Details About Program
Why train neck? Apart from the desire to be rid of the pencil neck syndrome, neck training can benefit posture and reduce tension headaches. It may seem counterintuitive that training a muscle would make it less tight but from my own experience of one study group (coach Collin), since beginning training my neck once every 5-10 days my tension headaches are almost non-existent and occur less frequently. During a proper strength program, you train all parts of your body including your upper traps and spinal erectors located on your back and rear side of your neck. The muscle group sternocleidomastoid located on the sides of your neck is generally not ever worked during traditional gym exercise. This muscle group is responsible for bringing your chin down, tucking it, and turning your neck. From our repetitive movements from driving, computer use, and phone usage we often extend our neck forward and extend upward commonly using the spinal erectors and upper traps to support these movements. This pattern is used very often while the pattern of tucking and turning is underused with proper form. By doing a neck protocol you are working the muscle groups that are rarely properly stimulated in turn, helping the tension relationship between the rear neck muscles and the side / front musculature of your neck. If you do contact sports such as wrestling, football, and MMA even more of a reason to train your neck to be strong and resistant to impact. If done safely, neck training is safe and promotes joint health.
Do not train so hard on this protocol that it affects your program/sports performance negatively. It will be your job to pay attention to how you feel and plan out what days you should be doing this workout. I recommend training the given joint/muscle group 2-3 days before a game or the day you are working that joint/muscle group on your program.
Do this workout every 2-5 days when you feel recovered. Repeat until you unlock the desired mobility, stability, and strength in a given muscle group for the joint.
Neck Protocol
Warm Up
Neck Extension Crunches 2×50
Superset
Neck Flexion Crunches 2×50
Rest – 2 minutes
Accessories Compound
If your neck begins to get tired cut the below sets down to 1 or 2 sets instead of 3 total sets.
Weighted Neck Extension 1×12 2×8
Rest – 3 minutes ( with equipment or lying )
Weighted Neck Flexion 1×12 2×8
Rest – 3 minutes ( with bands or weight lying )
Banded Standing Rotations 2×10-20
Rest – 2 minutes ( turn head, lean into the band and resist it )