Neck Isometrics
the primary importance
of neck strength, stability.
NOTE:
Thank you!
to Laotse (pseudonym) for the alternative perspective.
Reference the discussion thread at TheTaoBums.com,
entitled the importance of the
neck.
Introduction
I used to promote Sonnon's intu-flow neck exercises as the best I'd found, but I've recently
adjusted my perspective. The intu-flow neck exercises focus mostly on neck
mobility: turning, rotating, shifting the neck in a variety of ways.
However, most people don't exercise their neck at all, and so lack basic strength and stability in this critical area, the neck.
I think that working on mobility exercises without sufficient prior basic strength and stability has the potential to really tweak a person's cervical vertebrae ... perhaps for many people and especially if a person has a pre-existing (manifest or latent) neck condition.
Laotse made the point that the human neck never needs to get into the intu-flow positions, implying that the intu-flow neck exercises carry too high of a risk/benefit ratio altogether.
Maybe that's true (even probably true for most people, though I still
think that Sonnon's neck exercises could be very beneficial for well developed
Taoist exercise nuts). I do agree that at the very least people should be careful of the stability ~ mobility balance and that
increasing strength and stability should come first.
So, here is a simple set of isometric neck exercises that promotes neck strength,
stability:
Front
1. Place both palms on your forehead. (I know the picture only shows one palm, but it's easier with both.)
2. Press your head against your palms, for a count of 5. Don't strain, only very moderate pressure. Relax. Repeat for a count of 5, then relax, two more times.
Back, Left, Right
Proceed similarly with neck isometrics to the back, left, and right.
For each direction: Three moderate presses of 5 seconds each, interspersed by relaxation.
Here is a youtube video of the same exercises.
NOTE: I still think that the over-all intu-flow program is quite good, but that this "neck stability ~ mobility" issue needed to be commented upon.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor. Do not take my advice in place of a doctor's! The responsibility is your own.
