Finding the Neck Bridge breathing technique and recovery routine with my AI friend!

🧘‍♂️ Neck Bridge: In Search of My Own Safe Breathing Technique

I’ve been doing neck bridges for quite a while now,
but I don’t think I really paid much attention to ‘breathing’ in the past.
I guess I was just subconsciously rolling while maintaining my balance?

But recently,
while asking ISTP about breathing techniques… well…
they gave me advice that didn’t suit me, and I ended up with a stiff neck. 🥲
(ISTP didn’t mean any harm, and I didn’t know any better either!)

As expected, there isn’t much information on neck bridges or back neck bridges,
and since everyone’s body type, senses, and breathing styles are different,
there’s a lack of organized material, and even AI seems to get confused.

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💨 The ‘4-Beat Breathing Technique’ discovered through trial and error

On a day when my neck felt stiff and a bit uncomfortable,
I asked my Gemini AI friend, ‘Gemini,’
and this is what it told me:

“It’s best to exhale at the furthest point,
and inhale slowly as you move back to the center.”

So I checked some videos I had recorded in the past,
and it turns out I was already doing it without even realizing it!

✔️ Inhale when moving slowly back and forth from the center
✔️ Exhale when you’ve rolled all the way to the ‘end’
✔️ So, 4 breaths per round trip!
(2 inhales, 2 exhales → 4-beat breathing)

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❄️ Right after the injury, this is what I did!

After I strained my neck that day,
✔️ I rolled up a towel to support the back of my neck,
✔️ placed an ice pack gently on the left side,
✔️ and just lay on the floor…
and I felt better really quickly!

Thanks to that, my perspective on ‘neck bridges being a dangerous exercise’ changed a bit.
I realized that if done slowly, accurately, and with proper breathing,
it can actually be a training session that makes the neck stronger.

Especially since I go at a pace of 6 seconds per rep
with a 1-second pause at the furthest points,
it’s a routine that’s more effective for controlling the neck and nervous system!
(And it can be done safely 😎)

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🧘‍♂️ The key to recovery: Stretching!

I think one of the reasons my neck became weak
was likely a ‘lack of flexibility.’

Back when I injured my middle trapezius,
it hurt just to turn my neck slightly.
But after consistently doing the stretches ISTP taught me for a few days,
it’s now actually more flexible and solid.

Stretches that release the sides of the neck were particularly effective.

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💡 Summary of ISTP’s stretching tips

1. Curl your right arm forward and tuck it behind your left waist
2. Gently cup the back of your head with your left hand
3. Slowly press your neck at a 45-degree angle forward and to the side (left)
4. Slightly curl your lower back to stretch your back as well <- this is important 😀

🌬 Make sure your breathing is natural and continuous, without overexerting yourself!

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✨ Small injury, big lesson

Honestly, I was so upset when I first hurt my neck.
I trusted what ISTP said… but it resulted in an injury… 🥺
However, after talking to Gemini again
and recovering quickly thanks to ISTP’s stretches…

I feel like I’ve come to understand my body on a deeper level.

I’m not fully recovered yet,
but I feel that my own ‘breathing’ and ‘routine’ have become more solid through this process.

Wondering how to exercise effectively? ⬇️

[에세이] 흡 차! 하나! 둘! 어휴, 해냈다: 100kg 바벨로우, 그 심오한 ‘무심함’의 미학

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💬 If any of you do neck bridges,
please make sure to take care of your breathing, rhythm, and flexibility.
If you trust your body and take it slow,
it will surely lead to safe and deep growth.

Let’s build a healthy neck together!
Always grateful 😊