neck pain from crunches?

I used to have this problem. Part of it could be your form, and part of it could be weakness or strength imbalance. You want to tuck the chin slightly, which lengthens the back of the neck. My neck started feeling better as I got stronger all over, especially in the upper back, and most especially in the rhomboids, between the shoulder blades.

One option would be to stop doing crunches for now, and do planks, which allow you to keep a neutral spine and neck, and are fabulous for core strength.

I've always had problems doing anything in that position because it drove my neck nuts.

Then I took a pilates class and the teacher taught me some tricks, even as simple as imagining the tension going down to my abs rather than staying in my neck, and it helped. I thought it sounded so stupid, but just actively thinking about it made it somehow happen. It was awesome.

I get that, too. It's not that my form is off, it's just that I am trying so hard to not use my head to pull myself up that I end up tensing my neck up and hurting it

This is what I said originally (and after some quick searching, I realize this may be completely wrong...which is a good reason to take everything on a board full of people with opinions with a grain of salt): I find that supporting my neck with my arms helps. Tuck your chin, cross your hands on the back of your neck, elbows sticking straight up, and cradle your head with your forearms. That takes the pressure off your neck and helps you focus on the ab muscles. Of course, this means you can't do things like "reach through" crunches where you reach your hands through your knees while you crunch...but until I can ask a personal trainer or physical therapist about it, this is how I do mine.

Edited to add: You may not want to do this. I learned crunches this way back in the 80's and exercise techniques, like so many other things, have changed a lot since then. Your best bet would be to consult a personal trainer or physical therapist or someone who really knows what he or she is doing to learn proper technique. That's what I'm going to do.

I initially had the same issue, but adjusting the way I performed them removed any neck pain. It was mentioned in a post above, but by moving your hands from behind your neck to the side (perhaps touching your ears) will stop you pulling on your head. The aim with crunches is to use your abs to pull you up. I also tried to concentrate more on trying to pull from my abs.

As another post mentioned, you can perhaps try a plank or side plant (ouch!) that does not aggregates the neck.

I used to have the same problem until I started using an "ab roller". solved the problem immediatly! Purchased mine at a garage sale for $5.00. Check kijiji or the local paper then look on line for a complete range of exercises that can be done with it. Its a great way to "correct" form and provides a great workout. Need proof? Check my pics..... used to have a 34" waist and a beer gut hanging over it!

I used to have the same problem until I started using an "ab roller". solved the problem immediatly! Purchased mine at a garage sale for $5.00. Check kijiji or the local paper then look on line for a complete range of exercises that can be done with it. Its a great way to "correct" form and provides a great workout. Need proof? Check my pics..... used to have a 34" waist and a beer gut hanging over it!

What's an ab roller? Is that like a wheel or is it something else?

You can just see the top of it in the background of my picture.

And that is why I don't do crunches or sit ups or anything like that yet my belly is still making great progress.

OK, so what do you do?

I used to have this problem too and then one day I was watching a fitness dvd and they told us to push our chest towards the sky and that made me automatically tuck my chin under. Once I started doing that, the neck pain went away.