Exercise For Neck Using Nothing But Your Hands
Building the neck up is important for everyone, including non-bodybuilders…
Having a strong, thick neck – particularly for a male – signifies strength, and is of huge practical importance in life in general. (Many people have been saved from serious injury or death because they had a strong neck.)
So far as bodybuilding goes, missing out in complete neck training is sloppy. Not only does it detract from the physique and show lack of attention to detail, but the idea that many bodybuilders have is by building a wide neck, it makes their shoulders look narrower. The solution there is simple: build wider deltoids!
Anyway, here are some simple neck exercises to get you started in neck training. Eventually, you’ll benefit more from progressing to head harnesses and using plates, but for now, these ought to do great…
Exercise 1: Forehead press
Where it hits:
This exercise attacks the sterno-mastoid muscles at the side of the neck, which give it width.
How it’s done:
Facing straight forward, using one or two hands, in either a seated or standing position, press your forehead into your hands as if you are trying to move them, and press back with the hands. Hold this position for the count of 20 with maximum force. Relax for 30 seconds to a minute, and then repeat two more times.
If it helps, imagine you are Vinnie Jones aggressively head-pushing the referee for a crap decision.
If your neck doesn’t feel completely exhausted by the time you are done, you either didn’t apply enough resistance, or you still have a few more sets left in you.
Exercise 2: Back of head press
Where it hits:
This exercise attacks the upper portion of the trapezius muscle, which is situated at the back of the neck.
How it’s done:
Again, the same as before, only in reverse – the hands now fight to push the head forward, while the head fights to force the hands back. (Imagine you are being dunked face first in cold water by Barry The Baptist in Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, and you are fighting to prevent the maniac from drowning you.
