You really shouldn't just lie there.

The myth is that classical Pilates exercises are too difficult for people who have weak necks and the best way to deal with that issue is to never lift the head of the mat when performing the movements in a supine (flat on one’s back) position. 

The truth is that not being able to keep the head up during the workout is a sign of muscle weakness and poor body mechanics and it can be addressed and improved with skilled coaching and careful practice. 

One can of course resort to never lifting the head up, never getting stronger, and never addressing the issue. 

But taking a step back, and realizing that there is a solution to the problem is what I wholeheartedly recommend.

The human body is an intricate machine, fragile but at the same time sturdy because muscles support its delicate components. The muscles can be trained and coached to get stronger so that the body as a unit can better withstand the effects of everyday use as well as the unexpected demands of life. 

 Resolving to never use the neck to hold the head while exercising isn’t a way to live. It is a path to becoming more frailed and physically vulnerable in the long run. 

So what’s involved in working towards having a stronger neck? 

1. Learning how to lift and hold the head up while in a supine position involves strengthening the upper part of the abdominals, strengthening, and stretching not only the neck muscles but the muscles of the entire spine. 

2. Learning how to lengthen and decompress the spine, including the neck. 

3. Training the upper abdominal muscles to fire when moving the neck into flexion (bending forward)  and addressing the upper back extensors when moving the neck into extension (bending back).

4. Mastering the skill of executing correct movement patterns that are only possible by activating the right muscles to move the joints in a precise, and because of that, safe way. 

Improvement like this is never a quick victory. It takes months of learning, understanding, and practicing. So it naturally takes patience, persistence, and dedication. To overcome a weakness means to develop trust, in the method and in the guidance of the teacher. 

As with any aspect of classical Pilates, progress is built on being ready to change the way we think about a movement that looks and sounds familiar but when learned, understood, and executed, feels completely new and different.

Joseph Pilates on his method of Contrology

"Ideally, our muscles should obey our will. Reasonably, our will should not be dominated by the reflex actions of our muscles. When brain cells are developed, the mind too is developed. Teachers start with sense organs. Contrology begins with mind control over muscles."

"Return To Life"

My two cents

It used to be true that a comprehensively trained Pilates teacher had the knowledge and the skills to teach a client how to overcome the inability and the fear that comes with having to move the head/neck area. 

I can’t guarantee that anymore, since a lot of what is taught as Pilates is not actually Pilates and there are fewer teachers trained in classical (traditional) Pilates.

But I can speak for myself and my colleagues who are well versed in the art of teaching classical Pilates, that the problem does not lie in the exercises themselves but in the way that the exercises are taught and executed. And it is a problem because it gives Pilates a bad reputation as a method available only to those who are already fit, or those who don't have major issues. While in reality, 

Pilates IS the best movement technique for those who cannot move. 

A skilled teacher will guide, cue, provide imagery, visual, and hands-on feedback to teach your body how to move correctly, and how to execute movements you didn’t know you could do. They will break down the exercises into the smallest increments and the tiniest movements that you can complete successfully and without pain or discomfort. They will teach you how to access muscles you didn’t know you had and they will help you overcome your fear.