5 Neck-Friendly Ab Exercises to Try When You’re Sore

Below, we outline five abdominal exercises you can try if you have mild and short-lived neck pain. But before you begin, there are a few precautions to be aware of.

Exercising Your Core Safely With Neck Pain

When you perform the exercises in this article, keep your abs contracted to control each movement. This lessens your chance of reinjury and ensures you're strengthening the muscles that support your head and torso. “Form is more important than speed and intensity,” says Dr. Babaria.

Finally, be mindful of how the exercises are affecting your pain. “If your injury is improving and there are no upper-extremity symptoms associated with the neck pain — such as weakness, numbness and tingling, or shooting pain in the arms or upper back — it’s best to exercise slowly and rest as and when you need to,” Babaria explains.

But, “if your pain is increasing with exercise, it’s wise to see a physical therapist for more guidance,” he warns.

With this safety information in mind, here are the five neck-friendly ab exercises you can try.

1. Bent-Knee Reverse Crunch

• Reps: 15
• Sets: 3

“The bent-knee reverse crunch is a great starter core exercise for someone with a sore or strained neck, if done correctly,” says Babaria. This is because the exercise doesn't require any upper-body engagement other than core contraction to stabilize the body.

Perform the Exercise:

1. Start by lying flat on the floor with your arms by your sides.
2. Bend your knees to 90 degrees and lift your feet off the floor. Your shins should be parallel to the floor.
3. Using your lower abdominal muscles, lift your hips off the floor so your knees are moving towards your chest. Hold this position with your abdominal muscles contracted for about three seconds (keeping your head on the floor with your cervical spine in a neutral position).
4. Slowly lower your hips back to the ground so your shins are parallel with the floor once again.
5. Aim for about 15 repetitions at a time, rest, and then repeat for a total of 3 sets.

Pro Tip To make the most of this exercise, ensure you engage your abs rather than your neck, and keep your neck in line with the rest of your spine. “The main goal here is for your neck to stay in a neutral position and not have it strained when bending and twisting,” says Babaria.

2. Supine Leg Raises

• Reps: 10
• Sets: 1 (building up to 3)

Perform the Exercise:

1. Start by lying flat on the floor and with your arms by your side.
2. Contract your abdominal muscles to flatten your back into the floor.
3. Draw your knees slowly into your chest before extending your legs straight above your hips. Hold for a couple of seconds.
4. Try to keep your legs straight as you slowly lower your legs toward the floor by extending at your hips. Only lower your legs as far as you can go without your lower back lifting off the floor.
5. Pause briefly and draw your legs back up to the starting position by flexing at your hips and contracting your lower abdominals.
6. Repeat 10 times to start. As you grow stronger, increase the number of sets to three, with rest in between each set.

3. Standing, Alternating Knee Raises

• Reps: 10
• Sets: 1 (building up to 3)

The standing alternating knee raise will allow you to engage the lower abdominals as well as the obliques without having to get down on the floor. The exercise is also “great for someone with neck or cervical pain who wants to build core and hip-flexor strength,” says Babaria.

Perform the Exercise:

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width. Draw your arms up in front of you.
2. Contract your core and balance on your right leg as you simultaneously draw your left knee up toward your left elbow, keeping a 90-degree angle at the knee. Try to bring your knees up to at least your hip level as you do this.
3. Return to the starting position and alternate: balance on your left leg as you draw your right knee toward your right elbow.
4. Start slowly and increase your speed as you feel more comfortable with the exercise.
5. Do 10 reps, where one leg raise counts as one repetition, for one set. Feel free to increase sets to three as you build strength over time.

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Pro Tip “If doing alternating knee raises is too hard or balance is off, it’s okay to start with a modified version using a chair for support,” says Babaria. “Hold the 90-degree knee raise for about 20 to 30 seconds at a time.”

4. Forearm Plank

• Time: 20 to 30 seconds (building up to 90 seconds)

Perform the Exercise:

1. Start by kneeling on the floor; lean forward to place both elbows and forearms on the floor slightly wider than shoulder-width, but at shoulder height.
2. Contract your core muscles and extend your legs behind you.
3. Create a neutral spine by keeping the abs engaged and, if necessary, lower your hips so they are in line with the angle being created between your shoulder and feet. “The key is to have a neutral position throughout your entire spine while keeping your elbows on the ground directly below your shoulders,” says Babaria.
4. “It’s also important to keep your scapulas (shoulder blades) engaged during planks,” he adds. “Imagine trying to keep the tips of your scapulas into your chest.” It also helps to tuck your chin, giving yourself a ‘double chin,’ to keep your neck in neutral alignment.
5. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then lower your body back to the floor. Gradually aim to increase your time in the forearm plank.

Pro Tip “If planks are too difficult or you can't do them in the correct form, you can always start with a modified plank from your knees,” says Babaria. That being said, “a good time to hold a plank is around 1.5 minutes or longer. Strive to reach that time even if it's with an additional 5 seconds at a time,” he adds.

5. Abdominal Crunch

• Reps: 6 to 15
• Sets: 4

Perform the Exercise:

1. Start by lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Flatten your spine into the floor by contracting your abs, and interlock your fingers behind your head with your elbows wide. Position your head so that your neck is aligned with the rest of your spine.
3. Tuck your chin in to create a “double chin,” in order to keep your neck in neutral and relaxed alignment. Your neck should remain relaxed while you slowly crunch upwards by lifting your head, neck, and shoulder blades off the floor and driving them toward the ceiling.
4. Pause briefly at the top and return to the starting position by lowering your shoulder blades, neck, and head back to the floor.
5. Repeat 6 to 15 times in one set, and aim for no more than 60 repetitions in total (4 sets of 15 reps).

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Pro Tip “Breath control during abdominal workouts is important to develop good mechanics and keep good form,” says Babaria. Exhale as you curl your torso toward your thighs, then inhale as you slowly lower back down to the floor.

The Takeaway

• Mild neck pain is common — weak core muscles or poor posture may be a contributing factor — though it’s possible to strengthen your core safely with abdominal exercises that don't strain the cervical spine.
• Be sure to prioritize proper form with a neutral spine, and remember to breathe throughout each exercise, building up the intensity over time.
• Stop immediately if your neck pain increases or if you feel any numbness or tingling.
• And before starting any new exercise regimen, consult a doctor, especially if your pain is severe or prolonged.