Neck Exercises

The neck has vital role in health and vitality thus it is given special attention by the yoga practitioners. The biggest advantage of this exercise is that it can done in at any place - while taking a bath, listening to the radio, or watching TV.

Two major reasons for the importance of neck are:

1.since the nerves from the neck go to the eyes, ears and brain, a spinal misalignment in the neck can cause vision and hearing problems, as well as problems such as headaches and poor sleep.

2.since major blood vessels pass through the neck to the brain, a neck misalignment can put pressure on the blood vessels and reduce the blood flow to the brain. This is a very common cause of chronic fatigue.

Neck Roll Exercise

The neck exercises improve the flexibility of your neck. Before starting these exercises, see for yourself how flexible your neck is; then decide whether or not it needs to be exercised.

Rotate you head 3-5 times by leaning foreward. If the rolling goes smoothly without any grinding or crackling noises you don't have to worry; if it doesn't, better try the neck exercises at once.

Usually the trouble begins when the joints, or rather their linings, are inadequately lubricated and begin to stiffen from accumulation of calcium deposits-a sign of old age regardless of how many or how few years ago you were born. This crunching sound is certainly a warning of impending trouble-unnecessary trouble, too, as one can preserve one's elasticity, health, and youthful appearance by spending a few minutes a day doing the right type of exercise.

Technique:

Sit on the floor with your legs crossed and keep the hands on the knees. If you prefer to sit on a chair, choose a hard one, otherwise you will find it difficult to keep your back straight, which is essential.

Neck roll Exercises

Relax the whole body. You should be conscious of it only from the neck up-the rest should remain motionless and as unstrained as if you were sitting tinder water up to the neck.

1.Now close your eyes and effortlessly and gently let your head drop forward and backward, then again forward and backward. Do each exercise four times to begin with. Later on you can increase the number to 6 or more. When dropping the head backward keep your facial muscles relaxed; the lips should part slightly when the head is thrown back.

2.In the next exercise, you first turn your head to the extreme right and return it to normal position; then turn to the extreme left and return to normal again. Repeat it 4 times. Turning the head to the sides contracts the muscles, returning to normal position relaxes them.

3.In the 3rd exercise you bend your head to the right as if someone were pulling your right ear towards the right shoulder, and straighten the head, bend it to the left and straighten again.

Repeat four times.

When bending the head to the side, don't lift the shoulder, and don't tilt the head either-let it move only from its upright position into an almost horizontal one, otherwise there will be very little pull in the neck. This pull should be strongly felt in the left side of the neck when the head is bent to the right; in the right side when the head is bent to the left.

4.The next exercise resembles the neck movements of a turtle, for you should literally "stick your neck out" as far as you can, then draw it back again. In doing so, you will make a gliding movement forward with your chin, as if trying to reach far out with it and thus to lengthen the neck. Here the pull will be felt in the back of the neck on both sides between the ears as well as in

the middle. Repeat this exercise four times..

Benefits of the neck exercises

1.Improve vitality, sleep, vision and hearing

2.Prevent headaches, since the nerves and blood vessels in the neck go to the head and brain

Caution

A lot of books include the neck roll exercise, in which the neck is rotated around clockwise and then anti-clockwise. Since it jams the side joints of the neck, you must avoid it, which can cause inflammation.