Neck training

Hi Nick.

Can you remind me of the neck exercises you taught to Slack? I´ve done some searches, but I can´t find the description anywhere. I think it was on the old site.

Thanks,
S

Here you go Socrates:

- Lie on your back. Raise your head from the floor by one inch. This is the closest you get to a rest position for the duration of the workout.
- Touch your chin to your chest, return to the 'rest' position. Twenty reps.
- Turn your head to the right for twenty reps.
- Turn your head to the left for twenty reps.
- Lie on your gut. Forehead one inch from floor.
- Try to touch the back of your head to your shoulder blades. Don't stretch so far it is painful.
- Look left. Twenty reps.
- Look right. Twenty reps.

Cheers, mate. All I have to do is to fix my printer now and I´m sorted...

Ever heard of a pen and a sheet of paper .

By the way I tried the excercises for only 4 weeks an my neck muscles growed over 1,5 inches. So before you start think about some new clothes ;-) because some old wont fit anymore after doing it.

Cheers
Julian

Julian wrote:Ever heard of a pen and a sheet of paper .

I´m a journalist, mate, so my desk is full of illegible and scruffy scraps of paper. That´s why I want to print out a clean copy...

By the way I tried the excercises for only 4 weeks an my neck muscles growed over 1,5 inches. So before you start think about some new clothes ;-) because some old wont fit anymore after doing it.

Thanks for the warning. I hate buying clothes...

A journalist sounds like a pretty interesting job!

I just realized that Fraser might forgot some important part of the excercise:

- Lie on your back. Raise your head from the floor by one inch. This is the closest you get to a rest position for the duration of the workout.
- Touch your chin to your chest, return to the 'rest' position. Twenty reps.
- Turn your head to the right for twenty reps.
- Turn your head to the left for twenty reps.
- Look left and curl your head to your chest. Imagine your ear touching your chest. Than look right and do the same.
- Lie on your gut. Forehead one inch from floor.
- Try to touch the back of your head to your shoulder blades. Don't stretch so far it is painful.
- Look left. Twenty reps.
- Look right. Twenty reps.

I edited the post and marked it red. When I done it I worked up to 50 reps for each part, I think Nick ist doing around 70, but I started with 10 which a really enough for the beginning.

Julian wrote:A journalist sounds like a pretty interesting job!

Being a news reporter is a fantastic job! You get paid rubbish for the first couple of years, but if you can get through that (and most people don´t), then it´s brilliant nearly every day.

Anyway, thanks for the tips. I might just do low reps as I want to make my neck a bit stronger, not turn into a bull...

Soc the neck is quite possibly the one area which having it "large" is a good idea! Espcially for combatives....

Id say more tissue (and strength) here is important to stop trauma and other nastiness. Checkout the UFC partically all of them thicknecked (and still atheletic) even the realtively slight ones! Same with boxers!

Also a couple more inches doesnt change you into Johnney sumo overnight


If your handstand inclined - build up to resting the weight on your head as well....


Theres another one where you stand and use a towel to resist and replicate those moves in Nicks exercise.

And a partnered one where you both are on hands and knees facing each other - and take turns pushing the other guys neck down (and resisting).


PS. What area of journalism are you in/ who do you work for Socrates?

How about bashing each other with a kettlebell?

Brian S wrote:How about bashing each other with a kettlebell?

I can do that when im knackered - but its not a recommended neck strengther

No.... I'd just like to see you two do it!

PUP: The last time I checked my diary, I didn´t see any UFC competitions pencilled in...

Brian: That´s not a very good windup, mate. You really need to raise your game! We expect more of you.

I had a late night......

Soc you missed my point m8 - you condition yourself for better performance during a "hard skills" session.


UFC competitors/wrestlers/boxers have good conditioning for taking knocks be those knocks on the street or in ring etc....

Same with rugby players etc.

Blunt trauma to the head is blunt trauma to the head! And thicker necks are better able to withstand those tests.....


A thick strong neck is a functionally healthy sign.....for instance there are bodybuilders who neglect and have skinny necks (and have large bodies).


There arent any power atheletes i can think of who have skinny necks....


PS yeah Bri is slippin

PUP:

The way I see it the soft skills are my first line of defence. If they fail, then I should have a fence and the ability to disengage (I talked my way of getting murdered once BTW). If that fails, I´ve got a pre-emptive strike. If that fails, I´ve got all my other martial arts training. And if that all fails, then I´m screwed!

Getting a massive neck MIGHT be a fifth line of defence. But I´ve got a dayjob and need to look approachable and friendly. Adapting my body so that I look like a power athlete might be counterproductive. I talk to people every day, but how often do I have a fight to the death? Hopefully never...

S

I think neck training makes a lot of sense. It helps you absorb any blows you may receive.

But it would be quite hard to develop the powerful bull neck that you outline. You'd have to be very dedicated to do so.

Its a bit like those arguments against weight training - "I don't want to be muscle bound."

Well, unless you totally dedicate yourself to it for a few years above all else, you won't be!

But if you're only ever attacked by Wing Chun punches...... I agree. There's no need! Those blows won't need absorbing -

Socrates wrote:PUP: The last time I checked my diary, I didn´t see any UFC competitions pencilled in...

Hey guys, I got my hands on Socrates' diary. It's so cute! Pink with a rainbow and a heart-shaped lock.

Check out his new years's post!

January First, Two Thousand Seven
I'm not exactly sure what happened last night. I hadn't intended to get drunk at the party, but those wine coolers were rough. After my second one the room was spinning and I needed some air. I remember going outside, but not much after that.
This morning I woke up completely naked and my bed dishevelled. I guess I met and brought home a woman as there was a note saying "Thanks for the great time. Love Jamie" It's nice to know that even inebriated I'm not only irresistable, but also quite the adept lover....

Man my ass hurts.

:lol!:

Sighs...

Julian wrote:A journalist sounds like a pretty interesting job!

I just realized that Fraser might forgot some important part of the excercise:

- Lie on your back. Raise your head from the floor by one inch. This is the closest you get to a rest position for the duration of the workout.
- Touch your chin to your chest, return to the 'rest' position. Twenty reps.
- Turn your head to the right for twenty reps.
- Turn your head to the left for twenty reps.
- Look left and curl your head to your chest. Imagine your ear touching your chest. Than look right and do the same.
- Lie on your gut. Forehead one inch from floor.
- Try to touch the back of your head to your shoulder blades. Don't stretch so far it is painful.
- Look left. Twenty reps.
- Look right. Twenty reps.

I edited the post and marked it red. When I done it I worked up to 50 reps for each part, I think Nick ist doing around 70, but I started with 10 which a really enough for the beginning.

How often would you do these to start with?

One set every day or a few sets every few days?

Is your neck immovable sore the next day?

3 x per week should do the trick to start with. Wickedly good exercise. (get ready to buy new shirts though...neck blows up quick)

Nick

The exercises Fraser pointed out I saw for the first time a couple of months back (where have I been??) Thanks for reminding me, going to start on those, well now. Cheers Rob.

I just tried it. Way harder than I expected, didnt manage to finish it. I'm going to start this. Awesome.

Rob,

I think I first posted those back on Geoff Thompson's forum...where HAVE you been?

N

Spa in