Does your neck often feel tight and sore? Perhaps your way of breathing is partly to blame. Look at your neck in the mirror while you breathe. Try not to change how you are breathing - you are simply observing. Do you notice your neck muscles tighten with each breath? Now place your hand gently around the front of your neck, thumb on one side, fingers on the other, and once again tune into your breathing. Do you feel any muscles hardening and then softening as you inhale and exhale? If you saw your neck muscles working, or you felt them turning on and off while you were breathing, it is not surprising that your neck feels tight and sore. The neck muscles are not meant to pull up your ribcage with each breath - they are small and stringy things, and it is hard work for them to counteract the pull of the larger muscles that connect the ribs to the pelvis. Your breathing muscle is your diaphragm, and learning to use this muscle will be key to reducing the strain in your neck. The only time your neck should get involved in breathing is when you are exercising so hard that your breathing pace has quickened significantly. Wrap a towel or strap around your lower ribcage, cross it in the front and hang onto the ends. Now as you breathe, try and feel your lower ribs expanding all around against the towel or strap. Keep your neck quiet. Don't breathe in more air than usual - simply try and place the air low in your ribs. You can also practice by lying on your back and placing your hand on your neck to monitor for unwanted muscle contraction. As you breathe, you should feel your ribs imprinting more into the floor, and you should feel nothing in the neck. Be consistent in your practice, and your breathing pattern will change. Please do keep the comments coming on my blog. If you want to share this article, scroll to the very bottom and click the "share" icon to post on Facebook, Twitter etc. If you want to subscribe or search for other posts by title or by topic, go to www.wellnesstips.ca. Related tips: Chek, Paul, CHEK Level 3 Manual - The Upper Quarter, Paul Chek Seminars, CHEK Institute, 1992, 1997, 2000 Kisner, Carolyn and Colby, Lynn,Therapeutic Exercise; Foundations and Techniques, Second Edition, F.A. Davis, Philadelphia, 1990. Copyright 2005 / 2011 / 2013 Vreni Gurdwww.wellnesstips.ca |
BORN TO BE MILD!
Ha ha ha - Hope you enjoyed that YouTube video! Do you relate more than you care to admit to the video above? Thankfully aging doesn't have to be like that! The Anti-Aging Exercise Solution to your rescue! Do you know at least 3 reasons why activities like getting in and out of cars, getting up from the floor, or grabbing that case of wine out of the trunk of the car tend to get tougher as we age? 1) We get too tight so we no longer have the range of motion required for the activity. 2) We become too weak to do the activity. 3) We may lack the stability to do the activity safely. The Anti-Aging Exercise Solution addresses these issues by choosing exercises that increase flexibility and strength at the same time. There is a separate section on stabilization, and the concepts are integrated into the workout. The DVD shows you: • How to regain or improve your strength and flexibility! • The key exercises that target and reverse common postural weaknesses! • A full body workout detailing correct technique and common mistakes to avoid. The Anti-Aging Exercise Solution is a complete workout for the exercise enthusiast and the wannabe from age 40 to 100. The power of the exercise is in the details! Buy the DVD now and start your journey to better function by becoming more flexible, yet stable and strong. |