Easing belayer neck pain

We spend a lot of time looking up while we belay. This sometimes causes too much pressure in your neck, resulting in pain. One way to help easy the pain of belayer's neck is to actively training your neck muscles to engage, rather than just dumping the weight of your head into your spine. Here are some exercises to help:

1. Neck Rolls - Come to an easy sit position. Gently and slowly roll your head clockwise 5-10 times and then counter-clockwise 5-10 times
2. Scalene Muscle Stretch - The scalene muscles are a set of three muscles located in the neck, on the front and on either side of the throat. Derived from the Greek word skalenos (meaning "uneven"), these muscles have differing lengths, attachments and fiber arrangements. To stretch your scalene, take your fingers, as if you were crimping, and bring them into the groove between your collar bones and the scalene muscles. Gently tilt your head to the right and slowly move your chin upward. You should feel a nice stretch in the neck. Hold the stretch for 2-5 breaths, then come back to center and switch to the other side.
3. Extended Arm Head Tilts - Reach your right arm out with the palm out, facing up. Raise your left hand and place it on the right side of your head. Gently pull head your head to the left (left ear to left should). You should feel a nice stretch in the right side of the neck. Hold the stretch for 2-5 breaths, then come back to center and switch to the other side.
4. Trapezius Muscle Stretch - Using a yoga strap, loop it into a circle shape. Place one end of the loop under your right knee, working it inward as needed. Then loop the other end over your right shoulder, over top of your right upper trapezius muscle (the somewhat flat are between your shoulder and neck). Gradually tighten the loop as necessary to feel a gentle drawing downward of the shoulder. Extend your right arm parallel with the floor, palm facing down. Raise your left hand and place it on the right side of your head. to the own. Gently press the neck. Gently pull head your head to the left (left ear to left should). You should feel a nice stretch in the right side of the neck and trapezius. Hold the stretch for 2-5 breaths, then come back to center and switch to the other side.