so ive been work out for 1 month now. Couples of days ago i felt a quite strong pain at the back of my neck (left side) when doing bicep curls. (been doing a standing bicep curls with 10kg dumbell, and sometimes with 20-25kg barbell).

the back neck pain will occurred in my 2nd set and mostly at 8-12 reps. (I can feel the nerve/muscle/joint at my back neck throbbing) (especially AFTER I finish the set)
sometimes i have the neck pain all the day after work out till the day i wake up on the next morning (but the pain is minor)

aside from bicep curls, this is my below routine @ the gym :

bench press, 12 reps x 3set (10kg-15kg dumbell)
incline bencpress, 12 reps x 3set (10kg-15kg dumbell)
squat with barbell, 12 reps x 3set (barbell with 10kg plates on each side)
dumbell shrugs, 12 reps x 3set (15-20kg dumbell)
barbell bent row, 12 reps x 3set (20-25kg barbell)

anyone experienced same prob like me? should i change my weighlifting routines? this pain is like migraine, but happens at the back of the neck.



p/s : i do some stretching b4 work out

edit : The pain isn't like a headache, its just a very painful sensation at the back of my head(connecting to neck) about two inches behind the ear.

The pain seems to pulsate or throbbing some ppl call, and you can feel the blood pumping heavily. but it only happens during the last few pushed reps during a set. and then it goes mild after training with weights.

This post has been edited by moodswingfella: Sep 11 2013, 05:04 PM

do you keep your body still, maintain neutral spine, face up and slight bend on the knees ?

u mean during the bicep curl?

yep im sure i did these :

keep body still, yup
maintain neutral spine, yup (jangan bongkok)
face up, yup (i always look at the mirror)

slight bend on the knees....i didn't. perhaps i shud work on this...i thought one must stand straight one?

This post has been edited by moodswingfella: Sep 11 2013, 04:59 PM

I bend my knees slightly (just not locking them) in most of my standing exercises. It gives me more stability.

Do a search on Google (how to do standing bicep curls) most will point out to bend knees slightly.

aite will try and look for more guide. thanks bro.

hope i dont end up needed to see chiropractor.

u've been working out for a month and u are curling 20-25kg dumbell?and u are benching and squatting less than that. u must've strained some muscle cos of bad form. learn to walk before u can run and leave the ego outside of the gym door.

try and give it a rest for a few days,apply some medication and probably try icing it,see how it goes. or better yet,
go get it check.

the weight is too heavy for you.

you are using a lot of non-biceps muscles in the biceps curls hence the pain.

no no sir. curling with 7.5kg and 10kg dumbell only.
20-25kg is barbell. i belip 25kg barbell, the weight is divided into 2 (for right and left side, plus the barbell) am i right?

prob rite. i may practise the wrong technique

Correct me if i'm wrong.
But i think the culprits are
dumbell shrugs,
barbell bent row

how are your form when doing these? I think there is a muscle/vein pull left side lower back. (silap urat, somewhere). Need to get it massaged and corrected.

This post has been edited by Far-KingOfSorts: Sep 12 2013, 10:24 AM

just talk to my officemate, surprisingly he said the same too! shrug and bent row....

i gotta to admit, shrug is kinda easy for me to do with a correct form, but im having a hard time to do barbell bent row...yup, the bent part.

daymn

I'm also guessing you are a righty. You use most of your right side and your left side is weaker than the right side. Hence the struggle and more pressure on the left when you do your bent rows for you to keep balance when you raise the weights. Massage would definitely help. A pro masseur will know where to massage. (in your case, it should be somewhere lower left side close to your traps centre to the back bone)

i agree that my left side is weaker. gotta stop from doing any weight activity for now

anyway, do u know any good sport masseur/therapist in klang valley area? i live in shah alam

This post has been edited by moodswingfella: Sep 12 2013, 11:34 AM

most shoulder/neck shoulder pain starts with tight bicep, pecs, upper traps, sternocleidomastoid (neck), and weak omohyoid(neck), mid and lower traps, rhomboids. try stretching more and correct your posture, i.e.sit less and walk more

yup, im waiting for my neck to get fully recover, then will start back do weight training and practice good form. Perhaps I need to put more time doing stretching and warm up too.

currently just doing cardio only.

thanks for the advise bro

edit : and reduce the weight of lifting too. i finally realized that my body is just started to accept do weight workout. A lesson well learned.

This post has been edited by moodswingfella: Sep 13 2013, 04:26 PM

I used to do BOR, my arms gave way first. My lats doesn't activate with this. I switched to one arm DB rows. I feel contraction throughout the set (except the last 2-3 reps where the lats are burnt out).

one arm db row can feel lat? gotta try...since i cant do chin up...hehe

yes, the form is not straight up straight down. It's down slightly forward, up slightly backward (elbow up). Don't have assisted machines for chini?

no don have one, they dont have assist platform for chinni. i went to normal small gym oni

Perform negative reps on chin ups. It'll help you build the strength to do full reps.

i think dat way too. slowly do it. but i need to let my neck fully recover now
for now i only dare to do incline and bench press work out.

Fyi these two exercises still use your rhomboids and traps