A Worldwide Neckademic is Coming!

There will be Neckademic in this country and maybe worldwide as well. I’m on my way to train with one of the world’s premiere experts on physical fitness and strength this weekend. I am taking the train to the plane and I see a great deal of people hunched over their PDA’s, laptops and other devices. Their eyes down, necks bent forward as their slumped shoulders end in fingers rapidly sliding on screens or pounding on keyboards. Their postures are horrible as they tune out the rest of the world while immersed in their little cyber world. Does anyone else see this?  

I’m not espousing the elimination of electronic devises by any means whatsoever. However, use them responsibly. Just like you should not text while driving, take care of your neck and spine as well. Every inch that your head protrudes past your median point doubles the amount of weight placed upon your neck. If you have your head jutting out a few inches past your chest, you could have up to 40 pounds or more hanging off of your neck! That’s quite a bit of stress on your cervical spine. 

How do we combat this? 

Be conscious of your neck and alignment and where your head is positioned.

Avoid the “hunched over” position or at least do not stay in it too long.

Develop neck strength through exercise and stretching. 

Activate your rhomboids through scapular contraction. This will help keep your shoulders back and your thoracic region in line which will also help your cervical spine keep alignment. 

I have included a link to a youtube video that I put together with some neck exercises. These exercises are a good place to start.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Br99O6YAvE&feature=share&list=UU4s-brC9PmgwpXXvN0V5dNQ

Be sure to visit www.kettlebellking.com for S.W.A.T. Kettlebell workshops, classes and both online and video training on DVD.