Strong and developed neck muscles are not only an indicator of an athlete’s strength and endurance, but also an important criterion for assessing his discipline and systematic approach to training. If, at the stage of planning his training, an athlete does not think through how to pump his neck correctly, he may end up with ugly proportions, not to mention the fact that in professional sports without developed neck muscles, nothing can be achieved.
A developed and powerful neck makes the upper body appear larger, and also reduces the risk of injury and improves performance in other strength exercises.
Anatomy and function of the neck muscles
The neck consists of many muscles, forming three large groups - deep, median and superficial. Obviously, these muscles are involved in turning and tilting the head, and also keep it in an upright position. In addition, they are involved in the processes of swallowing, breathing and pronouncing sounds. For example, the scalene muscle of the neck raises the ribs when inhaling, and the digastric muscle is involved in chewing food and swallowing.
Barbell training
How to quickly pump up your neck? Include shoulder raises while holding a barbell in your training program. The technique of performing the exercise is particularly simple. Hold a medium-heavy barbell with a wide grip while in a vertical stance. Keep your back muscles tense. After taking a deep breath, slowly pull your shoulders up. As you exhale, relax, letting the bar hang freely on your hands. During subsequent workouts, increase the weight of the sports equipment, which will allow you to achieve noticeable progress in working out the neck muscles.
The importance of neck muscle training
A strong male neck is the beauty and health of its owner. The aesthetic function of pumped-up neck muscles is indisputable, because with a developed chest, broad shoulders and sculpted arms, they should look trained. If athletes striving for high results have a question about why they should pump their necks, they just need to look at the photos of titled bodybuilders. They will be an excellent confirmation of the need to include exercises for the neck muscles in the training process.
Women should also pay attention to this muscle group, because the open décolleté area is their prerogative. Of course, women's training should not include exercises with heavy weights, because in this case, the elegance of the outline is important, not the size of the muscles. If athletes are wondering whether girls need to shake their necks, it is worth remembering that this is the area that begins to age first of all. Trained neck muscles will help you avoid sagging skin and a double chin, and therefore generally improve your appearance. By paying attention to this area, girls not only improve their décolleté area, but also prolong its youth.
A strong neck is also very important for the health of an athlete. Developed muscles prevent the development of osteochondrosis and neck pain. Since many blood vessels and nerve endings pass through here, a healthy neck is the key to normal intracranial pressure, the absence of spasms and migraines. This is also additional support for the spine, which will not be superfluous for anyone.
Why train your neck?
It’s worth noting right away that it makes no sense to train the neck muscles if you are a beginner. You don’t need to do this for the first six months in the gym. If after 12 months you see that something is behind you, then you can include certain exercises in the program.
Despite the above, we note that it is still recommended to train your neck as you age. Many people experience pain there when they sleep. After active training, such sensations will be minimized and your health will improve.
Preparation for training
To pump up your neck muscles and avoid health problems, you need to start and end your workout with stretching and warming up. In addition, adequate load selection is important, as excessive weight or resistance can cause serious injury.
To warm up and prepare your muscles before training, just do a few simple exercises:
- Tilts and rotations of the head;
- Diagonal head tilts;
- Stretch to the sides, forward and backward using your arms.
It is enough to perform each exercise 10 times to prepare for further training. Bends and stretches should be done slowly, feeling the tension in the muscles and holding at the peak point for a few seconds.
You should also complete your neck workout by stretching the muscles, since they tend to shorten. Shortening of the neck muscles is an extremely undesirable phenomenon due to its serious health consequences. Short-term after exercise, in the absence of stretching it becomes permanent and leads to spasms, blockages, severe headaches and hypertension. If an athlete has a sore neck after training, it means they did not stretch effectively enough, did not prepare the muscles, or lifted too much weight.
Real Bull Neck Workout
Now that you're ready for the real workout, you have a choice.
First type of neck training:
You can continue to work on the preparatory program:
- 100 neck curls
- 100 neck extensions
- 100 lateral bends to the left
- 100 lateral bends to the right
Only now you begin to press your hands on your forehead, side and back of your head (as in the video above) with just enough force to last you 100 repetitions, neither more nor less.
If you did it 100 times and you still had some strength left, you had to push harder.
If you gave up before reaching 100 times, then you had to push less.
It’s okay if you’re tired over 70 times and you can’t complete a set with weights. Just remove your hands or plate and complete the remaining 30 reps with your body weight.
The main thing is to get it 100 times. The neck loves a lot of repetition.
Second type of neck training:
This workout is more intense and less time consuming.
I recommend it to those who have already trained for at least a few weeks.
You will do:
- 20 easy reps
- 12 medium-heavy reps
- 8 VERY HARD reps
- 20 easy reps
You do the first 20 repetitions with very little pressure on your forehead, without working to failure.
This approach is designed to warm up your muscles.
Rest 1 minute.
The next approach you do is of medium intensity. You reach a slight failure.
Rest 1 minute.
The third approach is the most important. You press on your forehead with such force to do, or rather squeeze out, exactly eight repetitions.
By the eighth rep, you should feel like if they put a gun to your head to do another rep with at least your body weight, you won’t do it.
Rest 2-3 minutes.
The last approach for the final driving is light-medium intensity. You apply gentle pressure to your forehead and squeeze out the last 20 reps from your neck.
According to this principle, you work first the front part of the neck (flexion), then the back part of the neck (extension), then the left side and right side in any order.
Exercises for neck muscles without weights
Exercises without weights are quite simple to perform and do not require additional equipment. The main thing here is good stretching and caution, smooth movements. If you follow all the rules, you can effectively shake your neck at home. Since these exercises are performed without weight, they can be done for 15-20 repetitions. The main thing is that the load must be adequate, without overvoltage.
Forward bends with resistance
Place your chin on the base of your palms and pull it towards your chest, overcoming the resistance of your hands.
Back bends with resistance
The principle of execution is the same, only the hands are clasped at the back of the head, and the head is pulled back.
Resistance turns
The chin is held with the hand, and at this time the head is turned, overcoming resistance.
Rotation with emphasis on the head
Place your weight on your head and your feet on your toes. Perform smooth rotational movements with your head in different directions. Advanced athletes can pick up additional weights.
Rotation in a wrestling bridge
Take the “wrestling bridge” position and perform rotational movements similar to the previous exercise. Experienced athletes with strong necks may want to place additional weight on their chest.
Important: this exercise can have a bad effect on the cervical vertebrae. It is recommended only for advanced athletes, or for wrestlers.
For the next two exercises you will need the help of a partner.
Head tilts
Starting position – standing on all fours. The head in the forehead area is intercepted with a towel, the ends of which are held by a partner. Overcoming resistance, you need to pull your chin down towards your chest.
Head lifts
Get on all fours and ask your partner to hold their head with both hands. Overcoming the strength of the assistant’s hands, raise your head up. The resistance should not be too strong.
The described exercises are a worthy solution for those who are looking for a way to pump up their neck at home. After just 6-8 weeks, good training results will be visible - the neck muscles will become stronger and look much better.
Preparation and warm-up
Before any workout, you need to warm up your muscles. This is especially important for the cervical region, because any injuries can affect the quality of life.
If you already have neck problems, then you need to take this fact into account when creating a training program. Forget about dynamic exercises using additional weights. But static loads will be just right. But more on that later.
Warm-up:
- Tilts the head to the sides and back and forth. You can divide the movement into two parts, or you can combine it into one exercise. Before starting, lightly massage your neck with your hands.
- Head turns. Stand up straight, straighten your back. Direct your gaze forward and tuck your chin in slightly. Smoothly turn first to one side until you feel a slight stretch in the muscles, and then to the other.
- Tilt your chin to your chest. A good movement for stretching the deep muscles of the neck. All you need to do is smoothly reach your chin to the jugular fossa (the depression above the sternum).
Perform 5-10 repetitions of each movement, after which you can begin the main workout.
Exercises for neck muscles with weights
Athletes rarely work out the neck muscles separately; they are usually worked together with the trapezius and deltoids. If at the end of such a workout you add several targeted exercises on the neck muscles, the effect will be much more pronounced.
Lifting your head while lying on your back
This exercise is performed on a flat bench. The shoulders, neck and head should remain hanging. A pancake is placed on the forehead, previously covered with a towel, and held with both hands. As you exhale, your chin begins to slowly move towards your chest. 6-8 repetitions are enough.
This exercise allows you to work out all the muscles of the neck, including the longus capitis muscle.
Raising your head while lying on your stomach
The same principle as in the previous exercise, only you need to lie on your stomach. Hands hold a pancake on the back of the head. As you exhale, the head stretches back. And so 6-8 repetitions.
Strap row
This exercise requires a special harness for neck training, one side of which is put on the head, and the other serves as a mount for the load. It should only be performed by advanced athletes with a fairly strong neck.
Starting position – standing, leaning slightly forward, or sitting. For convenience, you can rest your hands on your legs. A slow tilt of the head is performed, and then a return to the starting position. Thanks to this exercise, the longus colli muscle is well worked out. 6-8 repetitions are done.
Is it possible to shorten the training program?
If you don't have enough time or are very lazy, then you can do just one exercise.
This is neck flexion.
Neck curls will give you optimal development of the anterior and lateral neck muscles.
For a purely visual effect, only this exercise will be enough.
But if you want maximum development of the neck, which will save you in a difficult situation and will be the most bullish neck, then be so kind as to train the side and back of the neck.
I tried to make the instructions as complete as possible so that you don’t need any other resource to pump up your bull neck. Open it and everything you need is here.
If I missed something, please comment and I will add to the instructions.
Start training today and get a thick neck in just a few months.
I wish you to achieve results and look powerful, man!
See you later.
Vlad Makeev.
- Repost
- Repost
- Retweet
Precautions and contraindications
Exercises to strengthen the neck muscles are among the most traumatic, so their implementation must be careful, smooth and thoughtful. For beginners, it is better to enlist the support of an experienced trainer who will hone the technique and provide backup.
People with cervical osteochondrosis in the acute stage should not do neck exercises, especially with weights; for hypertension and tachycardia; for any infectious diseases.
Many athletes, wanting quick results, wonder whether it is possible to pump their neck every day. Experienced athletes believe that 5-6 short workouts per week, of medium intensity, have a much better effect on the neck muscles than 2-3 heavy ones.
If you experience severe pain, limited neck mobility, or a sharp jump in blood pressure, you should urgently stop training and consult a doctor.
Genetic features and conclusion
For any muscle group, genetics plays a big role in shaping the appearance of muscles. For example, the height of the trapezius can vary significantly from person to person, and the point is not in training, but in the length of the tendons with which it is attached to the back of the head. In addition, the length of the neck may differ. People with long necks will have a harder time building muscle.
But all these differences do not mean that you will not be able to make this part of the body strong and strong! The main thing is to determine which exercises are right for you and show a little perseverance! That's all. I hope the article was useful. Subscribe to updates and don't forget to share information with your friends. See you soon!
The benefits of Shishonin gymnastics
The main benefit of the author's exercises according to Dr. Shishonin is to strengthen and increase the tone of the neck muscles, restore blood circulation and tissue nutrition. In addition, brain function improves, spasms and muscle tension are eliminated.
With regular exercise, you can say goodbye forever to headaches, dizziness, discomfort in the cervical region, insomnia and high blood pressure.
Over time, therapeutic exercises restore motor ability, positive mood and well-being.
Physical education is excellent for both treatment and prevention of various diseases and conditions in the neck. Designed for all age groups.
Charging Shishonin is especially necessary for people who are exposed to frequent stress, hypothermia, and high intellectual and physical work.
Overcoming hand resistance
Workout enthusiasts who want to know how to make their neck wider should use one simple, convenient method for pumping the target area. It's about creating resistance with your own hands. Cover the ear area with your palm. Systematically press your hand with your head in the presented plane, creating increased resistance. Switch limbs and load the neck muscles on the opposite side.
