Sore neck doing crunches.. Help please??

kat_williams
kat_williams Posts: 22 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi,
For a while now I've noticed that when I'm doing abs work, mainly crunches, my neck starts to really pull. I understand that I'm obviously trying to go up using my neck not my abs but I'm just wondering how to stop doing this? I've tried so hard fo focus and its not working! An instructor taught me the other day to breathe in when going down and breathe out when going up and that helped a little but I'm still doing it :( any suggestions?

Replies

  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Don't do crunches. There are other more effective exercises that will also keep you from pulling on your neck.
  • The_Invisible_Boy
    The_Invisible_Boy Posts: 568 Member
    Maybe try planks instead? They are suppose to engage every core muscle. Crunches only hit a couple.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    standard crunches really aren't that great for that very reason...there are much better ab isolation workouts.
  • rumijs
    rumijs Posts: 218 Member
    Try C sits instead. Takes away the instinct to pull up on your neck for leverage
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  • LeslieB042812
    LeslieB042812 Posts: 1,799 Member
    I agree with the other posters. Crunches aren't the best. My husband swears by this 8 minute abs workout on YouTube (literally from the 80's), but I have terrible neck pain whenever I join him in it. I've gotten good ab progress from lifting, planks, yoga, etc.

    Anyone have any other non-crunch work that does a good job on the abs?
  • laoryn
    laoryn Posts: 11 Member
    you can do crunches from a standing position. take it nice and slow, and you'll get the hang of it. I'm not sure of your level of fitness, but this has been one of my favorite workout for about 6 years.... https://youtu.be/mtE0vk8Lp-I Check out what Jennifer's doing around 1:32. Put your mind into it, and you'll feel it.
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  • babydull
    babydull Posts: 727 Member
    To actually address the question asked, try imagining a small melon between your chin and chest and look at a spot on the ceiling.
  • KimmyKicksAss
    KimmyKicksAss Posts: 60 Member
    edited July 2015
    I notice a lot of people lace their fingers when they crunch. Don't do this!

    I was taught to *lightly* place your fingers behind the ears (not behind the head). This is to prevent neck crunching (which is what I see a lot of people do) and helps to open up the chest.

    Now crunch using your abs as opposed to crunching your neck. Good luck!

    p.: I hardly crunch this way anymore. I agree that plank variations are better. However, if you must crunch, there are variations of crunching like bicycles, Toe reaches (lying on your back, feet straight in the air, reach for opposite shoe laces), reverse crunch, pikes/ V-ups, Russian twist, etc
  • leannems
    leannems Posts: 516 Member
    I'd probably tell you not to do crunches either - I don't find them super effective. I prefer planks, dead bugs (and honestly, deadlifts work my abs better than anything). If you insist on doing crunches, I like to put just my fingertips behind my head, and keep my elbows way back through the entire exercise - almost pretending like I'm leaving them behind. The trick about imagining something under your neck can be good (or just get a ball and put it there) as does looking on the ceiling. I also imagine the crunch with only my abs in my head. If your neck hurts, you're doing them wrong, and should stop.
  • kat_williams
    kat_williams Posts: 22 Member
    It's not so much that I'm choosing to do crunches a lot, it's part of a class I do and each week I struggle, I'm just looking for a way to help stop hurting my neck doing it. Thank you for the practical suggestions :) I'll give them a go
  • jjsilcox96
    jjsilcox96 Posts: 63 Member
    You can make a fist and put it between your chin and the top of your chest that's what I do
  • slaite1
    slaite1 Posts: 1,307 Member
    kat_williams wrote: »
    It's not so much that I'm choosing to do crunches a lot, it's part of a class I do and each week I struggle, I'm just looking for a way to help stop hurting my neck doing it. Thank you for the practical suggestions :) I'll give them a go

    I used to take a class that included crunches and I had the same problem. I would either flip over and do planks while the class did crunches of switch to slow bicycle crunches. In the very least-you can take it slower than the rest of the class or do other slight modifications.
  • AsISmile
    AsISmile Posts: 1,004 Member
    Instead of placing your hands behind your head, try touching your ankles with your hands while crunching.
    Or just cross them on your chest.
  • professionalHobbyist
    professionalHobbyist Posts: 1,316 Member
    Cross your arms and place your hands on your shoulders

    Not behind your head or neck

    It takes lots of crunches to do good

    And don't lay flat in the reps. Like 50 left right and center non stop while never going flat back

    If that does not work, find a different abdominal exercise more suited to your body.

  • Drewlssix
    Drewlssix Posts: 272 Member
    kat_williams wrote: »
    It's not so much that I'm choosing to do crunches a lot, it's part of a class I do and each week I struggle, I'm just looking for a way to help stop hurting my neck doing it. Thank you for the practical suggestions :) I'll give them a go

    You can opt out of any exercise in a class. Don't let any sense of peer pressure coerce you into doing something that's not good for you.

    I'm on the side that crunches are either outdated and not the best or are down right dangerous. And so like others here I suggest that A: they can be worked better with other movements and B: there is relatively little reason to "target" them to begin with. Every other exercise works tha abba/core. If your core is weak you will notice it in other movements and correcting that imbalance can be done other/better ways.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,211 Member
    While I agree they aren't the best, the issue you're having is that you're using your neck muscles to pull your self up. Point your chin towards the ceiling and fix your eyes on it too.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    Google transverse ab exercises. Much more effective than crunches and some you can do all day, in any position.
  • 2wise4u
    2wise4u Posts: 229 Member
    There are better workouts for abs but if you insist on crunches, imagine holding a rope above you and try to keep from tugging on your shoulders and head at all. Or like someone else mentioned, try reaching for your toes.
  • Dory_42
    Dory_42 Posts: 3,578 Member
    kat_williams wrote: »
    It's not so much that I'm choosing to do crunches a lot, it's part of a class I do and each week I struggle, I'm just looking for a way to help stop hurting my neck doing it. Thank you for the practical suggestions :) I'll give them a go

    Ask your instructor to help you with your form. Any decent instructor should know the correct form of the exercises they are asking you to do and can help you best as they can see exactly what you are doing wrong.

    One of the things I love about my trainers is that they would rather we do a small number of reps with the correct technique than thousands wrong.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    I know people are saying don't put your hands behind your head but I found when this was an issue for me I would let my head rest in my hands behind my head, so there was no need to hold my head up as much taking away the need to engage the neck muscles. Relaxing the jaw can help too.
  • caroldavison332
    caroldavison332 Posts: 864 Member
    slaite1 wrote: »
    kat_williams wrote: »
    It's not so much that I'm choosing to do crunches a lot, it's part of a class I do and each week I struggle, I'm just looking for a way to help stop hurting my neck doing it. Thank you for the practical suggestions :) I'll give them a go

    You don't have to do the exercises just because you paid for the class. I like the idea of doing them from an angle. That will help me too.
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    Most effective ab exercises

    Weighted hanging leg raises
    Weighted captains chair leg raises
    Cable crunches
    Ab wheel
    Air bicycles

    None of those will strain your neck
  • khumphries27
    khumphries27 Posts: 8 Member
    HIP HOP ABS!! (You never do crunches while lying on the floor!) I love it and Sean T is sooo entertaining! :smiley: lol. I have been doing it for 3 months and it still works every muscle in my body! Its based on intensity, you do the routines more intense when it seems too easy. I have the level 2 but have not needed it yet. I am also on a low calorie diet where I try to get all the food groups in my diet. (I did have to figure out how many calories my body needed to lose weight with trial and error) In 3 months I have lost 23 lbs and I can feel my muscles getting toned (just can't see them yet, lol). Also, I hit a stall in the weight loss, so I started breaking my meals down so that I am eating every 3 hours and it seems to be helping, I am back to losing again! Also if you can't afford the $20 for this, Sean T posts mini workouts on his facebook all the time, I'm sure you can find his videos on YouTube as well. So much fun! :wink:
  • AmandaHugginkiss
    AmandaHugginkiss Posts: 486 Member
    Don't do crunches. They suck.

    The Jefit app for your phone or tablet has more ab exercises than you can possibly do. Try it.
  • laoryn
    laoryn Posts: 11 Member
    AsISmile wrote: »
    Instead of placing your hands behind your head, try touching your ankles with your hands while crunching.
    Or just cross them on your chest.

    Crossing them over your chest might help you out, yes. I was a pretty athletically inept kid but took karate class twice a week, and this was how we did it.

  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    The topic of why has been beat-up pretty good, so I'll just mention that I do the ab-wheel is probably one of the best exercises you can do for the abs and obliques. Not saying THE best, but one of the best for sure. I also like 90-degree crunches because they eliminate about all the problems that come with regular crunches but active the abs pretty well too.

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