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Mayer
Question:
How do I strengthen my neck without injuring it?
In the course of training for grappling sports I felt it very important to have a strong neck. I used to stand on my head - no hands, just my head - and move it around, do wrestlers’ spins, butt the heavy bag, do situps with a 100 pound plate on my head, isometric exercises, and other neck exercises. I got a strong neck which, on one occasion, might have spared me tetraplegia, but I also lost, eventually, two cervical disks which causes me a lot of pain nowadays. I still believe a strong neck is important, but in coaching others I don’t want to encourage exercises that will cause them similar problems in future. Can someone suggest good neck exercises that will not damage the cervical disks? Thanks.
Asked by Mayer - 4 answers - 49 weeks 5 days ago
NAVEENCHOWDARY
Day to day living, poor posture, and injury often result in tight neck muscles. Learn these four gentle neck stretching exercises to decrease muscle tightness. The exercises can first be performed while laying on your back (to provided assisted support) and in time advanced to being performed in the seated position. Read on to review these four exercises.
1) Gently bend your head forward while bringing your chin toward your chest.
2) Stop when a stretch is felt in the back of your neck.
3) Hold position for 20 seconds.
4) Return to starting position. (neck in midline position)
5) Repeat above stretch 5 more times.
Extension Stretch - Eyes to Sky
1) Gently bend your head backward so that your eyes are looking up to the "sky".
2) Stop when a stretch is felt in the front of your neck.
3) Hold position for 20 seconds.
4) Return to starting position. (neck in midline position)
5) Repeat above stretch 5 more times
Rotation - Side to Side
) Gently turn your head to the left, looking over your left shoulder.
2) Stop when a stretch is felt in the right side of your neck.
3) Hold position for 20 seconds.
4) Return to starting position. (neck in midline position)
5) Repeat above stretch 5 more times.
6) Gently turn your head to the right, looking over your right shoulder.
7) Stop when a stretch is felt in the left side of your neck.
8) Hold position for 20 seconds.
9) Return to starting position. (neck in midline position)
10) Repeat above stretch 5 more times.
Lateral Flexion - Ear to Shoulder
1) Gently bend your neck in attempts to touch your left ear to your shoulder.
2) Stop when a stretch is felt in the right side of your neck.
3) Hold position for 20 seconds.
4) Return to starting position. (neck in midline position)
5) Repeat above stretch 5 more times.
6) Gently bend your neck in attempts to touch your right ear to your shoulder.
7) Stop when a stretch is felt in the left side of your neck.
8) Hold position for 20 seconds.
9) Return to starting position. (neck in midline position)
10) Repeat above stretch 5 more times.
Submitted 49 weeks 4 days ago by NAVEENCHOWDARYlchimi10
Due to poor (hunched) postures people can often also end up with tight chest muscle and weak shoulder girdle muscle (especially those that control the shoulder blades). This can further impact your neck as it prevents people from achieving good posture.
So as well as encouraging regular stretching of the neck get people to open up there chest(grasp your hands behind your back and pull your shoulder blades together). Also begin some simple strengthening of the shoulder blade muscles by pulling your shoulder blades dowm and in (as if drawing a 'V' with thetips of them)
In addition Id suggest that when completing the above Lateral Flexion stretch fix your shoulder, as its common to lift the shoulder to ease the stretch if your tight so it becomes less effective.
Do this by sitting at the end of a bed (or chair with no sides). Grasp the edge with one hand(keep arm straight) then bend your ear to the opposite side until you feel the stretch.
Submitted 49 weeks 4 days ago by lchimi10Mayer
Thanks very much for these suggestions. It’s true that I seldom think to stretch my neck these days, and I’ll begin to do so more often keeping your pointers in mind.
However, I also still believe a strong neck is important in many sports such as grappling and tumbling to help support the neck in case something goes wrong. I would like some advice on exercises that will build neck muscle without causing the wear and tear on disks and vertebrae that I mentioned originally.
I have, by the way, found that glucosamine is very helpful in relieving pain and, possibly, even in rebuilding the eroded disks. The usefulness, however, of chondroitin has not been demonstrated.
Submitted 49 weeks 2 days ago by Mayerlchimi10
This is a very simple exercise, but might be of use.
Lie on your back.
Place a flat hand underneath your head (thus elevating your head approx 1/1.5cm off the bed)
next slide your hand out from under your head (make sure your head remains in the same position and you dont lift it to allow your hand to move out)
Hold your head in this position, then repeat.
NB: If during the exercise you notice that you're bending your head forward (eg. bringing your chin to your chest) or there is excessive sternocleidomastoid (SCM) activation you then arent using your neck stabilisers appropriately.
If thats the case, prop your head and shoulders up on pillows (at an angle of about 45 degree). This lessons the effect of gravity so you should be able to complete the above exercise without SCM activation. When you can manage this easily then gradually start removing pillows until you can complete the exercise in a completely flat position.
The only other thing I can add is that I think you may struggle to find really intensive strength exercise for the neck (e.g similar to head stands) that wont place significant stress on the discs and joints. I genuinely believe good posture at all times (especially when doing any gym/resistance work for upper limbs)is the best way to strengthen as you will get a degree of strength gain during this act f stabilisation.
Good luck nonetheless. ;-)
Submitted 49 weeks 1 day ago by lchimi10