subject: Neck Strength [print this page] You may train your bodyYou may train your body. But are you training every part of it? Chances are that you're not! And when it comes down to it the neck is often neglected. When people think of neck training, often times the only exercise they think of is shrugs. While these are good they're not specifically a neck exercise! So what do you do?
To start with, lets talk about the different movements the neck muscles can make. You can flex and extend. You can protract and retract. And lastly you can rotate. Each of these movement will result in the head moving.
Why should you train your neck? People are always worried about suffering some sort of neck or spine injury and for good reason. And bad injury could result in serious complications or even death. But if you make the neck and spine strong you are much less likely to suffer any injury from a bad accident.
An easy way to start is with your hands. You resist with your hands as you move the neck through a full range of motion. The advantage of these exercises is that it takes no equipment, can be done easily anywhere, and they will build strength.
Put the hands on the back of you head. Start with your chin at your chest. Move the head back applying as much pressure as you need to take 6 seconds to move a full range of motion. Repeat going forwards.
Do this 3 times each way.Now do the same going from side to side. That is bending your head so that the ear touches the shoulder and moves to the opposite side.
These same methods can be done to work the chicken-necking motion and turning the head to the sides.
But these exercises are just a good start. To move forward I have two recommendations.
The first is the wrestler's bridge. This involves going into a back bending bridge position with your feet and head on the ground. In the beginning you can use your hands to help support yourself, but eventually you'll be able to do away with them. Advanced trainees can support additional weights or people on top of their wrestler's bridge.
And make no mistake. The wrestler's bridge is not just a neck exercise. It works the entire body from head to toe, building flexibility in the spine and neck too.
The second is plate lifting. You're going to do the same thing as you've done with your hands, except now you'll be using more resistance. All the same movements can be done. Put some sort of pad on your head then place a plate on the opposite side. Use you hands to keep it steady. Then using neck strength alone lift the plate. I like to do these for higher repetitions in the 20-50 range. One set each way is fine.
Make sure you ease into all neck training slowly. It goes without saying you can hurt yourself. But if you do it smartly you'll be better proofing yourself against injury.
These are just a few neck training exercises you can do. Add them into your current fitness routine and you'll be glad you did.
This sort of training is even more important to combat athletes like football players, wrestlers and martial artists for obvious reasons.
