Video Tip #2 – How To Do Curls Without Getting a Pain in The Neck
Last week, I introduced you to the “head hover” exercise – an exercise to help you feel the supportive connection between the head and the deep abdominals, without neck strain. Instead of getting a pain in the neck, the head hover will get you prepared to do abdominal flexion exercises (like the curl or the Pilates One Hundred) for strengthening.
Traditionally, we’ve been taught that sit-ups are what you need for strong abdominals.
But did you know that sit-ups don’t really strengthen your abs at all?
Whaaat?
Sit-ups, when done with your feet stuck under a bench, use more of your hip flexor muscles – the big muscles in the front of your pelvis – than they do your abdominals. So if you want to get really strong hip flexors, continue doing sit-ups.
BUT…if you’re interested in learning how to improve your deep abdominal strength and getting a more flexible upper spine, I’ve made a video that you might want to check out. A word of caution if you have osteoporosis or osteopenia – spine flexion exercises like the one shown in the video increase your risk of fracture, so stick to the head hover, shown in Tip #1.
Also, keep in mind that the amount of flexibility you have in your upper spine will determine how far you can curl your shoulders off the floor. If the flexibility isn’t there, no amount of stressing and straining will lift you higher.
So be patient.
Practice.
You’ll get there.
Here’s the video:
How to do Ab curls without getting a pain in the neck
To the best you ever!
Lindy
Really good tips – and very understandable – well done! Great idea.
Thank you so much for the video tips. I have not been able to join a class for quite some time, and plan to soon. In the meantime these tips will keep me from losing what I have learned. Thank you Thank you!!!
Teresa
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Thank you!
me
Hydrolyze
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