Neck problems when doing crunches/situps?!

Neck problems when doing crunches/situps?

k, whenever I do crunches, I feel it in my belly, and that's okay, but I am very limited in how many I can do because it bothers my neck. And I dont mean like sore joints/muscles. The problem is that in the front of my neck, it feels like I'm choking. I dont have an excessive ammont of fat in my neck. so I'm thinking that my head is too heavy and those muscles in the front of my neck have to work extra hard to support it, and thus their contracting pushes on my esophagus?

anyone know what I'm talking about or have this problem? What am I doing wrong? or am I doing it right, I'm just too weak?

Any suggestions for what to do instead?

1 week ago
when I say it feels like I'm chocking, I mean it feels like when someone hits you in the neck, or if you press a bit on your esophagus. Not that airflow is being impeded.

1 week ago
Every instruction for doing crunches I've ever seen says to put your hands behind your head to support your neck, but then in the same breath says not to pull on your neck. I dont understand how I can do both.

I usually end up putting my hands behind my head, but then they're barely touching my head because I dont want to pull on my neck.

I have the same problem. I do situps on a big ball & it seems to be easier & I get better results. Just don't come up too far, just barely up; tighten those abs and hold & go back down. See if that helps.