Do certain upper body workouts give you neck and shoulder pain? Or maybe you feel the tension or pain in your neck and shoulders after a long day?
You’re not alone. Your neck and shoulders are where your body holds tension and stress.
It’s also a sign of years of slouching during those many repetitive movements you’ve done throughout a lifetime such as: driving, carrying groceries, typing or even hunching over a good book.
Over time the low trap muscles become overstretched and weak. They stop doing their job of lengthening the neck by pulling down your shoulders into proper alignment.
The end result is tight and overworked upper neck and shoulders, while the low traps continue to snooze.
So, the simple solution is wake up the low traps.
Strength training Reduces Neck and Shoulder Pain:
A study published in Arthritis Care and Research demonstrated the beneficial effects of strength training to relieve neck and shoulder pain.
Participants were divided randomly into three groups.
- Fitness training: Bike riding
- Health Counselling only
- Strength training focused on relieving the neck and shoulder muscle pain
While the fitness group saw minimal short term pain relief, the strength training group experienced a 75% reduction in lasting neck pain relief.
The counselling group saw no improvements.
This study shows how valuable strength training (or weight training) is not only to help tone and firm your muscles, but to reduce pain and enhance your quality of life.
The Weights You Use to Strength Train Double As Gentle Massage Tool:
There’s no greater feeling than you have after finishing a massage, or having someone assist you in deepening a stretch.
You feel looser, more mobile and relaxed.
If only you had 24 hour access to a massage therapist or coach.
Well, you do!
Heavy, yet liftable weights can double as a mobility tool, a massager and a muscle active release tool, leaving your body feeling free.
In this week’s workout video I’ll show you how a weight you’d normally use for strengthening turns into your on-call muscle release tool.
While You Strengthen, You Tone the Upper Back too
These same exercises you’ll do to reduce neck and shoulder pain also double as an upper back workout that tones and firms the under bra area and the arms too.
It’s a Win, Win!
So, are you ready?
Let’s Get Started!
For this Workout You’ll Need:
- A set of light weights (1lbs-5lbs depending on your current fitness level)
- One Heavy Weight (10lbs-30lbs depending on your tension)
- A chair
- Towel or blanket (optional: only if the weight feels uncomfortable)
Get Weekly Workouts Delivered Right to Your Inbox:
