One of the biggest complaints people have about doing ab
exercises is that they hurt their back and neck. Indeed, some of the
more commong stomach workouts can indeed place a lot of strain on your
lower back and neck, cause discomfort and even pain.
However,
doing a stomach workout does not have to be this way. It's entirely
possible to get an awesome abs workout without feeling any discomfort in
your back and neck. A lot depends on your choice of exercises. You just
need to do the right ones.
Often, stomach exercises that involve lifting your torso toward your knees are those that create neck and back strain. However, the opposite movement is often much easier on the back. I'm talking about exercises in which you bring your knees and legs toward your chest. You're still crunching your abs to get that tightening feeling but you don't have to lift your head or back off the floor so you're not placing too much strain on them.
Here are 3 ab exercises you can do without hurting your back:
1. Hip lifts - Bring both legs up straight at a ninety degrees angle to the floor. Keep your entire upper body and head on the floor. Lift your hips a bit of the floor pushing your legs straight up. Make sure to use your abs to make this movement. When you go back down, don't let your legs fall toward the ground. Maintain control over them throughout the movement.
2. Reverse crunches - Similar to the regular crunch, you begin this exercise by lying on the floor with both legs bent at the knees. Lift your legs a bit off the floor. Curl both legs toward your chest. You may raise your buttocks off the ground a bit to bring your knees close to your chest. Don't lift your head to not strain your neck. Make sure to exhale while bringing your legs up and inhale while lowering them. Don't let your legs touch the ground.
3. The third abs exercise that you can do without hurting your neck and back is what I like to call the half-bicycle. The bicycle abs workout is done with a movement of your upper body and lower one both. In this version, you only use your legs.
To do the half-bicycle, lie on the ground, raise both legs a bit off the floor and begin alternating between them, bending one and bringing it toward your upper body and straightening the other a bit over the ground.
You can and should do abs exercises. If you suffer from neck or back pain, do these exercises and you may feel better.
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Often, stomach exercises that involve lifting your torso toward your knees are those that create neck and back strain. However, the opposite movement is often much easier on the back. I'm talking about exercises in which you bring your knees and legs toward your chest. You're still crunching your abs to get that tightening feeling but you don't have to lift your head or back off the floor so you're not placing too much strain on them.
Here are 3 ab exercises you can do without hurting your back:
1. Hip lifts - Bring both legs up straight at a ninety degrees angle to the floor. Keep your entire upper body and head on the floor. Lift your hips a bit of the floor pushing your legs straight up. Make sure to use your abs to make this movement. When you go back down, don't let your legs fall toward the ground. Maintain control over them throughout the movement.
2. Reverse crunches - Similar to the regular crunch, you begin this exercise by lying on the floor with both legs bent at the knees. Lift your legs a bit off the floor. Curl both legs toward your chest. You may raise your buttocks off the ground a bit to bring your knees close to your chest. Don't lift your head to not strain your neck. Make sure to exhale while bringing your legs up and inhale while lowering them. Don't let your legs touch the ground.
3. The third abs exercise that you can do without hurting your neck and back is what I like to call the half-bicycle. The bicycle abs workout is done with a movement of your upper body and lower one both. In this version, you only use your legs.
To do the half-bicycle, lie on the ground, raise both legs a bit off the floor and begin alternating between them, bending one and bringing it toward your upper body and straightening the other a bit over the ground.
You can and should do abs exercises. If you suffer from neck or back pain, do these exercises and you may feel better.
Read More:
♦ 7 Homemade Detox Drinks for... ♦ 16 Simple Tweaks To Help You Lose Weight