neck exercise question

[Stinkweed]

Well, a couple of months ago I was trying to build some serious muscle. So, I was lifting three times a week, compound exercises mostly. Well, I saw some results, especially on my lower body. My thighs and even my abs were looking great. However, my shoulders and chest weren't getting much better. I did deadlifts and squats, and I wanted to strengthen my neck, but never did any direct work on it besides those two exercises and also shoulder presses and shrugs. So after that, I started to do one body part per day per week, and a lot of running, since I wanted to get rid of some fat and also to improve my endurance. Well, I saw some results, mostly on my upper body, and managed to increase a bit my lower body strength. However, with those terrible last weeks of school, and now at home with no access to a gym, I've been able to keep running (and I'm down to 3 miles in 28:20, short term goal being 28:00 and I would like to work on my 1 mile time too. I'm just running as a hobby, by the way. I love it, I progress on it faster than I ever have on lifting weights and other strength exercises), but looking at some pictures from a couple of months ago when I did the heavy deadlifts, squats and what not, my neck and face have gotten skinnier (my thighs and lower back have suffered the consequences too... Not as muscular as they were before. I think that had I been able to keep doing those lifts, I would look way better/be less flabby).

 

Now, the rest of my body is pretty much the same. But it's kinda annoying that my neck and face got even skinnier, especially my neck which I wanted to thicken... So, I was wondering if these exercises pose any threat to your spine or not: link removed

 

I know boxers, wrestlers and football players use them, and a thick/strong neck is necessary for those trades as well as for any other contact sport. So, is there anything I should know before I start with these? Thanks for any input and best wishes.

[AngelEyez]

I usually use this website link removed when trying to find different exercises. Some are similar to the ones you provided. I'm not an expert, but don't strain yourself when doing any exercises...because then you can cause harm. I think the body is capable of anything...and any exercise will not do harm...it just depends how much weight you're forcing upon yourself...so start low.

[ghost69]

i think the neck is part of genetics. some people have small ones, some have thick ones. but i strengthen mine be doing exercises like AE posted. they work great. i don't use weight and a skull cap though.

[Stinkweed]

i think the neck is part of genetics. some people have small ones, some have thick ones. but i strengthen mine be doing exercises like AE posted. they work great. i don't use weight and a skull cap though.

 

Certainly genetics help. But I doubt those guys were born with 20" necks. Now, I'm not looking for a 20" neck myself. But I mean, mine's like 14" (I'm taking circumference by the way). And I have a pretty wide chest and shoulders (not too wide by themselves, but too wide for my neck's width) that just look disproportionate for that. I think a 16" or 17" neck would be fine. It's just annoying how my face and neck keep wanting to look like I've got anorexia, but the rest of my body won't give up the few extra pounds of fat I've got left... Oh well. I wanna keep running, though. I like it better than lifting.

 

 

I usually use this website link removed when trying to find different exercises. Some are similar to the ones you provided. I'm not an expert, but don't strain yourself when doing any exercises...because then you can cause harm. I think the body is capable of anything...and any exercise will not do harm...it just depends how much weight you're forcing upon yourself...so start low.

 

 

I had seen those before... The thing is I'm not very good at maintaining that constant pressure with my own hand... Might get the neck harness thing, I guess...

 

Thank you both very much for your replies. Best wishes.

[ghost69]

well, i said genetics cause i've seen some really huge guys with slim necks. my neck is just naturally thick and it's pretty cut too. i'm not as big as some of the other guys either. i've had women tell me that my neck is sexy. i tell them i don't have one. lol

[Stinkweed]

well, i said genetics cause i've seen some really huge guys with slim necks. my neck is just naturally thick and it's pretty cut too. i'm not as big as some of the other guys either. i've had women tell me that my neck is sexy. i tell them i don't have one. lol

 

Well, that is true. But many guys go to the gym and work on their abs and biceps (the beach muscles) and bench presses and don't do much of anything else. The neck itself rarely gets a direct workout. The trapz get worked, and the extend all the way up to the base of the back of your skull and that does make your neck a bit thicker. So guys who do heavy lifting with dead lifts, squats, military presses, etc, will get a thicker neck (but they gotta eat like a manatee and don't do a lot of long distance running. I've seen huge guys and their cardio is just power walking mostly. Either that, or it's HIIT for 20 minutes like twice a week IF they're cutting). However, the muscles in the front and sides of the neck rarely get to do any work.

 

I'm not saying genetics doesn't play a part. I'm just saying that they are muscles and like any muscle, if you put it to work, it should get stronger and larger. I don't have much fat on mine. In fact, my adam's apple pops out (yeh, I heard ladies don't like that, but I don't really care. Plus there isn't much I can do about it). But I do get cramps on the front muscles especially when I yawn and look down at the same time for instance.

[ghost69]

every watch a power lifter lift? watch the neck. it is completely stressed out. that's why their necks are so big. but you can work out a neck and not get anywhere. just like the guy that does a ton of calf exercises and has little peanuts for calves. yet, the guy can slam a 10" hoop. genetics.

 

i know guys that never go to the gym, maybe rarely, but just have that naturally fit look to them. ripped, muscular, etc.

 

some exercises to try. hang ur head off the edge of a platform of some kind. a bed, a bench, etc. do a motion like you are nodding yes, but do it full range. do that 200 times. ur neck will be sore. then lay on your side and do the nodding motion but like you are touching your ear to your shoulder. do 50. u'll feel it.

[Stinkweed]

every watch a power lifter lift? watch the neck. it is completely stressed out. that's why their necks are so big. but you can work out a neck and not get anywhere. just like the guy that does a ton of calf exercises and has little peanuts for calves. yet, the guy can slam a 10" hoop. genetics.

 

i know guys that never go to the gym, maybe rarely, but just have that naturally fit look to them. ripped, muscular, etc.

 

some exercises to try. hang ur head off the edge of a platform of some kind. a bed, a bench, etc. do a motion like you are nodding yes, but do it full range. do that 200 times. ur neck will be sore. then lay on your side and do the nodding motion but like you are touching your ear to your shoulder. do 50. u'll feel it.

 

Yeah, I know what you're talking about when you said those guys that look naturally fit. That is completely true. But chances are, if you do strength training, your muscles will become larger. I used to know this guy who was like 210 lbs but could squat like 500lbs, something ridiculous like that. He looked pretty small for his level of strength, but for the most part, a guy who lifts big is big himself.

 

Either way, a stronger neck, even if it doesn't really look bigger, is better than a weak neck. I'll give those exercises a try. Thanks.

[ghost69]

hope those exercises work out for ya. they work for me.

 

and i have long slender legs. they are strong. i can leg press 900 x 10. it's funny when powerlifters at my gym watch me. especially people that i know have no seen me before. they look over like 'yeah right'. lol meanwhile they have no idea i was a skater for 6 years and bmx for 7.

[Stinkweed]

hope those exercises work out for ya. they work for me.

 

and i have long slender legs. they are strong. i can leg press 900 x 10. it's funny when powerlifters at my gym watch me. especially people that i know have no seen me before. they look over like 'yeah right'. lol meanwhile they have no idea i was a skater for 6 years and bmx for 7.

 

cool man. I've always wanted to learn to skate myself. I think I'm pretty old to begin now... but I've wanted to ever since I was like 13, but always was way too fat. Now I'd be up for it. Might get a board and start practicing in a parking lot late at night or something. If only I had time to study, play the guitar, skate (learn to) and work out every day, it'd be awesome. But studying takes a lot of time, so what little free time I've got left is guitar, and I always go to the gym early as hell in the morning, since that guarantees I will get to work out that day.

[ghost69]

cool man. I've always wanted to learn to skate myself. I think I'm pretty old to begin now... but I've wanted to ever since I was like 13, but always was way too fat. Now I'd be up for it. Might get a board and start practicing in a parking lot late at night or something. If only I had time to study, play the guitar, skate (learn to) and work out every day, it'd be awesome. But studying takes a lot of time, so what little free time I've got left is guitar, and I always go to the gym early as hell in the morning, since that guarantees I will get to work out that day.

 

don't gotta do it everyday. maybe an hour on a sunday or something. i can't do many of the tricks i used to that is for sure.

[Stinkweed]

don't gotta do it everyday. maybe an hour on a sunday or something. i can't do many of the tricks i used to that is for sure.

 

I don't even have a board yet. Last time I even touched one was like 2 years ago. It was this board somebody must have gotten rid off, because I just found it there lying around by itself, and after several days of seeing it at the same spot, I just tried riding it. I couldn't even stay on it all the time as I tried to roll, lol. But in my defense, the trucks must have been messed up or something, because even when I pushed it by itself it never went in a straight line. I put it back, by the way. So I didn't keep/steal it.

[ghost69]

I don't even have a board yet. Last time I even touched one was like 2 years ago. It was this board somebody must have gotten rid off, because I just found it there lying around by itself, and after several days of seeing it at the same spot, I just tried riding it. I couldn't even stay on it all the time as I tried to roll, lol. But in my defense, the trucks must have been messed up or something, because even when I pushed it by itself it never went in a straight line. I put it back, by the way. So I didn't keep/steal it.

 

sounds like the trucks needed new bushings or they were too tight. i think we lost the neck exercise topic. lol

[nikodemus79]

I have a slightly different problem. I have always had a thick neck not flabby just thick and muscular but have narrow shoulders and i've been conscious of it for years. In my early twenties i was slightly chubby but am now in my late twenties and im slim and lean and my neck slightly more in proportion even though i still have narrow shoulders. I've been working out regurly for the last 6 months and im trying to broaden my shoulders Im doing the shoulder shrugs and arnold press using dumbells but all i seem to be doing is making my neck thicker and my sholders are still just as narrow, what am I dong wrong? What exercises do i need to to broaden my shoulders and slightly reduce the thickness of my neck?

[ghost69]

grab some free weights. you need to do the side bends. place your arm 90 degrees with your body and bend them out to the sides and up. keep them stiff and straight. that will put muscle on the sides of your shoulder making them broaden outward. don't try and go crazy heavy either, just keep the form good.

 

unfortunately, necks are necks. they don't change much with size unless you gain fat weight or lose fat weight. i see huge muscle guys with little necks. just how they are built. but stick with your exercises. i have a thick/cut neck. i don't get complaints from the ladies.

[nikodemus79]

Thanks for the tip. No no never had complaints either just a personal thing i guess. I've just always disliked my shoulders and hate wearing shirts because of it. Am I right in doing shoulder shrugs and the arnold press though? Will def try what you said though. thanks alot.

[watupgangsta]

if you want your shoulders to look wide... the best thing you can do is military press and pullups. as for the neck... yeah its pretty much genetic.

[nikodemus79]

yeah i'll just keep doing what im doing. hopefully by broadening my shoulders a bit might help disguise my tree trunk neck.

[mke11077]

Widening shoulders doesn't mean just working on shoulders, the upper back must be worked as well. As the lats widen it will help give the impression of wider shoulders. Also with a stronger back it helps stabilize your core aiding in proper posture during weight training movements (reducing the risk of injury). The shoulder themselves are made up of three muscle groups. There is no one exercise that will incorporate all three to the same degree, so multiple moves to isolate all three should be done.

 

As for keeping the size of your neck down, try not to do many trap movements. Its horrible to neglect your traps, so if you choose to do shrugs try using a smith machine. Absolutely do not lean forward at all throughout the movement. Leaning forward will put excess tension on the top of the trap/shoulder and also helps widen the base of the neck. Start out with light weight and concentrate on form, make sure your shoulders are pulled back at the top of the movement. This will keep all emphasis on the lower part of the trap, just below the base of the neck.