Wry neck and lat pulls

[Driller]

I've been lifting weights on and off since about 1992. Since then I have had periodic problems with my mid-cervical area causing severe pain and weeks of sleepness nights.

About 6 months ago I stopped pulling the latpull bar behind my neck, pulling instead only to the front. Since then my neck has been in fantastic shape, not even the slightest twinge.

Just thought I'd mention this for those of you who have had neck prolems (has been mentioned here a few times). This might just help .

[RemainAllHoof]

Well, that answered my question. Always wondered if it was good for the neck to have to push it so far forward to avoid the bar. Does only pulling in front hamper development of the lats?

[Driller]

RemainAllHoof said:

Well, that answered my question. Always wondered if it was good for the neck to have to push it so far forward to avoid the bar. Does only pulling in front hamper development of the lats?

Absolutely not. If you think about pullups, most folk do that by pulling themselves up to the back of the bar ie bar in front.

Anyway, having to take a month out because you've screwed you neck up certainly hampers lat developement!

[RemainAllHoof]

Driller said:

Absolutely not. If you think about pullups, most folk do that by pulling themselves up to the back of the bar ie bar in front.

Anyway, having to take a month out because you've screwed you neck up certainly hampers lat developement!

That's what I thought. So why do people do it?

[Driller]

RemainAllHoof said:

That's what I thought. So why do people do it?

Well we're all different shapes and sizes. I'm 6'3" with somewhat loose joints so can't afford to put too much strain onthings in no-anatomical positions. There are much shorter, stockier, less flexible folk who can get away with stuff like that without doing themselves a mischief.

Another one I've always avoided is the one where you lie on your back on a bench and grasp a dumbell on the floor behind you and bring it over the head to the stomach.

[RichyBoy]

Forgive me for stating the obvious here but are you even working the lats when you pull down behind the neck? To do the lat pull down aren't you supposed to move your head/body back out of the way as you bring the bar down; pulling down with the shoulders then squeeze into the lats with the thumbs over the bar.

[goldblum]

You work the lats whether you pull down to the front or back.However if you pulldown to the back it is an unnatural lift and you

bring in shoulders as well.The potential dangers of lat pulldowns to the back of the neck have been known about for donkeys and I haven't seen anyone

doing these for a long time.Good idea to stop doing them!

[goldblum]

RemainAllHoof said:

Driller said:

Absolutely not. If you think about pullups, most folk do that by pulling themselves up to the back of the bar ie bar in front.

Anyway, having to take a month out because you've screwed you neck up certainly hampers lat developement!

That's what I thought. So why do people do it?

To hit the back muscles from a different angle.

The old style pullup bars were U shaped so you didn't have to crane your neck forward:don't see them much nowadays.

[RemainAllHoof]

Ah! Makes sense now.

[Yazza54]

I had bad whiplash about 6 months ago and I thought it had come back badly, but I have been doing pull downs behind my head too.... hopefully it's just that. My neck is aching like a bd right now.

[LordGrover]

When I went to a public/private gym there were signs by the lat pulldown machines warning against going behind neck. Definitely a no-no for me, but I'd rather do chins and pull-ups anyway.

[Ordinary_Chap]

Driller said:

I've been lifting weights on and off since about 1992. Since then I have had periodic problems with my mid-cervical area causing severe pain and weeks of sleepness nights.

About 6 months ago I stopped pulling the latpull bar behind my neck, pulling instead only to the front. Since then my neck has been in fantastic shape, not even the slightest twinge.

Just thought I'd mention this for those of you who have had neck prolems (has been mentioned here a few times). This might just help .

Thats a very good point!

I was told off by my coach for doing that, apparently its great for causing injuries!