How to Do Neck Resistance Exercises

There are several exercises for the neck. Neck stretching and neck Your hands, a partner, aresistance exercises are good for body building and stress relief. There are several muscle groups that benefit from neck exercises. The primary benefits are for the neck muscles, while the secondary muscles help open and relieve shoulder and back musclesIn order to do neck resistance exercises properly, neck stretching is performed first. Neck stretching is excellent for stress relief and warm up exercises for any fitness program. However, neck resistance exercises build neck muscle.Follow these steps for neck stretching and neck resistance exercises.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A chair
• A partner

1. Right Neck Resistance Exercise: Keep your shoulders back, chest out and stomach in. Take your left hand and bring it over your head and place it on the right side of your head, above your ear. Pull your head as far left as you can. Try to get your left ear to touch your left shoulder. If there is pain, reduce the pressure, and continue as far left as you can. You should feel a comfortable stretch coming from your right neck muscles. Now, try to bring your head back up to a straight position, as your left hand holds your head down, preventing you from going back to the straight position. By forcing your head up, while your left hand is forcing it down in the stretch position, this is called resistance. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Repeat 3 times. Your right neck muscles are the primary muscles that benefit from this exercise. Your secondary muscles that benefit are your upper right shoulder muscles.

2. Left Neck Resistance Exercise: Sit or stand straight up again, keeping your shoulders back, chest out and stomach in. Take your right hand and bring it over your head and place it on the left side of your head, above your ear. Pull your head as far right as you can. Try to get your right ear to touch your right shoulder. If there is pain, reduce the pressure and continue as far right as you can. You should feel a comfortable stretch coming from your left neck muscles. Now, try to bring your head back up to a straight position, as your right hand holds your head down, preventing you from going back to the straight position. Again, by forcing your head up, while your left hand is forcing it down in the stretch position, you are using the neck resistance exercise. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Repeat 3 times. Your left neck muscles are the primary muscles that benefit from this exercise. Your secondary muscles that benefit are your upper left shoulder muscles.

3. Back Neck Resistance Exercise: Sit or stand straight. Use correct posture with your shoulders back, chest out and stomach in. Take both hands and interlock your fingers behind your head. Push down as far as you can. Try to get your chin to reach your chest. If there is pain, relieve some pressure until it is a comfortable stretch coming from your neck muscles in the back of your neck. Try to bring your head back up to a straight position, as both of your hands give pressure forward, preventing you from going back to the straight position. By forcing your head up, while your hands force it forward, you are doing resistance exercises for your back neck muscles. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Repeat this 3 times. Your back neck muscles are the primary muscles that benefit from this exercise. Your secondary muscles that benefit are your upper and middle back muscles.

4. Front Neck Resistance Exercise: Remember to use correct posture before neck exercises. Makes sure you are sitting or standing straight with your shoulders back, chest out and stomach in. Do not use your hands for this exercise. Bend your head back as far as you can, looking up straight to the ceiling. Try to align your nose parallel to the ceiling. If you cannot do this without pain, then look up; bring your head back as far up as you can. Take both hands and place them on your forehead, interlocking your fingers. Try to bring your head back up into the straight position as your hands push back, preventing you from achieving the straight position. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Repeat 3 times. Your back neck muscles are the primary muscles that benefit from this exercise. Your secondary muscles that benefit are your upper and middle back muscles.

Tips & Warnings

• Before performing exercises for the front neck muscles, heed extra precaution. Most front neck exercises are performed using a head harness, found in most fitness centers, to keep the neck aligned properly. Although you may use a hand to help the front neck exercises, we recommend only doing so with the help of a partner or assistance. Using your hands to push the neck back may cause injury if not done carefully. It could also decrease the benefits to the secondary muscles from this exercise.
• If you are a senior, have a medical condition or are on certain medications, perform these neck exercises sitting down.

Resources

• See neck resistance exercises demonstrated

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