Training The Neck

Training The Neck

Well, you’re probably wondering why the last column stayed up for so long.I received an incredible amount of email regarding the workout routine I posted! Replies ranged from “It’s Great!” to “It’s too easy!”. Of course, one workout routine cannot be everything to everybody for every purpose! Before we go on to the neck work, I’ll just say that the routine I submitted was AN EXAMPLE of how to construct a whole-body routine for a beginner. Theworkout can also be adjusted for difficulty by choosing the weight usedproperly, and by adjusting the rest intervals. If you have any questions,I’m glad to try to help you out, just email me via the link at the left.

For grapplers, and martial artists in general, having a strong neck is
extremely important. Since many of the most dangerous techniques used are directed against the neck, flexibility and strength in that area play animportant role in injury prevention. The neck also is responsible for absorbing the impact from punches, etc. The “whipping” of the head caused by a blow is a large part of the concussive effect of a punch. Also, some offensive techniques can depend on ultimate neck strength. I believe any martial artist who does not train their neck somewhat is not training smart!Let’s look at various ways to train the neck, starting with very basic exercises, and progressing to exotic, advanced work.

1. Manual resistance: Place the heels of both hands on your forehead.
Apply pressure with your hands, and resist the motion with your neck. Youcan easily adjust the pressure to achieve the correct balance. Press as hard as you can, as long as you are able to keep your neck still against the pressure. A slightly more advanced version of this movement is to allow your neck to successfully move back and forth against the resistance, while keeping the resistance as high as possible. You may use this method for training the front, back, and both sides of your neck. You may also lean against a wall with your head, varying the angle to choose the correct resistance. HOWEVER, DO NOT ROTATE YOUR HEAD AGAINST RESISTANCE! This motion is the cause of many injuries.

2. Neck bridging: This is a controversial exercise that is highly
productive when safely performed, yet carries a high risk of injury if not
correctly performed. I will say that you should receive personal
instruction in the performance of neck bridging from a qualified trainer.
Good form will prevent you from needing a feeding tube! That said, bridging is a very effective and functional means of developing your neck, and the strength gains are very applicable to grappling. Reversing an opponent on top can often incorporate the strength gained from bridging. There are pictures of bridging exercises at www.mattfurey.com. I warn you that attempting to learn this maneuver over the internet is not the smartest thing. Once again, go to a knowledgeable trainer!

3. Neck harness: This is the standard of neck strengthening tools. The
harness is best used for the back and the front of the neck, especially the back. The harness is a webbing or leather “cap” that fits snugly on your head, and has a chain or strap on each side hanging down from the ear region. You load weight plates on the chains, and then move your head against the resistance created. You stand with hands on knees (to work the back of the neck) and look at the floor with the weights hanging in front of you. By flexing your neck, you raise your head to look forward, and then slowly lower your head to complete the rep. WITH ALL NECK WORK, USE SMOOTH, STEADY MOTIONS. DO NOT JERK OR BOUNCE WHEN USING RESISTANCE AGAINST YOUR NECK! By rotating the position of the harness on your head, you may direct the resistance against all sides of your neck. Be careful when using weights with your neck. Sudden motions can hurt you very quickly!

4. Neck helmet: This is a revival of an old football tool. Basically, you
mount a 1″ pipe on top of a snug helmet. Weight plates may be loaded onto the pipe. You now are able to move your head freely in space with
resistance. This approach is very effective for the front of your neck, and
the sides are worked very well in this way, too. It is also a great compliment to the neck harness for the back of the neck. You would perform your sets with the neck harness for the back of your neck. Then, you would immediately use the helmet while on all fours to more closely simulate the angles, etc. seen while grappling. I find this to be a great combination. To work the front of the neck, you lie face up with your head hanging off the end of a bench. You can then do the chin-to-chest movement with great range of motion. The same goes for the sides of the neck. If you would like more detailed instructions on how to construct the neck helmet, send me an email via the link on the left.

General safety guidelines: When training the neck, it is extremely
important to follow good form. The cost of carelessness here is much worse than with most any other exercise. Don’t jerk or bounce against resistance! It’s a good idea to do your neck work first in your workout, while you are still fresh. Fatigue can help you to make a serious mistake! Start out light with the weight/resistance used until you are familiar with the movement, then carefully progress upward. Please use good judgement, since one mistake will take you away from grappling, etc. for quite some time!

That’s it for this time. If you have questions, you know where to find me.
Next time we’ll look at some different ways of training the abdominals.

Thanks for all your support, and keep training hard!

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