In the previous article, we gave some concepts of anatomy and biomechanics of the neck, and we began to explain some exercises to strengthen it at a beginner level. In this second installment we will explain more advanced exercises, following the enumeration of the previous article.
Level 3: Neck work with bands
The bands allow us a progressive work in the whole range of movement of the exercise that we are working on.
With the elastic bands, we position ourselves seated, and we fix it to the feet and the nape, grasping it with both arms at the height of our chest. From there we carry out an extension and flexion movement with the neck. While we extend our neck to overcome the resistance offered by the band, we extend our arms to create more tension in it. In the final position, this is held for 5 seconds , and again we flex the head to begin a new repetition. The training frequency would be 3 sets of 8 repetitions . Rest between sets, 2-3 minutes . This same rest between series is extendable to all the exercises in the following article. This work is done 2 days a week.
It is no longer recommended to perform these exercises every day, as they are more demanding, and the neck has many ligaments that, due to the poor blood supply they receive, require more recovery time.
We can also work on lateral flexion, or rotation, by tying the band in a fixed point at one end, or by holding it with our arm extended as in the video, and at the other wrapping the temple. The band should be level with the forehead, and stretched until it offers some tension before starting the exercise.
Level 4: Neck harness, or use of discs
The neck harness is basically used to gain strength in the neck extensors , where we already start from a good level of force, compared to the other neck movements as we have commented in the previous article. The harness is a device that is fixed to our head, with a chain in its lower part that hangs at the height of our chest and allows us to hook discs to work with weight. There are those who do it sitting, and there are those who do it standing (I prefer this last option since we add work on the postural muscles of the neck and back), leaving the hands resting on the thighs or free. Perform the movement in a smooth and controlled manner. 2-3 sets of 10 reps .
Another way to work with weight is by using iron discs. We lie down on a bench, face up, face down or side, depending on the movement of the neck that we want to work, and we rest the disc on the forehead, neck or temple following the previous order. It is important to place a towel or something padded between the disc and the part of the head in contact with it. We perform 2 sets of 10 repetitions of each neck movement: flexion, extension, inclination.
Level 5: Wrestler bridge and Front bridge
Here our neck works supporting the weight of the body, so the level of demand is higher.
Wrestler bridge
This is an exercise for advanced, but in a first step of the progression, we can help ourselves with the hands to facilitate the exercise, and be able to continue progressing.
The initial exercise is the classic back bridge, or back bridge, with the particularity that we also rest our heads on the ground. We lie supine, and bend the knees in such a way that the feet remain flat on the floor, and about 15-20 cm from the buttocks. The hands resting on the ground, at the height of the head. From there we lift our hips and back off the ground, putting our weight on the nape, holding this position for 5-10 seconds , and then we return to the starting position. Perform 3-5 reps.
Once the movement is mastered, we must eliminate the support of the hands and place them by crossing the arms over the chest. The goal will be to do 2 sets of 10 reps, 2 days a week .
The movement of the head begins with the nape resting on the ground, and ends with the crown resting, which, without something soft under it (a mat or a cushion for example), can be annoying and painful. Another important factor is that we must have tight abs during exercise.
In the example of the video, the individual performs it with the arms extended backwards, which is more specific to the floor work in fighting dysplicines, in addition to reducing the level of difficulty of the exercise.
It is a risky exercise for novices, since we work with the neck in hyperextension, but if we make the correct progressions, we will have already strengthened the neck to be able to perform this exercise safely. A similar case would be yoga, where at advanced levels, there are postures that are performed with great hyperextension of the spine, and that people who have acquired great mobility and strength in it, practice with minimal risk of injury.
Front neck bridge
It is an exercise of similar difficulty to the previous one, and instead of working face up, we will work face down.
The objective is to be able to tilt our weight on the forehead and / or temples, having only the tips of the feet and the head supported.
To get to this step, we have some previous progressions. In an initial step we lean on our knees , so our neck will no longer support much of the weight of the legs. The arms remain interlocked behind the back, preventing them from participating in the movement. From there we tilt the weight of the trunk forward and back, pivoting the head from the crown to the forehead (nose close to the mat), or tilting the head to the side if we want to work on lateral flexion. 2 sets of 3-5 repetitions at the beginning, holding a few seconds in the final position of the movement.
The next step would be to remove the support from the knees, and support ourselves on the hands , in addition to the tips of the feet and the head. We lift the hips as much as possible.
The last step is the complete front neck bridge, where all the weight of our body is supported on the head. Feet shoulder width apart, hips raised and bent, knees extended, abs tight. The crown resting on a mat, cushion, etc. From there we pivot on the forehead backwards until it is the forehead that is in contact with the ground. We can also vote sideways. The goal is to do 2 sets of 10 reps 2 days a week .
Once we have mastered both exercises, wrestler bridge, and front bridge, we must combine them and make the transitions from one to the other, also making lateral movements of the feet.
Indicate that both exercises can be done on a fitball to add instability to the work, and at the same time dissipate part of the load that the neck supports.
To go to a higher level we should work the 2 previous exercises with loads. Bridges of the wrestler with weights, with a seated partner, pulling on elastic bands, etc., but these exercises require a very high level of strength and mobility.
The neck is one of the areas of the body that gains strength the fastest, but it is also a delicate region and therefore it is necessary to work with completely controlled execution speeds , and without abruptness, in a fluid and homogeneous way throughout the repetition.
Once all the exercises in this article, as in the previous one, have been controlled, the ideal is to rotate them every 3-4 weeks.
Trapezoid work
We must not forget the trapeze work. Boxers have great traps because they spend a lot of time on guard during a fight, or in training. Large traps will make a choke on the ground fight more difficult. For those who are looking for a greater volume in the neck, they should know that hypertrophying the neck muscles is difficult due to the type of fibers they present, since they are mostly deep muscles, and as such, they present predominantly slow fibers. It is the trapezoids that lend themselves to greater and easier development. One only has to see the weightlifters, who present highly developed traps, due to the large volume of pulling exercises in their training such as the snatch or the clean in any of its variants. The laces the next day and the day after, after training High Pulls are spectacular. The deadlift also works the traps. As for isolation exercises, the best exercises are the crunches , both with dumbbells and with the bar.
And to finish, as an anecdote, comment on something that I read once to Poliquín (I don’t remember in which article), and that is that neck work can produce benefits in other parts of the body. Charles Poliquín states that by improving the strength of the neck extensors, you can improve the strength of the elbow flexors and triceps. One more reason to work your neck.
Sources:
- Convict conditioning 2 , Paul Wade
