my neck/trap this year. I believe doing the same exercise.

Your neck/traps will just grow/get stronger as you lift.

(you brah's doing shrugs until you're blue in the face listen up).

:huh:

Yes I have the same problem and unfortunately I'm still trying to figure it out myself. I'm not able to lift heavy for my upper body because I can get muscle spasms in my neck and shoulders. I have to stick to light and body weight resistance, but that is also great for toning. Lateral raises are a good example - I can't do that with heavy weight any more.

I stretch quite a lot and do heat packs and massages and arnica gel before I work out to make sure the painful area is warmed up first. I have seen all types of specialists, chiropractors and physical therapists and I've learned that stretching well before any shoulder or neck work is key.

As to if strength training is helping or making it worse, I can't answer because I would have to meet you and understand your specific issue. I would recommend seeing a doctor or physical therapist for an answer to that. For me, weight lifting hurt my situation because my muscles in the area are already constantly in a flexed/crunched/overused state, so I need to relax them rather than crunch them even more. But maybe strength training would be good for others if their issue is different.

I hope this helps.

I used to get sort of a pinched nerve in my neck sometimes when I did pull ups and shoulder raises. My neck would be sore and stiff for a couple of days.
I started just going easier for a while, and maybe warming up better. For example, instead of just jumping up on the bar and trying to do 8-10 pull-ups . . . and kinda struggling on the last few . . . I limited myself to five pull ups and just did more sets. I wouldn't let myself really strain until maybe the third or fourth set.
Seemed like, when I did not keep aggravating it, it healed over time and I do not have that problem much any more. In fact, I do not really have it at all. (fingers crossed)