Neck strengthning

[RAINRA]

Do you guys work out your necks or does it get stronger from other workouts sets? Building a good neck how do you do it ?

[VeganEssentials]

Neck work is kind of an odd thing -

 

Basically, you can increase the appearance of neck thickness a lot by working your trapezius muscles effectively. It's hard to add a lot of size directly to the neck, and for most people, trapezius growth makes the neck look larger so that they rarely do any direct work. If you have a shorter neck and narrower frame, then it will be easier to build up the appearance of a larger neck via the trapezius than, say, someone like me who has a wide shoulder girdle and a long neck to go with it. Add in that my traps love to grow outward more than anything else (I have great development on them in the rear, but they don't like to go up much height-wise), and it can be tough to get the results you want if you have a build that makes it more difficult.

 

You CAN do direct neck work, but I never found it to add any size for me, though some people swear by it. Either doing wrestler's neck bridges or using a plate wrapped in a towel with your head hanging off of your bed (doing forward, rear and side neck extensions with the plate as resistance), you can do work to build and strengthen the neck via those methods. Some people who have gyms with older equipment may be lucky enough to find one with a neck machine, but they're pretty rare these days.

 

If you see pictures of people who have that look like their head is just sitting on their collarbone, notice that they all have large trapezius development as well, which does protect the neck to some degree and also adds to the illusion of neck size.

[veganmomma]

For neck strength, Neck Harnesses are inexpensive on ringside.com I got mine for $10 and neck bridges.

 

Other exercises:

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Sternocleidomastoid/WtNeckFlx.html

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Sternocleidomastoid/WeightedNeckLateralFlex.html

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Splenius/WtNeckExt.html

 

All of these exercises can be done with a neck harness.

Edited October 8, 2008 by veganmomma

[DaN]

Yeah its a bit of a tough area to workout I gather....

 

I would have to agree with VeganEssentials, the traps are a good way to make it look bigger.

 

Any suggestions for trap workouts VeganEssentials?

[veganmomma]

Yeah its a bit of a tough area to workout I gather....

 

I would have to agree with VeganEssentials, the traps are a good way to make it look bigger.

 

Any suggestions for trap workouts VeganEssentials?

Trapezius, Upper Fibers & Levator Scapulae

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/BackWt.html#anchor1914548

 

Kelso's Shrug Book by Paul Kelso

http://www.amazon.com/Kelsos-Shrug-Book-Paul-Kelso/dp/1587361167