crunches/sit ups

la8ydi
la8ydi Posts: 294 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok - just started trying to work on this flabby middle - but I'm finding when I'm doing crunches or sit ups that my NECK hurts way more than my abs. What am I doing wrong...and how do I fix it?????

Replies

  • witchy_wife
    witchy_wife Posts: 792 Member
    Sorry can't help as I don't like sit ups as they hurt my neck and back. For abs I do some lifting and planks. Hope you gets some answers!
  • fuchsiasarah
    fuchsiasarah Posts: 3
    Are you putting your hands behind your head? If so, you may be pulling on your neck as a way to get momentum. Try a couple with your hands at the side of your head (behind your ears) to get the feel of what it's like without pulling. Then, go back to putting them behind your head for support...but not momentum. I just keep my fingertips on the back of my head as a way to not pull.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    Ok - just started trying to work on this flabby middle - but I'm finding when I'm doing crunches or sit ups that my NECK hurts way more than my abs. What am I doing wrong...and how do I fix it?????

    This is actually pretty common. Make sure you aren't pulling at the back of your head when sitting up. Try to keep your head in the same position through the range of motion, instead of letting it do all kinds of forward and backward weirdness.
  • CaddieMay
    CaddieMay Posts: 356 Member
    Ok - just started trying to work on this flabby middle - but I'm finding when I'm doing crunches or sit ups that my NECK hurts way more than my abs. What am I doing wrong...and how do I fix it?????

    This is actually pretty common. Make sure you aren't pulling at the back of your head when sitting up. Try to keep your head in the same position through the range of motion, instead of letting it do all kinds of forward and backward weirdness.

    Yep. Use your stomach muscles to pull you up.
  • hatethegame
    hatethegame Posts: 267 Member
    Situps and crunches suck! There are many other ways (that are more effective) to work abs. Go to youtube.com and search "ab workouts" and you'll find lots of options and it'll demonstrate proper form.
  • la8ydi
    la8ydi Posts: 294 Member
    Thanks everybody!!! :-)
  • hazelovesfood
    hazelovesfood Posts: 454 Member
    you dont need to do full on sit up, just lay on floor and hands behind head raise your chin to the celings, you will feel the muscles pull in your belly. You can also lay on back,. with knees up and all you do is stretch down to either side and just manage to touch ankles, you have to be just able to touch them,
    You can also put one knee up and with opposite hand behind kneck bend forward to try and reach knee. and one last one, lay on back, legs in the air, hands behind kneck and you push each leg away from you, like your riding a bike, its really pulls my muscles i can tell you.
  • Ramberta
    Ramberta Posts: 1,312 Member
    Make sure you're not "pulling" your head if your hands are behind it-- I used to make this problem too. That will cause neck pain real fast. Try instead to cross your arms in front of you, circling your hands around your opposite forearm, and move them from just above your forehead to touch your knees as you move up and down.

    For a better exercise, planks will work your abs way harder and don't strain your neck at all. You will get a bit of arm and shoulder fatigue, but overall it's a much better choice in my opinion. Best of luck to you.
  • shaunap3
    shaunap3 Posts: 206 Member
    Switch it up. Look online for alternative ab workouts (plank is a good one), youtube videos, workouts OnDemand, etc. Remember, quality over quantity!
  • squinz
    squinz Posts: 136
    My aerobics instructer used to say "if your neck hurts, look at the ceiling and push your tongue to the back of your teeth". I never had the problem but it's worth a try.

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