Strengthen your neck muscles. How to quickly pump up your neck at home. Exercise for developing trapezius muscles: classic shrugs

If huge biceps and pectoral muscles are external beauty, then a strong neck is a must! Here are some great exercises and workouts for building a strong neck.

If you wake up in the morning and feel stiffness in your neck, know that this is the first alarm bell. It's time to learn how to shake your neck to get rid of unpleasant sensations!

Have you ever wondered why it hurts not only in the neck, but also in the trapezius and (shoulder) muscles? The answer is simple: they all relate to the neck area. Since these muscle groups support the head, they need to be developed and exercised regularly. In this article you will find strength training, consisting of the most effective exercises that will allow you to forget about the skinny neck of a teenager and pump up the powerful neck of a real athlete!

Who needs to pump up their neck muscles?

To reduce the risk of pain and injury, everyone can benefit from training these muscles. Most of us today have sedentary work at a computer, in which case pumping the neck muscles helps prevent cervical osteochondrosis. A strong neck reduces the pressure you can put on it and prevents soreness if you are in an awkward position for a long time.

In addition, during a stressful situation, the muscles of the trapezius and neck are under tension, and strong muscles reduce it. To reduce stress - more.

Athletes of all sports (and especially martial arts) believe that pumped up muscles are extremely useful. Not only do they protect against collisions in contact sports, but they can also prevent concussions from impacts. In MMA, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and other combat sports, locks and neck holds are common, so developing a powerful neck is important not only for beauty, but also to prevent associated injuries. Wrestling bridges on the ground, when you need to hold not only your own weight on your neck, but also the weight of your opponent, are unthinkable without strong muscles.

Of course, “pure” neck exercises are weighted head raises while lying on your back or stomach, which you can do on any rest day, or when working on other parts of the body. These exercises are simple, but they can really pump up your neck muscles. Get to know them better!

Lifting your head with weights while lying down

Lie on your stomach on a straight bench. The head, neck and upper chest should be supported. Holding the disc with your hands at the back of your head, slowly bend your head down as you inhale. As you exhale, slowly raise your head in a semicircular path.

Lifting your head with weights while lying on your back

This exercise should be performed similarly to the previous one, with the only difference being that you lie on the bench with your back. The head, neck and upper chest are also suspended. Holding the disc with your hands on the back of your head, as you inhale, slowly bend your head down, and as you exhale, slowly lift it along a semicircular trajectory.

Remember that when training to pump up your neck muscles, you should not work with maximum weight or start training too hard, as there is a high risk of injuring your neck.

Perform these neck-toning exercises once every one or two weeks. If you don’t train regularly, you can include them in one of the following. They do not require special equipment, so you can easily perform them even using, for example, a plastic water bottle or a large technical dictionary as a weight.

In a gym setting, we recommend that you try this neck strength training. If you do not adhere to some strict amount of work, then it is better to do it in a high rep range, for example, about 3 sets of 12 repetitions. As you progress, you can add another approach.

Training

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But in order to achieve the desired result and build a powerful neck, you should not limit yourself solely to training. Think about what you eat. Your diet should be so that your body receives a sufficient amount of nutrients and building material for muscle growth. If you are engaged in intense training and are actively building muscle mass, they will help you quickly replenish the nutrients your body needs.

Neck Training Supplements

Basic set

For the pros

Basic set

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The neck is a very important and at the same time fragile part of our body. Few people know or have thought about the fact that it needs to be trained, especially for people who lead a sedentary lifestyle.

In this article we will learn about the muscular structure of the cervical spine and determine the importance of exercises for this part of the body. Of course, we will study the most effective techniques for working out the neck muscles, which you can do at home and in the gym.

Neck muscles most involved in exercises

Cervical complex includes many different muscles, but in neck exercises the following are maximally involved:

. Located in the back of the neck and upper back. With its help, the shoulder blades rise, fall and retract towards the spine.
Stairs. They are located in the inner part of the neck near the upper spine. They are responsible for raising the ribs as you inhale and flexing the cervical spine.
Belt. They are located on the sides and are responsible for turning the neck and head, as well as for straightening the cervical spine.
Sternocleidomastoid. Located in the front of the neck. Their functions are throwing the head back, tilting the head to the sides, and also take part in breathing.

Well developed neck muscles prevent the development of osteoporosis and osteochondrosis, allow you to avoid the formation of a double chin and sagging skin. Since this part of the body contains many different nerve endings and blood vessels, the strength of the neck muscles is one of the most important factors for normal intracranial pressure and overall head health without migraines and spasms.

Before getting acquainted with the technique of performing the neck muscle exercises themselves, let's take a look at the recommendations for achieving maximum efficiency from your exercises:

Exercises for neck muscles

Before performing exercises for the neck muscles, you must do a warm-up.

Warm-up:

As you inhale, start in the starting position – your body and head are straight, your arms can be kept lowered or on your belt. And as you exhale, do it smoothly

Circular movements of the head in one direction and then in the other. You can breathe in the following way: inhale on the first semicircle, exhale on the second while returning the head to its original position, or inhale while rotating the head in one direction and exhale in the opposite direction.

With light palm pressure on the frontal and occipital areas, respectively.

With a slight emphasis of the palm on its side.

Now let’s learn about how to quickly pump up your neck in the gym or at home.

Having taken a disc from a barbell of an acceptable weight for you, you need to lie on your stomach on a horizontal bench. The edge of the bench should be level with the shoulders, looking at the floor.
Place the disk on the back of your head.
Smoothly begin to bend and straighten your neck.

This exercise can be performed while lying on your back. In this case, the sternocleidomastoid muscles will be more involved.

Exercises with harness

The exercises can be performed in a standing or sitting position. In the first case, there will be additional stress on the muscles of the back and legs.

Put on and secure the harness on your head.
Take a stable position, with your back straight and slightly arched in the lower back, your hands slightly above your knees.
Start bending up and down, stopping for a few seconds at the extreme points.

Seated harness exercise
We do the same bends, but only while sitting on a chair.

In this exercise, the maximum load is placed on the sternocleidomastoid and splenius muscles. The technique is performed using a weighted disk or head harness.

Lie sideways on a flat or incline bench.
Grasp the bench with your lower hand or lean on your hand itself, lowering it to the floor.
Place the disc on top of your head and hold it with your free hand.
Bend as far as possible, then return to the starting position.

You can do the same with the head harness.

Mistakes during exercises with weights (with harness and disc):

sharpness in movements;
lowering of the neck by inertia;
rounding of the spine;

uneven posture during bending during exercises with a harness while sitting and standing.

Bortsovsky Bridge

You need to start this exercise after the muscles are trained, since this technique is dangerous. In order to avoid injuries during practice, even experienced professionals should put some soft thing under their head, such as a T-shirt or sweater, or a double folded mat.

Beginners are recommended to support their wrestling bridge with their hands. Hands supported will help measure the load and secure an untrained neck. But in any case, the neck should be constantly tense. This exercise uses all the muscles described above.

This exercise mostly works the back muscles of the neck.

Lie on the floor and bend over, as if doing a gymnastic bridge, placing your weight on your head on one side and on your feet on the other. At this time, you can keep your arms crossed on your chest.
Slowly and carefully move back and forth, and then left and right.

More experienced people can do this exercise with weights.

Sit on your knees with the top of your head on the floor.
Rest the top of your head and toes on the floor, with your back arched, and your hands on your stomach or behind your knees.
Roll back and forth from the frontal region of the head to the parietal region.

Runtime errors:

sudden movements and relaxation of the neck during rolls;
Beginners immediately begin to do exercises without using their hands, as a result of which they often injure their neck.

Neck exercises – video

After watching this video, you will understand why it is necessary to have a strong, healthy neck. The most important thing is to learn about the technique of performing physical exercises for the neck, not only in the correct version, but also in the wrong one. Having a visual representation of how to do a particular practice, you can easily repeat it at home or in the gym.

Now you know how to pump up your neck at home and in the gym. Without delay, you can include these techniques in your sports exercise routines. Always remember that The neck is a rather fragile part of the body, and therefore exercise smoothly, without jerking, feeling every movement. Be yourself, don’t run after the external result - a wide and voluminous neck. First of all, pumping up your neck muscles is necessary for health.

What exercises do you do for the health and endurance of your neck muscles? Are you familiar with the techniques described in this article? Share your experience, ask questions. Let's become the best version of ourselves together!

Many athletes often ignore pumping up small muscle groups just because they have an unpresentable appearance and are generally lost against the general background. These muscles include the neck, because it is very rare to meet people who pay due attention to this part of the body. This is a pretty big omission, because the neck is involved in a huge number of exercises as a stabilizer and helps protect the upper spine from injury. Accordingly, the question will come up: “How to pump up your neck?” This is quite easy to do, because the set of exercises is very small, the main thing is to follow the technique and not forget about safety.

Small, but remote: the structure of the neck muscles

Before moving on to the practical part of the training, it is necessary to familiarize yourself in detail with the anatomy of the muscles. This will help you understand the biomechanics of the exercises and will allow you to better engage your muscles in the work. Despite its modest size, this anatomical group consists of 15 muscle groups. And this is no coincidence, because the neck performs the most important functions in the body:

Keeps head upright.
Helps with all head movements.
Responsible for the elasticity of the cervical spine, which means it protects it from injury.
Responsible for blood supply and oxygen exchange of the body and brain;

Traditionally, this anatomical group also includes the trapezius muscles - this is the transitional area between the neck and the shoulder region of the back. If you want to pump up your neck like a bull, you will have to work very hard. After all, as you know, the smaller the muscles, the more difficult it is to involve them in work and make them respond to training.

Why do you exercise your neck muscles?

Before dealing with the question of how to pump up your neck, you need to decide on the purpose of the training. You will be surprised, but not only athletes, bodybuilders and wrestlers need to train this part of the body. Anyone who leads a sedentary lifestyle needs to strengthen these muscles. And these are almost all types of professions whose work is tied to the office. Regular training of this part of the body will help get rid of various manifestations of osteochondrosis and relieve muscle tension at the end of a hard working day. As for bodybuilders and ordinary people who strive to perfect their body, for them pumping the neck is an integral part of any workout, with special emphasis on the trapezius. The better these parts of the body are developed, the more harmonious the overall appearance will look. It is noteworthy that you can pump up your neck at home. After all, most exercises do not require simulators or special equipment.

Classic warm-up to strengthen and stretch the cervical spine

Before strength training, you need to warm up the working muscles, even if you are working out at home, since pumping up your neck without warming up will be quite problematic. The fact is that this muscle group is under constant tension, and therefore it stretches rather weakly. To increase the amplitude of exercises, you need to develop your muscles well using regular exercises:

Head tilts forward. Try to press your chin to your chest as much as possible and stretch the back muscles of your neck. Perform the exercise slowly and with pauses.
Throwing the head back. The main thing here is not to make sudden movements, because the risk of spinal injury or pinched nerve endings is too great.
Turns from side to side. This exercise must be performed while sitting on a bench, with the back raised to fix the lower back and shoulders. This will eliminate torque in the spine, which, combined with physical activity, can negatively affect the condition of the joints.
Tilts from side to side. Also performed on a bench. When moving, try to reach your ear with your shoulder and always linger at the lowest point of the amplitude.
Overcoming resistance. To perform this exercise, place your hands clasped under your chin and apply pressure from below. At the same time, try to overcome the resistance with your head. Try to withstand this state for as long as possible. Do 5-6 approaches.

Universal training

It's no secret that you can only pump up your neck like bodybuilding stars through strenuous physical exercise. In this case, the presence of standard basic exercises in the training program plays an important role. What’s interesting: none of them directly engages the target muscles, but in almost every type of training these muscles act as “assistants” or stabilizers. What exercises should a classic basic workout consist of:

Squats. Everyone knows that when performing a squat, the barbell is placed exactly on the trapezius, which means that these muscles are actively involved in the work. If you perform the exercise strictly following the technique, then the head in squats looks only forward and upward, which means that the muscles of the posterior cervical region are under constant static load.
Deadlift. As you know, this basic exercise involves absolutely all the muscles of our body, even the smallest ones. Since in the exercise you need to constantly control the straightness of your back and keep your shoulder blades as close as possible, the neck and trapezius will definitely participate in the training, and take on a good share of the load, especially in the lifting phase.
Bench press. If you perform the exercise from a “bridge,” i.e., arching your lower back and transferring your body weight to the shoulder blades and trapezius, then the neck will be a direct participant in this exercise, since it is it that will hold you up when performing the bench press.
Pull-ups. If you perform this type of training with a very wide grip, then, willy-nilly, the neck muscles will also be involved in the process.

You see, properly pumping up your neck will not be difficult; you don’t even have to include new exercises in the program. But if you want to achieve really good results and significantly increase muscle volume, then you obviously cannot do without targeted isolated training.

Indirect training of target muscles: exercises with dumbbells for the neck and trapezius

How to pump up your neck with dumbbells? And is it even possible to pump up muscles in this way? Of course, you can’t do it directly, but you can perform exercises in which the target muscles will act as an “assistant” and take on most of the load. Such exercises include various types of outstretched arm raises. If we analyze the biomechanics of movement in detail, the picture will be something like this: a tense straight arm involves the entire line of muscles, from the trapezius, and even the lower cervical region, to the hand itself. This means that the muscles we need will definitely work, especially in the positive phase of the exercise. Therefore, in order to concentrate the load exactly on the desired anatomical area, you can perform the exercise in a shortened amplitude, bypassing the negative phase. Hand raise options:

Performed while standing. For maximum load on the lower cervical region, maintain a maximum pause at the top point of the amplitude and try to raise your arms as high as possible.
Raising dumbbells to the sides in a sitting position. Here you also need to catch the peak muscle contraction and increase the angle of arm elevation.

Strength exercise for muscle development: neck curls with weights from a lying position

A typical situation: a person comes to the gym with a specific desire to train his neck, but does not know how to do it at all. You can pump up your neck at home and in the gym with just one, but very effective exercise. Therefore, there is no need to reinvent the wheel, but rather try out what really works and has long been tested in practice. Lying neck curls are the best type of training for the target muscle. Technique:

Find a suitable bench. It is better that it be quite wide, because it is necessary to fix the shoulders, shoulder blades and lower back well.
Lie down on the apparatus with your head and neck outside the back of the bench.
Choose a suitable weight; it is better to use a barbell plate. Place it on your forehead and hold it with both hands, while it is better to place a towel under the weight so as not to leave bruises on your face.
Tilt your head back and start doing the exercise. To do this, bend your neck and try to pull your chin as close to your chest as possible. Complete as many repetitions as possible and take a short break.

Comprehensive training for the neck and trapezius: extensions from a lying position

With this simple exercise, you can pump up your neck muscles at home, even like your “brothers” from the dashing nineties. In essence, this is a slightly modified form of the previous training, but here, in addition to the neck, the trapezius is actively involved in the work. The difference in the technique lies in the starting position: you need to lie face down on the bench, while not only your head and neck, but also your entire shoulder girdle remains outside the support. The weight is placed on the back of the head and also held with both hands. Your task is to straighten your neck muscles while trying to lift your upper chest off the bench; this is necessary to engage the trapezius muscles.

Modification of the classic exercise: extension from a sitting or standing position

It is usually not difficult to quickly pump up your neck; the main thing is to regularly perform the appropriate exercises. Neck extensions from a sitting position are just one of them. For this type of training you will need special equipment - this is a kind of helmet with straps on which you can hang a load. The technique is generally elementary: put on equipment, select the weight of the weight, sit on a bench or stand up, while leaning forward slightly. You can start the exercise, and these are ordinary neck extensions. Nothing complicated, everything is simple and clear. But this is one of the best types of isolated training, since, apart from the target muscles, not a single muscle, even the smallest one, works.

Exercise for developing trapezius muscles: classic shrugs

We have already figured out how to pump up your neck at home, it’s time to take a closer look at training in the gym. As mentioned earlier, the trapezius is also a neck muscle, which means that quite a lot of attention and time need to be given to pumping them. The fact is that this is the laziest muscle in our body, which is practically not involved in everyday life, unless, of course, you work as a loader. But there is a weapon for any muscle, in this case it is shrugs. This is a familiar type of trapeze training. You can perform it with dumbbells, with a barbell, or in a Smith machine. Just choose what you like best.

We adopt the experience of wrestlers

You can pump up your neck muscles by borrowing the technique of pumping up this muscle from wrestlers. But without proper preparation, you should not get carried away with such types of training, because you can simply injure yourself. To strengthen the target muscles, you can use the exercise. The technique is similar to the classic version, but instead of hands we lean on the head, and then return to the starting position.

Isometric training: with a towel

Now you know how to pump up your neck at home and in the gym. But always remember to cool down and stretch at the end of each session. To do this, you can use the isometric training technique with a towel. Just repeat all the exercises from the warm-up, but at the same time throw a towel over your head and stretch your arms in the opposite direction. Your task is to create resistance and try to overcome it. This is a great way to stretch and strengthen your neck muscles. You can regularly perform this complex at the end of the working day or even during your lunch break. Obviously, it will be more difficult for a man to pump up his neck at home than for a woman. After all, guys need to work with heavy weights in order to significantly accelerate muscle growth. Girls do not necessarily need to work specifically on their muscles, because a large neck will only spoil a woman’s figure.

Greetings! Today we will talk about our neck. Are you downloading it? Personally, I have never paid much attention to this part of my body. Due to the specifics of my previous work, my neck was in constant “strain”. For 7 years I carried a bag with tools for installing and assembling furniture on one shoulder or the other. She weighed around 13 kg.

At first I started wearing it on one shoulder, on the right, as it was more comfortable for me. Then I noticed that I had a misalignment in the size of my trapezius muscles. The right muscle was larger than the left. Therefore, I had to get used to carrying the bag on my left shoulder. After some time, the volume of both muscles leveled out and it began to look more or less aesthetically pleasing.

In general, this handbag and kilometer-long walks around the city 6 days a week is all the stress that I gave to my neck and trapezium for 7 years. When I came to the gym in the evening, I did not train these muscles separately. I remember trying, but it didn’t stick. The most I could do was 3 sets of standing shoulder-to-ear pull-ups with a barbell (barbell shrugs).

But in this article I want to look at the basic exercises for developing the neck muscles and draw attention to other important issues on this topic. It is the neck that visually makes the upper body more massive, and remains noticeable in any cut of clothing. So the game is worth the candle and you need to figure it out. Let's start right now!

And we'll start with anatomy (briefly)...

The neck includes a large number of muscles, superficial, middle and deep, and each of them performs a specific function - turning the head, chewing and swallowing reflexes, protecting the cervical spine and many others. Let's look at the muscles that can and should be pumped up:

Sternocleidomastoid muscle. It is located on the front side of the neck and looks like the Latin letter V.
Wide trapezius muscle. Located on the back of the neck.
Muscles of the hyoid bone. Their location is right under the chin.

There are quite a lot of muscles there, so you can study them in more detail in the picture below (click on it to enlarge)

Benefits of a toned neck

Knowing what types of neck muscles there are and how to pump them up is important. But why is this necessary?

BEAUTY AND AESTHETICS. One of the first advantages is beauty. After all, if a bodybuilder has a pumped up body, but a shapeless neck, it will not look aesthetically pleasing. A neck with a beautiful relief attracts attention and speaks of the discipline and endurance of the athlete. This is also important for women; naturally, there is no need to overdo it in this matter. If you constantly do exercises, you can forget about sagging and sagging skin, double chin and premature aging. Also, with a beautiful, sculpted neck, the décolleté area will look even more impressive.
HEALTH. Working out the neck muscles has a very beneficial effect on health and well-being. A strong neck reduces the risks of osteochondrosis, high blood pressure, neurological diseases, and also relieves fatigue and tension.
Athletes involved in CONTACT SPORTS, You definitely need to strengthen your neck muscles. Otherwise, this can lead to injuries, including concussions, and losses in competitions.
For people involved in bodybuilding, a strong neck is SUPPORT in many exercises, especially with a barbell.

Now let's find out how to prepare your neck for a serious workout.

Preparatory stage

The neck muscles are very easily injured, so before starting serious training, it is necessary to do a preparatory warm-up. This will help warm up the desired area and prevent sprains. The most suitable exercises include the following:

Head tilts. Bend your head forward, trying to lower your chin to your chest as low as possible, and then back, tilting your head as far as possible.
Turns. Turn your head left and right, trying to touch your ears to your shoulder.
Rotations. Turn your head left and right.
Circular rotations. tilt your head slightly to the right side and twist in a circle, first down, then to the left and forward.
To warm up the side muscles of your neck, raise your arm up, bend it at the elbow and reach towards your ear on the opposite side. Switch hands.
For the front group of neck muscles, clasp your fingers and place them on the back of your head. While holding your head, bend backwards.
For the posterior muscle group, place your palms on your forehead and try to bend forward.

All exercises must be performed at a slow, relaxed pace; in no case should you make sudden movements or speed up. Failure to follow simple safety rules can lead to very severe pain and will discourage you from going to the gym for a long time.

Do 5-7 repetitions, feeling the tension and tension in your muscles as you perform. Warm-up should last 3-5 minutes. Then you should begin strength training.

Exercises for the neck muscles

You can pump up your neck muscles both in the gym and at home. In the first case, various weights and sports equipment will help greatly. The most effective exercises:

LYING ON A BENCH FACE DOWN. Sit on the bench with your stomach down, placing your shoulders in line with the edge of the surface, your head should be suspended, without support. To perform this, you will also need a weighting agent, for example, a disk from a barbell. Place it on the back of your head and slowly tilt your head down and then up.

Do 10-15 reps. Please note that you need to start with a minimum weight and gradually increase it. You can also replace the load with the help of a partner. He should press on the back of your head, and you should resist using your neck muscles by bending.

LYING ON A BENCH FACE UP. roll over onto your back, head without support, shoulders along the line of the bench. do the same movements as in the previous exercise, only place the weight on your forehead. Don't forget to use your partner's strength instead of the barbell. Many athletes prefer this type of training. You just need to do this very carefully and without fanaticism.

LYING ON THE BENCH ON YOUR SIDE. Lie on your side with your shoulders level with the edge of the bench and your head hanging down. Place the barbell disc on your head. Raise your head. After 10-15 repetitions, change sides. This exercise can also be modified. Sit on a bench with your legs bent at the knees. Hug them with your arms, pressing them tightly to your body.

The partner should apply pressure alternately on both sides. Under no circumstances should you make changes in pressure, otherwise it may provoke unpleasant consequences.

STANDING/SITTING WITH WEIGHTS ON THE CLAMP. You need to attach a weight to the clamp and put it on your head. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, bending your knees and slightly moving them to the side. First you can try to do it from a sitting position. Bend slowly, smoothly forward, keeping your back straight.

Exercises at home involve the absence of weights and special tools. The load will be produced by the athlete's own weight. Some of the most effective ones include:

"PLANK". This multifunctional exercise helps keep almost every muscle group of the whole body, including the neck, in tone. its main advantage is that it can be done anywhere. To do this, take a horizontal position, resting your elbows, hands, and toes on the floor.

The main rule is that your body should be like a stretched thread in a perfect straight line. You need to stand in this position for as long as possible, increasing it each time.

"WRESTLING BRIDGE". Stand on the floor, on your head, making it a support, spread your legs twice as wide as your shoulders and rest your toes on the surface. At the beginning of the work, you can also rest your hands on the floor, but gradually try to switch to performing without support and move your hands behind your back. In this position, begin to turn your head to the sides and back and forth. Do 10-15 times.

"BRIDGE". Stand on the bridge, just support yourself not on your hands, but on your head. Rotate your head back and forth and to the sides.

If you want to purchase a special neck trainer, you can buy it Here.

Safety rules and contraindications

You need to start training your neck muscles under the supervision of an experienced trainer, as you can very easily injure or overload this delicate area.

A huge number of vital vessels and arteries, trachea, esophagus, and thyroid gland pass through the neck. All movements should be slow, not intermittent, the load increases gradually. At the initial stage, it is enough to perform 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions 2-3 times a week.

Over time, when the execution technique has already been mastered, it will be possible to revise the training plan. The working weight of the weights should also increase gradually.

People with high blood pressure or spinal diseases should not begin activities that involve external load. You should also not neglect warming up your neck. exercises should be completed until a burning sensation appears, and after training you should feel slightly tired.

If you experience any discomfort, especially sharp, severe pain, you should immediately stop training. If the pain does not go away for several days and other unpleasant symptoms appear in the form of redness, swelling, nausea and dizziness, you should consult a doctor.

This is where I end this post. I’m sure this information will be enough for you to get your neck in order. Do it, don’t forget about it, be symmetrical and aesthetic. Bye bye!

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It is quite possible to pump up your neck at home with a certain set of exercises, which includes loads with your own weight, resistance and training with weights. Touching the chin with a towel, as well as tilting the head with weights attached to belts, are considered one of the most effective among them. It is imperative to warm up before starting classes, and also follow the technique of movements, otherwise you can injure or displace fragile vertebrae.

📌 Read in this article

Who should and how to pump up their neck at home and why

A set of exercises for pumping up the neck at home is useful for different groups of exercisers: wrestlers and boxers, even ordinary people. First, it helps protect against injuries during exercise or competition. Secondly, it is able to correct curvatures of the cervical spine and prevent the development of osteochondrosis.

It is also important to pay attention to pumping neck muscles for bodybuilders. Against the background of a well-designed body, this part of the body looks disproportionate.

Benefits of neck pumping at home

Pumping the neck at home is very convenient because it does not require any special equipment. Moreover, this part of the body is suitable for frequent, low-impact exercise. Therefore, studying at home is the most suitable option. You can start at any convenient time.

What muscles do you need to train to build a wide neck?

To pump up a wide neck, you need to train the lateral muscles, which are designed for turning and bending. Classes are aimed at developing and strengthening:

The sternocleidomastoid muscles, located in the anterior part. When tense, they form a Latin V.
Wide trapezoid, protecting the upper spine.
Fibers located directly under the chin.

How to shake your neck at home correctly

It is important to exercise your neck at home correctly, following safety precautions, doing warm-up and gymnastics before starting training. Otherwise, incorrect movements and lifting loads can damage the vertebrae and lead to serious consequences.

Cervical gymnastics at home

Simple movements that will warm up and knead the fibers are suitable for home use. At the initial stage this will be enough. Professionals perform them as a warm-up.

During all movements, you need to keep your back straight and perform them slowly at a calm pace.

Neck Curl

The exercises are aimed at warming up the muscles. They are useful to perform while working in front of the computer.

The head is tilted forward until the chin touches the chest. To increase the amplitude, you can support it with your hands. To pump up muscles you need to overcome tension:

Hands clasp the back of the head and forcefully pull forward.
To train the opposite muscles, use your palms to press on your forehead, preventing it from falling forward. You can also keep your elbows on the table and try to press them into the surface.

The exercise can also be performed hanging, lifting your own weight:

you need to lie down on a sofa or bed;
the free-hanging head is raised 12-15 times in 3-5 sets, and it is not as easy as it might seem.

This is an excellent exercise for initial muscle strengthening.

Neck rotation

This type of exercise is aimed at improving blood flow in the neck. Rotations are performed alternately to the left and right sides, holding for a couple of seconds. Movements should be done smoothly, trying to feel all the muscles. Do 3-4 sets of 10 repetitions.

Lateral bends

The exercise will have to be performed at full amplitude. It perfectly warms up the lateral muscles. The head is tilted to the side until the ear touches the shoulder, but it cannot be raised. The deltoid muscles should be static. Do 8-10 repetitions for each line.

Watch this video about a set of exercises for the neck muscles:

Warm-up before classes

A mandatory step at any stage of muscle pumping is warm-up. It helps warm up the joints and fibers. To do this you need:

Stand up straight, spread your shoulders to the sides, put your hands on your hips. It is important to monitor your well-being so that you do not feel dizzy.
Slowly tilt your head to the sides one at a time.
Rotate clockwise and counterclockwise with maximum amplitude.
Draw 8s in the air with the tip of your nose. The movement is complex, so strict adherence to technique is required.

What are isometric exercises for pumping up the neck?

Isometric exercises for pumping up the neck are special movements that involve resistance. They are necessary to increase the load. They are usually divided into three types:

Static. The muscles tense as much as possible, but the barrier cannot be overcome, that is, movement does not occur.
With available scales. During maximum muscle tension, a pause is made and isometric resistance is created. The load is done using hands, bandages or a towel.
With maximum weights. Tension is formed already at the beginning of the exercise. For this purpose, sports equipment is used: pancakes, weights, dumbbells.

Neck workout at home

Neck training at home is carried out using dumbbells, weights and elastic bandages. During each session, you need to pump all groups of fibers.

How to quickly pump up your neck using weighted head lifts

To quickly pump up your neck, this exercise is performed while sitting on a chair or bench using special belts to which weights are suspended. The order is as follows:

Sitting on a chair, rest your hands on your knees. The body is tilted forward, the stomach can touch the surface of the thighs.
You can't lower your head too low. It should be in line with your back.
As you inhale, lower your head, and as you exhale, raise your head up, as if you want to look in front of you.
Everyone does 2-4 sets of 12-15 approaches.

How to enlarge your neck by pumping up your posterior muscles

Another useful exercise to make your neck bigger is lifting your head with weights from a supine position. To do this, use a barbell plate. It is placed on the face and held with hands. For convenience, a cloth or thin pillow is placed between the skin and the pancake.

The head is raised as high as possible, held in this position for a few seconds and lowered. Movements should be smooth, the exercise should not be performed abruptly. Therefore, you should start with a feasible weight. In total, perform 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions.

Exercises for the sternocleidomastoid muscles

To work out the sternocleidomastoid muscles, do the following:

They lie on the bench with their stomach down.
The head hangs freely. For weighting, use a barbell plate. They hold him with their hands.
To achieve the effect, perform 3-5 sets of 8-12 repetitions.

Weighted shrugs to pump up your neck at home

To pump up your neck at home, perform shrugs - raising and lowering your shoulders under load to work the upper part of the trapezius muscle of the back. These exercises target the trapezius muscles. You can use dumbbells or a barbell as weights, as well as bottles of water or sand, bags of stones.

The exercise algorithm is as follows:

You need to stand straight, back straight, feet shoulder-width apart. They take weights into their hands. You need to look ahead in front of you.
Raise your shoulders as high as possible, moving them back a little.
At the top point you need to linger for a couple of seconds.
Then gently lower your shoulders. Movements should be smooth and gentle so as not to damage the neck muscles.

It is important that all other parts of the body are static. In total, do 8-10 repetitions in 2-3 sets.

How to pump up your neck by touching your chin with a towel

You can pump up your neck with a towel. It will be impossible to perform the exercise without a partner. The load is created by the resistance force. The exercise technique is as follows:

You need to sit up straight, hands on your knees. The towel goes over the forehead.
The partner pulls the ends back. Accordingly, the practitioner needs to resist and stretch forward.
In total, do 12-15 repetitions in 3-5 sets. Tension should be felt in the muscles.

This is one of the most effective and simple exercises available to everyone to strengthen the muscles of this part of the body.

How to pump up your neck by training the lateral muscles

Exercises for pumping the lateral muscles of the neck are also aimed at flexion and extension; straps and belts are required to perform them. A The algorithm is the same as when working the anterior and posterior muscles:

You need to lie on your side with your head hanging down.
Pancakes or weights are attached to the belts.
The head is lowered down, then raised as high as possible.
Then the same is done on the other side of the neck.

Expert opinion

Yulia Mikhailova

Nutrition expert

It is very important to pay attention to how you feel after training. If the pain is nagging, not sharp, with a feeling of muscle tension, then this may mean a high-quality previous session. If there is discomfort, sharp, shooting pain, then there is a possibility of displacement of the vertebrae. Therefore, it is necessary to seek urgent medical help. You can’t tolerate trying to straighten the vertebrae on your own. It is very dangerous.

What exercises additionally work the neck?

Additionally, the neck muscles are involved in exercises for the shoulder girdle:

The dumbbells are lifted in front of you. Standing position, feet shoulder-width apart. Raise dumbbells in front of you with outstretched arms. They should form one parallel with the shoulders. As you inhale, lower your arms down.
Dumbbells are lifted to the sides. The exercise is performed while exhaling. As you inhale, lower your arms with dumbbells down.

Neck exercises require a careful approach. If the technique is broken, serious problems can arise. But with regular and proper exercise, it is possible to get a wide and impressive neck.

Useful video

Watch this video on how to pump up your neck at home: