How to Do Neck Exercises With Barbells

Our necks have a big job, supporting ten pounds of head, helping to keep us upright and ensuring our posture isn’t a slumped mess. You can strengthen the muscles that do all that stuff if you do neck exercises with barbells.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Single barbells of various weights
• Long-barred barbell with various weights

1. Plant your feet firmly, shoulder width apart and stand straight up with your shoulders back for the following three exercises.
2. Grab a barbell in each hand and let them hang down in front of you. Keep them close to your body as you bring them up towards your chin until your biceps are parallel to the floor, hold and release. Repeat at least eight times, doing three sets of eight.
3. Hold the barbells in each hand with your arms down to your sides. Keeping your arms straight, shrug your shoulders and tense your neck, hold and release. Repeat at least eight times, doing three sets of eight.
4. Grasp the single-barred barbell in each hand, pulling the barbell up towards your chin and keeping it close to your body. Hold once biceps are parallel to the floor and release. Repeat for three sets of eight.
5. You can also use a weight plate disconnected from the barbell for two exercises while lying on a flat bench. First lie on your stomach, with your head hanging over the edge, and hold the weight in place with both hands behind your skull. Lift your neck, hold, release. Then lie on your back, with your head hanging over the edge and hold the weight in place on your forehead. Lift your neck, hold and release. Repeat each for three sets of at least eight.

Tips & Warnings

• No, you will not look like a football player just from doing these exercises.
• No, the exercises will not get rid of chicken neck but they will make you feel better.