manis5

I’ve been dealing with neck pain for a few months now that mainly affects my sleep. I can’t get comfortable in any position and toss and turn throughout the night because of it. I also have tingling in my hands/fingers that only occurs at night but I’m not sure if it’s directly related or some other kind of issue like carpal tunnel/cubital tunnel. I am not really in pain otherwise throughout the day aside for some stiffness and it only mildly affects my training. No nerve pain/muscle atrophy/weakness, etc…

I guess my question is at one point is a further diagnosis required? If I had symptoms like muscle weakness or atrophy it would be obvious that I would need a further diagnosis but in my case, I feel like an MRI will just tell me what I already know which is likely a disc issue/arthritis and I’d rather not waste my time with a doctor who will just tell me not to lift anything over 20lbs going forward.

That being said, the inability to sleep has been getting to me so any advice is appreciated.

Mark Rippetoe

If neither you nor I know what is actually wrong with your neck, we don't really know what to do. You need an actual diagnosis beyond the fact that your neck hurts.

Leo M

If you have anything compressing nerve roots as they exit your spine, you won't notice loss of sensation in your fingers until it's pretty far along. You need to find out what's wrong, so you can make informed decisions.

Multiple doctors have told me not to lift more than 5 pounds for the rest of my life. I say to them, "A gallon of milk is 8 pounds." Every one has just looked at me blankly.

Tuna

Maybe my anecdotal experience is of some help.

I had neck pain for three years. Whenever I sat still for a while it would crack and pop on the first movement and I couldn't find a comfortable position to sleep in. Had about two dozen physiotherapy appointments (didn't help) and got an MRI (unremarkable).

I noticed that the pain went away whenever I was on vacation, so I started to experiment with adjustments to the elements of daily life. Monitor height on my desk, different piĺlows, different office chairs. Turned out I was staring down at my phone screen too much. Fixed that one thing and the pain I had for three years went away in two weeks.

If you cannot get a conclusive diagnosis, try to find the thing that makes your neck angry.

Smyth

Coach, I understand that the main lifts work my abs already. Would accessory abs exercises be beneficial nevertheless, or would it be a belts and suspenders situation? If abs work is advised, which single abs exercise would you recommend, and would you just add it to you training day, or do it on off days. Also, tell me to sod off if this question is beyond stupid.

Mark Rippetoe

Have you ever seen an ab exercise in any of my programs?

FatButWeak

Get your press over 225 (aka 102 kilos you insufferable Eurofag) and tell me you need to work abs. I dare you.

If you want your abs to show for vanity purposes (and unlike Rip who has no regard to the normal- but fruitless - human impulse to appear physically attractive to women, I get it. We want to look good.) don't be such a fat fuck. Lose the 1.5 inches of seal blubber coating your abdominal wall. This is done through a caloric deficit, not hours and hours of twists, crunches, planks or whatever other horseshit exercises you see on YouTube.

Frank_B

This is actually a very similar question to, “Is there any reason to do additional lower back exercises?”

The “core” (ugh), including the abs and lower back muscles are isometrically held during the lifts.

Why is it sufficient for the lower back to get stronger isometrically but not the abs? No one ever asks about “rounded lumbar spine deadlift day,” for some reason.