Here’s a pic I got from Jim “Smitty” Smith from the Diesel Crew.
I find it interesting that so many neglect direct neck training considering how many neck pain patients I see with significant neck muscle weakness.
It’s not just for athletes any more.
Now I’m certainly not implying that everyone needs to do their neck training with six 45 pound plates on a regular basis, but most can benefit from some regular neck strength work and including range of motion and mobility training.
Especially women. Women, in general, have smaller neck muscles and heads that may weigh more than men. (No, not because they have bigger brains, but rather because they have more hair…sorry girls). While I don’t have hard stats to back this up, I’ve no doubt that a majority of the overuse and traumatic neck strain patients that I see in my clinics are experienced by women.
Athletes are especially negligent in regard to neck range of motion training in favor of strength work. You’ll be hard pressed to find a football player, wrestler, or mixed martial artist who doesn’t want more neck strength, but ask them about how they’re developing their neck range of motion and you’ll often see a puzzled look on their face.
Certainly the strength component is important, but in many cases of neck injury, the injury occurs when the neck is driven to end range of motion and beyond. Just like any other joint, a little flexibility reserve in the neck goes a long way.
Here’s some wrap-up thoughts…
1. Train your neck
2. Include range of motion and strength training
3. Improve strength at the end ranges of motion
4. Avoid prolonged, repetitive, or aggressive neck flexion (forward bending)
5. When training the anterior neck musculature, press the tongue to the roof of your mouth
6. Train the neck at various speeds and loads to increase strength and power
7. While some isolation training is acceptable, incorporate neck loading into full body exercises. (but that’s another article)
Bill