You're probably harming your shoulders while doing your ab exercises.
Learn to heal them instead.
Do you have chronically tight neck and shoulders?
Do you feel like no matter how many crunches you do you still look like the Doughboy?
These are symptoms of the same problem.
Most people are totally unaware that they are using their neck and shoulders to cheat for a weak core. They think they’re working towards a six-pack but end up with outsized traps and necks, and a pooch for a belly.
Low back pain is the next stop on this horrible feedback loop.
Start Your Healing Journey
I want to help you heal from illness, injury, and pain. You're probably tired of living with pain, you may have even tried a few things and had some temporary relief - but it always comes back!
Perhaps, you haven't yet found the root source of your pain and discomfort. That's where my self-assessment quiz comes in.
This quiz will ask you a series of questions that will enable you to focus your energy and attention to the most likely source so you can begin to heal, grow, and thrive!
Let’s reverse that loop right now and get you on track for a strong, upright core that your shoulders can rest easy on.
Do this quick test on yourself:
1. Lie on your back and interlace your fingers behind your neck. Extend your thumbs down so they can feel the back of the tops of your shoulders, aka the upper trapezius muscle.
(If it’s hard for you to rest the back of your head on the floor you definitely need to address that problem immediately, and here are tips for that: Neck and Shoulder Pain Relief Part 1)
2. Work on getting the muscles under your hands as soft and “turned off” as possible – no tension, no holding, no working.
3. Now squeeze your knees into your chest and s l o w l y lower the feet back to the ground.
Those muscles under your hands fired up again, didn’t they? And while we’re noticing the funny ways we work, do the crunch again and notice – what happened to your throat? tongue? eyeballs? (I know. Weird, right?)
Watch this video to relearn how to strengthen your core without adding strain to your already over-used neck and shoulder muscles.
Now start to practice all your ab exercises with your hands cradling your neck to help you feel if those muscles are jumping in to cheat for the weaker core.
Be patient! It may take some time to retrain your nervous system, but the rewards are so worth it.
You’ll eventually feel what it is to be upright, with relaxed shoulders sitting on top of a long, strong, and pain-free torso.
