The importance of neck muscle training and exercise technique for an athlete. Neck workout

In fact, this is an urgent topic and should be given the same attention as the tactical training of an athlete, proper nutrition and stages of preparation for upcoming competitions.

Strength exercises and technique development are fundamental different types loads To enter the professional ring, you need to skillfully combine them without harm to your health.

What should a boxer pump in a rocking chair? First of all, utmost attention is paid to those muscle groups that are involved in combat. These muscles include:

  • press;
  • torso;
  • backs.

It is important to note this important rule. Bending exercises should be avoided because... they lead to the athlete being clamped. Muscles involved in flexion, such as the biceps, are hardly involved in the punch. The bench press is great for extension exercises. When performing leg exercises, jumping and bouncing with weights on your back are especially suitable.

To make it more clear which muscles boxers should work on first, we must remember that speed and coordination depend on the muscular skeleton of the lower body; the strength of blows, their accuracy and quality of protection will also depend on the muscles of the torso.

What to work on first

Legs are also involved in strength indicators. More specifically, boxing requires strong calves and calf muscles. All blows come from the ground. Therefore, for a successful combination you need to stand firmly in the ring. Thanks to strong legs the athlete successfully keeps his distance and, thanks to rotation on his feet and extension, prepares a hard blow.

The hips are responsible for coordination. To the question “What does a boxer need to pump?”, any experienced trainer will definitely remember the hips. Looking through Michael Tyson's records, it is not difficult to notice that his legs are more pumped than his upper body. Due to the fact that the hips act as a link between the legs and torso, the fighter’s coordination increases significantly.

The back is a kind of frame that holds all the muscles. The stronger the back is pumped, the higher the speed with which the hand returns to initial position after the blow.

The abdominal muscles belong to the abdominal group. As mentioned in one of the articles, the press is divided into upper, lower and side parts. This kind of corset helps in breathing correctly and handles body blows well. How to pump up abs for a boxer.

The most effective exercises are:

  1. Raising your legs while lying on your back. The hands must be clasped behind the back, while the legs are raised one by one (they must be kept straight, without bending at the knees). You can also close straight arms with straight legs together. At the same time, the legs rise together, not one by one, and the arms are fully extended at the elbows.
  2. Side plank. To do this, you need to lie on your side and rest on your elbow at a right angle. After this, the hips rise so that the pelvis and body form one line. This is a static exercise, so you need to hold the bar as long as you have enough strength.
  3. Leg lift. To do this, you need to grab the horizontal bar or parallel bars and raise your legs as high as possible. There are two options - the legs are raised straight or the knees are bent.
  4. Twisting the body. To do this, you need to take a lying position, clasp your hands behind your head. Next, the right elbow and left knee are pulled towards each other until they touch. The same should be done with the left elbow and right knee.

There are also no secrets about how professional boxers pump their abs. Quite often, these are the same simple exercises only in the complex. In pumping up the press it is much more important correct execution exercises and performing them regularly with gradual increase number of approaches and repetitions.

A lot of the load falls on the athlete's shoulders. There are frequent cases of severe dislocations and fractures during fights. A poorly developed shoulder girdle contributes to a weakened boxer's stance. Tired shoulders cut off the ability to perform a hard blow. For this reason, the athlete begins to miss oncoming blows.

It is worth pumping up the extensor muscles in your hands – the triceps. Thanks to strong triceps, the athlete has a high speed of straight combinations. Developed biceps are great for uppercuts and straights. But it is worth remembering that muscles should never be “clogged.” The arms work in conjunction with the legs and torso. They act as a kind of final instrument that supplies impact energy. The main function of the hands is to transmit muscle forces that are provided by the legs. The hands perform the function of the strike itself. It is not his strength that is affected by the work of his legs, body and, very importantly, well-coordinated coordination.

It would seem, why do boxers shake their necks? After all, only fighters need it. The neck muscles take the blow. At strong impact The head doesn't tip over too much. This allows you not to lose your balance. To pump up your neck, you need to do an exercise on the bridge. To do this, you need to lie on your back and stand on your toes and forehead and arch a little. Next, movements are performed in a circle. As a weight, you can take a regular “pancake” from a barbell. You can also purchase a special simulator. It is put on the head and a weight is attached to the bottom. It is best to perform this exercise in a sitting position.

Joseph 05/02/2016 02:54

It's not that hard to pump up your neck

I first appreciated the benefits of a strong neck when I was in school. football team. Everything was just fine until I took the ball on my head. After that, it was splitting all day long.

The result of this painful experience was the purchase of a cassette with courses by Charles Atlas - I began to do some exercises in order to pump up my neck.

From then on, heading the ball was no longer a problem for me.

Later, when I joined the Wichita Falls YMCA wrestling team, I learned once again how important having a strong neck is not only for success in sports, but also for preventing injury. The coach forced us to do a wrestling bridge.

Since at that time I was already involved in weightlifting, this exercise was easier for me than for those who had never trained with weights. When I started boxing and playing football at SMU, wrestling paid huge dividends for me.

I can absolutely say: if you have a weak neck, then you have no business doing these two sports - it’s simply dangerous.

From 3000 rubles discount 5% and free delivery in Moscow.

A gainer with a high content of L-glutamine is the key to successful recovery after strength training 738 RUR .

Attention!

Premium high protein gainer with ZMA complex for dry bulking muscle mass 4918 RUR .

Sports nutrition wholesale in Russia and retail in Moscow.

Anyone involved in team sports should definitely shake their neck. Sometimes the future of an athlete depends on its development.

However, in sports such as tennis, running or swimming, athletes rarely perform neck exercises.

They do not see an obvious connection between its strength and their athletic performance, because the neck is responsible for the stable position of the head during movements, and the outcome of the game - victory or defeat - can depend on this.

More details

Since ancient times, a man's neck has been considered a kind of litmus test for an athlete. Wrestlers, gymnasts, and just strong guys have always had thick and strong necks. Logically, a strong man cannot have it thin and fragile. If you care about your appearance, then be sure to do exercises to develop your neck muscles 1-2 times a week.

Since ancient times, a man's neck has been considered a kind of litmus test for an athlete. Wrestlers, gymnasts, and just strong guys have always had thick and strong necks. Moreover, once upon a time in sports this part of the body was given more attention than it is now.

Not surprising, because even in the last century, exposing your body naked was considered uncivilized, but what the head was attached to was always clearly visible above the collar of the shirt. Some athletes have developed their necks to incredible levels. For example, Zaikin I. tied a metal scrap around her.

Circus gymnasts held in their teeth heavy weights without bending your head down. Sometimes the neck muscles are called the “crown of the figure,” and for good reason. This part of the body frames the upper half of the torso. Logically, a strong man cannot have it thin and fragile. It's ugly and unnatural.

By the way, this is partly why in bodybuilding neck measurement is included in the general formula for calculating the harmonious development. If you care about your appearance, then be sure to do exercises to develop your neck 1-2 times a week.

Unfortunately, some athletes approach the development of the cervical muscle group incorrectly, which leads to dangerous injuries. Below we will look at how to “pump up” it correctly.

More details

Every gym goer dreams of having a great torso, muscular back and big biceps. And only when the neck begins to fade against the background of other muscle groups or when incorrect execution exercise, the athlete gets injured, only then begins to think, how to pump up your neck .

In martial arts, a decent amount of time is allocated to training this muscle group in order to prevent unwanted injuries during a fight. Can you imagine a wrestler or boxer who has an underdeveloped neck? That's right, it's better not to.

What neck muscles need to be trained?

You need to know this because it is not clear how you can effectively train a certain part of the body without having any idea what muscle groups it consists of.

For example, when training your arms, you understand perfectly well what biceps, triceps, brachialis, and forearm are, and you know how to recognize whether a muscle has been properly loaded or not.

In order for neck training to be just as effective, you must initially know which muscle groups are being trained and where they are located.

To maximally strengthen and enlarge the neck, it is necessary to train the muscles that are most involved in protecting the spinal column and rotating the head:

1. Sternocleidomastoid muscle. Located in the front of the neck, when viewed from the front it forms the appearance of a Latin letter V.

2. Wide trapezius muscle. Performs two functions: turning the head and protecting the upper spine.

3. The muscles of the hyoid bone, which are located directly under the chin.

The neck is very easy to injure, so the muscles of this part of the body must be trained with extreme caution..

There are three types of exercises to increase and strengthen the neck muscles.

More details

Before I didn’t shake my neck, I couldn’t stand on my head, but now I’ve been doing it for only 1 week (with weights), and I’ve learned to stand on my head. Guys, shake your neck, the bigger your neck, the more powerful you look)))))

get on your knees. forehead - on a chair/stool, resting your hands on the floor. remove your hands from the floor for 2-3 seconds. don't be overzealous. Just gradually increase the load day by day. and everything will be ok!

There are special caps (you can sew it yourself) for training the neck muscles. Dense fabric is sewn to the cap in the temporal region of the head (in the form of a loop), to which a weight is attached, the exercise is performed while sitting, tilting the head forward and lifting it up

Well, I saw in a video how Mike Tyson did neck exercises like that on a bridge. Looks like he's alive.

You lie down on a bench (or somewhere else) on your stomach, so that your head hangs down, put a rolled up towel on your head, take a pancake, place it on top of the back of your head, lift it up and down, supporting it with your hands. Same thing on your back, damn it, you lay it on your forehead. Using the same principle, lie down on your side.

If there are no pancakes, you can press with your hands, clasping the back of your head, lock your hands back and, resting your fists or palms on your chin, move forward, also to the sides. You can do all this with your hands while standing.

And from all these rotations and perversions you can be left not only without a neck, but also without a head.

Attention!

You put your palms to your forehead and press your forehead into them, only so that the neck does not move, but tenses statically, then to each temple, then to the back of the head, so many times, in the end the neck will resist a blow to the head very well.

Most The best way head and legs, arms on the back, forward and backward. right to left, all muscles sway

A great way for those already practicing. You can also carry a weight across yourself in such a bridge (head-legs): left-right-left. from floor to floor. A universal way to maintain the strength of the whole body. The exercise is difficult, you need to wait several hours after eating - there is a danger of a hernia.)

More details

How to pump up your neck muscles. training features

If you don’t know how to pump up your neck at home, you need to familiarize yourself with the recommendations so that the resulting workout is truly effective.

To increase neck volume, you need to exercise a couple of times a week for at least 10 minutes. The best option is 10-20 repetitions.

Exercises should be performed at a slow pace. Moreover, at the beginning of training only light weights should be used.

If this is your first time shaking your neck, don't take it right away. heavy weight– it must be increased gradually to prevent injury.

During the exercise, do not jerk your head - try to move smoothly.

When tilting your head to the sides, you can easily injure your neck, so you need to control this process. If you feel discomfort in your neck while performing these exercises, eliminate them from your workout for a while.

The training should take place without discomfort or pain.

When performing the exercise “moving forward and backward with your head,” you need to move strictly in a straight line and not tilt your head to the sides.

Exercises for warming up before training http://ifeelstrong.ru/manworkouts/exercises/razminka-pered-trenirovkoj.html. Thanks to a good warm-up, the effectiveness of the main workout increases many times over.

Proper neck warm-up

Before any workout it is necessary to warm up, this case is no exception.

Warm-up must be correct, this is the only way to protect your neck from various injuries, sometimes very serious ones.

With the help of a warm-up, blood is dispersed through the peripheral vessels precisely into those sections that will subsequently be loaded - this way you can avoid overexertion or muscle spasm.

Remember, you cannot stretch your neck with high speed!

One wrong warm-up probably won't lead to bad consequences, but doing it consistently can lead to serious injury.

More details

Source: http://myhomefitnes.ru/post/4670-mojno_li_nakachat_sheyu

How to pump up your neck muscles without the risk of injury

Muscles under clothes are not always visible, but a powerful neck catches the eye immediately. Not biceps or abs, but the neck - an indicator of male strength and endurance.

The cervical vertebrae are very mobile, which means they are vulnerable and susceptible to injury due to careless movements and excessive loads.

We will tell you below how to pump up the muscles of the neck so that it acquires a powerful “bull” silhouette, strengthening it without injuring it.

An excursion into anatomy

There are 7 vertebrae in the cervical region, they have practically no body and are very mobile. More than others, they are susceptible to displacement from their axis, pinching of nerve roots with all the ensuing consequences. The neck muscles surround the vertebrae, trachea, and esophagus in several layers. The following are most responsible for head movements:

  • sternocleidomastoid muscle - a paired muscle, passing from the lateral upper part to the collarbone;
  • muscles of the hyoid bone, located under the chin;
  • the upper sections of the trapezius muscle, forming a powerful silhouette at the back.

The neck muscles provide rotation and tilt and play an important role in the formation of overall posture. Among other things, trained neck muscles promote better blood circulation to the brain.

How to Build Your Neck Muscles: Resistance Exercises

There are two types of resistance: your own and others (you will need the help of a partner). Exercises you can do on your own:

  1. Tilt the head forward: rest your palms on your chin or forehead, overcoming the resistance of your hands, pushing your head as low as possible. The speed of movement down and up should be equally slow.
  2. Head tilts back: similar to the previous one, but hands on the back of the head. The head presses back, do not forget to exhale with effort.
  3. Bends and twists to the side: Place your palm on the jaw to rotate and press with one hand on the side of your head to tilt.

Try to use different starting positions: standing, sitting, in a knee-wrist position, lying on a bench. All listed exercises Can also be done with the help of a partner. When working together, coordinated work is important; excessive fanaticism of the assistant in this case can only do harm.

Exercises with weights

As additional devices, a special fastening made of straps is used, which is placed on the head and can be weighted with additional weight. This will allow you to more accurately dose and increase the load, since it is difficult to pump up the neck muscles only with the help of the resistance of your hands.

For maximum isolated work, it is better to use the starting position lying on a bench, head behind the edge. Depending on how you lie: on your back, on your stomach or on your side, they will work different muscles neck. We repeat - do not strive for heavy weights.

The load should allow you to do 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions.

For beginners, exercises for the neck muscles can cause dizziness, colored spots in the eyes, tinnitus, and more. This is due to the abundant blood flow, so select the load carefully. It's better to start with less than to overload. With properly structured training, adaptation occurs quite quickly and all unpleasant sensations disappear.

Why is warm-up very important when pumping up your neck, and how to do it correctly. Technique for performing the best exercises for this muscle group.

For some reason, few beginners pay attention to the neck. At the same time, there is an opinion that the neck muscles are secondary and do not require additional training. But that's not true. The transition from head to body is very important for the formation of a complete image of an athlete.

We must not forget that this area is almost always open and is direct evidence of the presence (absence) of muscles and beautiful body. But few people know how to pump up their neck muscles. Often it all comes down to performing banal exercises, which are mostly ineffective and increase the risk of injury.

Any workout should begin with a warm-up. This is especially true if we're talking about about such a critical area as the neck. Of course, many do not ignore this recommendation at all, diligently turning their heads and hands. But warming up on the principle of “if only it was” will not work here.

Before performing exercises for the neck muscles, it is important to disperse the blood throughout the entire periphery of the spinal part. This will avoid unnecessary strain or accidental spasms.

Forget about physical education taught by illiterate teachers. It is prohibited to stretch your neck at high speed. This is already enough to earn yourself serious injury and deal with it for a long time in the future. Of course, one incorrect warm-up is unlikely to lead to serious problems, but regularly ignoring the rules can cause serious problems.

High-quality warming up of the neck muscles should include the following exercises– tilting the head (back, forward, left and right), light movements in a circle (in one direction and the other, alternately), creating support with the palm and overcoming the force of the neck muscles (on all four sides).

Useful terms

Before going over the basics of how to pump up your neck at home, here are a few tips to consider:

  • To properly work out the neck muscles, it is enough to devote 10 minutes to training, 1-2 times a week. The most preferred number of repetitions for each exercise is 15-20;
  • watch the pace - it should not be “reactive”. Act as carefully and slowly as possible;
  • Do not push heavy weights, as this can easily injure your neck. This is especially true if you have never trained these muscles. Increase the weights gradually when you feel ready for a larger load;
  • When performing exercises, act as smoothly as possible - there should be no jerking of the head;
  • Monitor your feelings. The appearance of severe discomfort or pain is a reason to stop training;
  • The cervical area is very dangerous, so when tilting your head to any side, control the sensations as much as possible. If there is pain, then it is better to postpone bending altogether;
  • Today there are many ways to pump up your neck at home. All that remains is to choose suitable exercises and apply them in practice.

Basic exercises

Now let's look at a few exercises that, according to most athletes, are the most effective:

  1. Exercise with a clamp. There are several options for doing this - standing or sitting. On initial stage It is better to give preference to the second option in order to at least partially relieve the load on the spine. A clamp is needed here to increase the load on the neck muscles. The algorithm itself looks like this:
    • put a special collar on your head;
    • take a working position (sitting or standing);
    • raise your head to the top point, fix it in this position for a while, then exhale and lower it until your chin touches your body. Lowering and raising the head should be done exclusively in one line to avoid damage;
    • work through the full range of motion and try to keep your back as straight as possible.
  2. Neck flexion while lying on your back with a “pancake”. IN this exercise The neck receives maximum stress, so be careful and follow the rules described above. The algorithm itself looks like this:
    • lie down on horizontal bench(on your back), picking up a plate with the required weight. Take a position so that your neck hangs slightly over the edge of the lounger. Then place the pancake on your head (for example, through a towel) and hold it with your hands;
    • start to rise gradually. At the same time, lower your head as low as possible, inhale and begin to rise. At the top point, do not forget to exhale;
    • the movement must be made in a straight line.
  3. Neck flexion while lying on chest. The technique of this exercise is similar to the previous one - the only difference is the position of the body on the bench. As in the previous case, you can work with or without additional weight.

Source: https://proteinfo.ru/uprazhneniya-i-trenirovki/spina-i-sheya/nakachat-sheyu/

How to properly shake your neck | body-building

The neck and its muscles are the cornerstone of not only bodybuilding, but also wrestling. In the last article we talked about what exercises to strengthen the neck muscles. Now let's look at which of them can be used, which ones are not advisable and why. Let’s answer the question “how to properly shake your neck.”

Let's start with those neck exercises that I personally do not recommend using.

First of all, this applies to any type of wrestling bridge. Why isn't Bortsovsky Bridge best exercise for training neck muscles? It's all about his risk of injury.

It is absolutely no problem to twist your neck in a wrestling bridge position. One awkward movement, especially to the side, and a spinal fracture cervical region guaranteed.

After this, there will be no talk of any bodybuilding classes.

Therefore, my advice to you is to forget about the wrestling bridge - the movements in it are too dangerous for the spine. And if I couldn’t dissuade you, then here’s another argument for you.

Attention!

Bortsovsky bridge develops previously extensive baldness of the head. Constant unnatural contact of the scalp with the support wipes out the hair follicles and within a year you will have a decent bald spot on your head.

And wearing all sorts of protective caps will not save the situation.

Recommended neck exercise- This is head twisting with a weight placed on the forehead. Lie on a bench at an angle of 30-45 degrees. Place your feet firmly on the floor. Putting a towel or a T-shirt folded several times on your forehead, place the weight plate from the barbell, holding the edges with your hands. Using the efforts of the anterior neck muscles, tilt your head towards your body.

I myself do not do this exercise because my arms are completely occupied and I can end up losing my balance and falling off the bench.

That's why I prefer to rock my neck with a bodybuilding cap - a head strap with straps. It helps to properly pump the neck muscles. In addition, it allows you to pump both the anterior neck muscles and posterior muscles neck.

And most importantly, my hands are free, so I use them to hold onto the supports.

How to properly pump your neck muscles

Here are my favorite and safest neck exercises. Lie face down on a horizontal bench with your head hanging at the end of the bench. Having first put a bodybuilder's hat on your head, hook the pancake from the barbell to it.

Holding the supports with your hands, lift your head up and back. Perform the exercise slowly and with light weights. No sudden movements or jerks. This way you work the back muscles of the neck. To train the anterior neck muscles, simply change the position of your torso, placing yourself on a bench with your back down.

The same head movements now swing the front neck.

To pump the lateral muscles of the neck, lie on your side and lift your head in the same way.

It is clear that with the help of a bodybuilding cap you can easily pump up all parts of the neck. The exercise is very effective, very flexible and controlled.

Source: http://bodybuilder-at-home.ru/kak-pravilno-kachat-sheju.html

Exercises for the muscles of the neck and spine

  • Recommendations and indications
  • Warm-up
  • Main activity

For both athletes and ordinary people beautiful neck And healthy spine in the cervical spine are considered an attractive and necessary addition to a person’s overall health.

Since the neck area performs several important functions, a developed muscle corset helps prevent injury and inflammation.

The spinal cord originates in the cervical spine, and through it nerves send signals from all organs to the human brain. Let's look at how to pump up your neck at home.

Despite the small size and thickness of the neck, the spinal cord, large vessels and nerves going to the brain, and the esophagus pass through it. At the same time, the cervical vertebrae are quite fragile and constantly perform motor activity.

Diseases such as osteochondrosis, herniated neck discs, injuries and inflammation lead to serious consequences. So, a person begins to have problems with blood pressure, headaches and even neurological disorders.

By pumping up the muscle corset of the spine, it is possible to avoid unpleasant pathologies and protect yourself from them.

You can strengthen your neck muscles both at home and in gym. If a trainer selects options for training in the gym, then how to pump up your neck at home, the techniques developed will help professional athletes and doctors. By strengthening the muscle corset of the neck, you can protect yourself from such situations:

  • reducing the chances of spinal injury;
  • protection of muscles and spine in situations where the back is blown or during hypothermia;
  • the ability to treat neck pathologies faster;
  • withstand heavy loads and sudden movements.

Before performing exercises for the neck muscles, it is recommended to examine your health condition. Problems with blood pressure or vegetative-vascular dystonia can lead a person to fainting and even a cerebral stroke during intense exercise.

If there are symptoms such as frequent headaches, nausea, dizziness, or problems with coordination or sleep, then you should consult a doctor to rule out dangerous pathologies.

For girls during menstruation or pregnancy, stress on the spine and muscles is not recommended.

All neck movements should be performed slowly, without sudden movements or jerks. If clicking or crunching occurs when rotating or bending, then it is worth undergoing a spinal examination to rule out osteoporosis, osteochondrosis, and hernias. After a serious load, complications such as muscle myositis and pinched nerves (neuralgia) may occur, which will take a long time and be difficult to treat.

The load should be increased gradually, without sudden decreases or, conversely, increases in the number of approaches or training time. Before you start exercising, you need to stretch the muscles of your back, shoulders and arms.

Warm-up

It will be impossible to pump up your neck without the participation of other muscle groups of the back, shoulders, and arms.

Also, most exercises intersect with strengthening the muscular corset of the thoracic back ( latissimus muscles, wings), forearms, shoulders (biceps, triceps), hands.

To strengthen your neck muscles without consequences, you need to know how to pump up your hands. Weak hands will not allow you to lift dumbbells, a barbell, or simply lean on push-ups or exercises involving your arms.

The neck corset consists of three main muscles:

  1. Sternocleidomastoid muscle. Performs the function of tilting the cervical spine and bending it along with raising the head.
  2. Wide trapezoidal – the right muscle for turning the head and protects the spine.
  3. Muscles of the hyoid bone, which perform many functions for movement.

Also, when pumping up the neck, it is necessary to avoid injury and overstrain of muscle groups such as the latissimus, wings, shoulders and arms. To do this, the course of exercises is supplemented with techniques with dumbbells.

To avoid treating sprains and other complications, a warm-up is performed before the main group of exercises. It is needed to stretch the shoulders, hands, and cervical spine. By performing the warm-up correctly, the risk of injury during further exercise is reduced. About 7-10 minutes are spent on these exercises:

The starting position for all techniques is standing straight. The head is tilted up and down, 10-15 techniques in each direction.

The head turns as far as possible to the left and right 10 times in each direction.

Exercise similar to No. 2, but bends are performed in such a way that the ear tends to touch the shoulder. Mode – 10 tilts in each direction.

In progress rotational movements in a circle: first to the left for 30 seconds, after which you need to rest for 10-15 seconds and rotate your head in the right direction.

Techniques for pumping up your hands:

  1. The best option to pump up your hands is to use an expander. Bending movements with the hand are performed regularly, starting from 30 seconds and extending to 2-3 minutes.
  2. Hanging on a bar has the effect of strengthening the muscles of the hand.
  3. In order to treat hand pathologies, exercises involving tearing sheets of paper or crumpling them in the hands are used.

In addition, you can perform gymnastics for the neck corset, preparing the latissimus dorsi muscles, wings, arm muscles, and shoulders for exercise. For this, pull-ups on the bar, push-ups and exercises with dumbbells are recommended.

Main activity

The greatest effect on the neck comes from an exercise with a plate on the head. You need to lie with your back on a bench or other surface so that your head hangs above the floor.

A towel or cloth is placed on the forehead area and a pancake is placed on top, fixing it with both hands. Lift your neck up, pulling your chin to your chest, and lower it down.

In this condition, the neck experiences stress and the muscles grow in width, and the latissimus dorsi muscles also develop. From 5 to 10 techniques are performed.

The technique of the second technique is similar, only you need to lie on your stomach, while your hands fix the pancake on the back of your head and your neck makes the same tilts down and up. Exercises are done slowly so as not to damage the corset of muscles and not to displace the spinal discs.

Techniques with resistance do not require additional paraphernalia and are easy to perform. It is necessary to bend, turn and rotate your head to the sides, but creating resistance with your own palm, pressing in the opposite direction. At the same time, the neck tenses and the muscles become stronger. 5-7 movements are made in each direction.

If a person is physically developed and has flexibility, then a headstand gives the effect. If you perform the exercise correctly, then, in addition to the muscles of the neck, the latissimus muscles of the back, shoulders, and wings are tensed.

If the neck muscles are cold and pain appears when moving, it is recommended to stop exercising and not overexert yourself. Also, if sprains or other injuries occur while performing the technique, a rest regimen, ointments and NSAIDs are prescribed.

Among the serious exercises for the muscles of the back and neck are disc thrusts to the chin area. To do this, take a disc or any heavy object and, in a standing position with your arms down, pull it to your chin. The technique is performed from 10 to 15 times, and the weight of the disc is selected individually: for men - 5-10 kg, for women - from 2 to 5 kg.

This technique develops the shoulders, latissimus dorsi and neck well. If you have two dumbbells, then lifting them up is effective. To do this, a person stands in a standing position with his arms down, holding a dumbbell in each hand.

The dumbbells are lifted upward so that not only the arms are tensed, but also the chest muscles and shoulders are lifted. 10-15 approaches are recommended.

If you do it correctly, then the corset of the muscles of the back and neck accounts for huge pressure, causing the muscles to increase in size.

This question can be answered only by taking a comprehensive approach to the methods and knowing the state of health and physical fitness. For some, a month of training is enough for the muscle corset to strengthen and resist injuries, sprains, and conditions when the back is cold. Others require two to three months of frequent training.

It is possible to choose a complex for yourself, but only in the absence of chronic diseases and serious pathologies. Conditions such as osteochondrosis, myositis, the consequences of a cold back, and disc displacement can be treated comprehensively using methods of gymnastics, massage, and physiotherapy.

Depending on age and gender, the duration of classes and the load on the spine are determined; during classes, it is additionally recommended to take vitamins and minerals, follow a diet with a predominance of vegetables and meat. After the first training, there will be a feeling of pain in the muscles and joints. This period must be survived without slowing down your training regimen. It is also recommended to avoid drinking alcohol during this period.

Have you ever wondered why novice kickboxers float from light blows to the head, while champions can withstand blows many times more powerful?

You can talk about experience, a strong jaw, right moment– but I’d better tell you about the neck muscles. This is the shortest way to increase your “steel chin”.

Few athletes pay due attention to the neck muscles. But a pumped-up neck is beneficial not only in wrestling. In kickboxing, for example, the neck absorbs force, after which the head does not lean back too much and the brain is less concussed. As a result, the kickboxer escapes and is able to continue the fight.

We have decided on the benefits and necessity of having toned neck muscles. Now let's move on to the methods.

You can pump up your neck at home without special equipment, but you need to do this with extreme caution. If your neck muscles are weak, you should not immediately try to load them to the maximum - there is a high risk of serious injury.

So, let's divide the exercises into 3 groups:

1. Overcoming hand resistance.

From this group you can start doing neck exercises - the safest and most controlled!

We place our palms on our foreheads and begin to press our heads on them. In this case, the head remains in place due to the resistance of the arms. Then we repeat this procedure, placing our palms on the left and right side head, and on the back of the head. It is advisable to perform 25-30 repetitions on each side. You can ask your partner to help you - this way you will only work the neck muscles.

2. Create tension with your body.

“Favorite” exercise of wrestlers.

We put our feet wide (approximately double the width of our shoulders), tilt our body and rest our heads on the floor. We also rest our hands on the floor, controlling the load on the currently weak neck muscles.

We begin to roll our heads in different directions (back and forth, left and right). It is advisable to do 20-25 repetitions in each direction. When the muscles become stronger, you can enhance the effect by throwing your arms behind your back, transferring the entire body weight to your head.

3. Use additional weight.

I tried shaking my neck in different ways, but the method used extra weight I liked it the most. In addition, it turned out to be much more effective for me than the other two.

To swing your neck using additional weight, you will need a special strap. You can buy it or make it yourself.

The strap is made of strong belts and is shaped like a cap:

  • One part of the belt goes around the circumference of the head;
  • The other two cross over the top of the head;
  • Two long straps from the temples on both sides go down and are connected with a carabiner;
  • It will be possible to hang a barbell plate or a weight of the required weight on the carabiner;
  • Select the length of the straps so that from the position of the letter “L” the load does not reach the floor 30 cm.

I made sure to shake my neck after each one. I attached a 24 kg weight to a carabiner and did the exercise from a standing position 10 times for three approaches. I succeeded in this exercise. Despite my age (15 years), after six months I had already done it 60 times. There are really only two approaches.

Maybe that’s also why I’ve never experienced a knockout and haven’t even been officially knocked down!

Make your weak link one of your strengths!

Pumping up the neck muscles is not the most important task for a bodybuilder, but it is worth paying attention to. When an athlete has a powerful neck, this visually significantly increases the mass of the upper body. In addition, a well-toned neck significantly reduces the risk of injury to the cervical vertebrae, especially if you engage in contact sports. When performing barbell squats and deadlifts, a strong neck also increases the athlete's strength.

But, as practice shows, people either don’t spend time on their necks at all, or do it incorrectly. In this article you will learn which exercises are most effective to use for developing neck muscles, which muscle group is best to combine its training with, and also which neck muscles should be given attention first.

The neck consists of a whole cascade of muscles, each of which performs its own function. Accordingly, in order to pump up your neck proportionally, you need to diversify your training program exercises that will allow you to “hook” every muscle.

On the other hand, some muscles are larger, others are smaller, some are deep inside, others are closer to the surface, so they respond differently to training. Some muscles are easier to hypertrophy, others are more difficult, and since, as we have already noted above, neck training is not a priority in bodybuilding, it is worth focusing on those muscles that most affect appearance athlete

Anatomy of the neck muscles

Trapezius muscle – located in the back of the neck and occupies top part back, the muscle has a triangular shape, but both muscles, that is, the left and right sides form a trapezoid shape. The trapezius performs three functions: it brings the scapula to the spine, lifts the scapula up and lowers it down.

Scalene muscles– are located behind and are represented by three bundles: anterior, middle and posterior. The anterior scalene muscle of the neck is responsible for raising the upper rib during breathing. The middle scalene muscle, in addition to its anterior functions, can also rotate the cervical spine. The posterior scalene muscle performs the same functions as the medial muscle, but with a slightly different range of motion.

Splenius muscle– is located on the side and is represented by two beams that allow you to turn the head and neck to the side independently of each other. In addition, these muscles together extend the cervical spine.

Sternocleidomastoid muscle- consists of two heads, which begin at the mastoid cane and the lateral part of the superior nuchal line, and end at the sternoclavicular joint. The muscle allows you to throw your head back and tilt it to the side. In addition, this muscle is actively involved in breathing.

Neck exercises

Shrugs- This is a very well-known exercise that bodybuilders most often perform to train their necks. Shrugs are performed by lifting shoulder girdle and clavicle upward due to contraction of the trapezius muscle.

We definitely recommend performing this exercise, even if you are not trying to purposefully pump up your neck. The trapezius muscle is the largest muscle group cervical spine, so its hypertrophy is immediately noticeable, as a result of which it is she who needs to pay special attention.

Bortsovsky Bridge- This is not as popular a bodybuilding exercise as shrugs, but it is very popular in contact sports. From this we can conclude that the exercise is not very effective in building muscle mass, but it is extremely effective in developing the functional qualities of the neck muscles. Thanks to the wrestling bridge, it is possible to “attach” the head to the body much better, therefore reducing the risk of injury to the cervical vertebra.

The wrestling bridge is performed quite simply in a technical sense; it is important for you to stand on the “bridge”, distributing the load between your heels and forehead. Start doing the exercise against the wall, holding the floor with your hands, after which, when you learn to control your body while doing the bridge, you can roll your head a little to develop the strength of the neck muscles.

Flexion and extension– can be performed sitting or lying down, and lying down, both on the stomach and on the back. When the exercise is performed lying down, a plate is usually used, and when performing the exercise while sitting, they use a special cap with a cable to which a weight is attached. In general, the exercise is not difficult, but it has a disadvantage, which is that the load created on the neck muscles is not constant, which negatively affects its training.

Training apparatus- the best way to pump up your neck, since it eliminates the disadvantages of the previous method, while at the same time having all its advantages. Moreover, the machine allows you to perform bends, both forward and backward, and to the sides, so you can pump up all the muscles of your neck with its help.

Unfortunately, not everyone has such a simulator. gym, as a result of which you may need a partner. The idea is very simple, instead of using the pads of the machine, you rest your head against your partner, who creates the necessary resistance while bending your neck.

With a ball- this is also very effective method pump up your neck, and it’s also the safest, but progressing the load in this exercise is problematic. Accordingly, no progression means no hypertrophy. Perform the exercise slowly, like all neck exercises, without jerking and in a large number of repetitions.

Lifting dumbbells in front of you– this exercise, in addition to the anterior delta of the shoulder girdle, also engages the sternocleidomastoid muscle, but only in the upper phase of the amplitude of movement, therefore, if you want to pump up your neck with it, then you need to take less weight, increase the amplitude, reduce speed and perform the exercise very “cleanly”. You can read how to properly perform dumbbell lifts in front of you here.

How to shake your neck correctly

Long warm-up– this rule applies not only to warming up the neck, but in this case it must be observed. Proper warm-up begins slowly, gradually increasing the intensity and amplitude of movements, but in this case the final intensity is quite low. The fact is that sudden and rapid movements can lead to protrusion and prolapse of the discs of the cervical vertebrae. That is why, if you want to pump up your neck and not injure it, then warm up before training it for at least 5 minutes.

Moderate speed– I would like to emphasize this rule again, since it should be observed throughout the entire neck workout. Firstly, the exercises should be performed at a slow pace, and secondly, the exercises should be performed in the repetition range of 12 to 20 so that you do not have to lift heavy weights to achieve the desired results.

You should never reach muscle failure while training your neck. All exercises are performed smoothly and in the same speed range throughout the entire range of motion, that is, there should be no acceleration or deceleration.

Gradualism– this rule applies to mastering the working weight; in this case, you should try to master the working weight very slowly. To pump up your neck, you don’t need to strive at all costs to increase your strength, since this approach will lead to injury. Yes, without progression of the load there will be no growth, but you can also progress by increasing repetitions, reducing the rest time between approaches, and you can perform the exercise more slowly. The working scheme looks like this: You perform an exercise for 12 repetitions with some weight, gradually increase the number of repetitions to 20, and then increase the weight, starting again to perform 12 repetitions.

It is best to shake the neck with the forearm, or separately. However, you should not devote too much time to training your neck; 10-15 minutes will be enough. Shrugs can be added to your shoulder or back training by performing this exercise regularly.

If you want to pump up your neck, then you can set aside a separate day for training it, for example, after training your legs. It is important that you do not need to work your back and shoulders the next day, as this will prevent the muscles from recovering. Remember going to in the right direction will overtake a runner who has lost his way!

Friends, support our group on Facebook, share this post with your friends or click the “Like” button! and you will always be aware of the latest news from the “Duty Rocking Chair”!