Bodybuilding Routines for the Neck: Train Your Lateral Flexors, Extensors and Traps
We often overlook training this vital area for two main reasons. We either don't know how to do it, or we don't have the equipment to do so.
Lateral Flexors. The lateral flexors will tilt a persons head from right to left and is worked out in the same manor as the flexors. To start this, lie on a bench specifically on your side, then you will rest a towel on the side of your head while holding the weight in that place with your hand.
Very simply let the head tilt in a downward angle and then try to bring it up backwards to try to touch ear to shoulder on the bench. After this, do a few sets of 10-15 with the resistance as moderate before you go and switch to the other side to work the other opposing lateral flexor group.
Extensors. The extensors, much like the flexor groups, can be worked with a neck machine or a headstrap. To use the headstrap, the most common method is to take the end of the chain on the strap and hook it to a low-pulley or simply hang plates on the chain. Bend at the waist and place your hands on your quads, just above the knee.
Now of course you will want to focus on tilting you head backwards as though you were looking upwards. You can also lie on a bench with your face down and head hanging over the end. Then place a towel on the back of the area of the head with the weight being placed on it.
While holding the plate in place with your hands, let the head drop down slowly, then raise it, bending only at the neck. Moderate resistance for several sets of 10-15 reps will be ideal, just as with the other exercises.
Traps. The trapezius or trap muscles are apart of the extensor muscles group, so they will of course get some attention while doing exercises mentioned under the extensor heading. Moreover, they can be worked out with additional barbell exercises, as most would be aware of.
For the most part, people will lump together basic barbell and dumbbell shrugs as the key motions for working out the traps. The dead life with the variations of it will undoubtedly work the traps very hard. Those who have a monstrous traps are the ones with the big pulls.
While the deadlift is nearly always a part of my routine, I'd like to offer a few lesser-performed lifts taken from Olympic weightlifting that will hammer the traps extremely hard. The most common lift in this category would have to be the power clean and to a lesser extent, the squat clean. Because the arms are kept very straight as long as possible during the pull, the hips, traps and upper back must provide the power to accelerate the bar before dipping under it to rack the lift.
In the same way as the clean variations, the snatch will provide a lot of stimulation for the traps. The pull is going to have a rough "shrug" while the bar continues to accelerate before it dips beneath it.
I usually do the power snatch, this is where you will not drops as low in you completion of the lift with the bar in a locked position while you are standing in a squat position. I do not see a need to a full squat snatch even though it lets you use more of the weight because of the bottom position you get beneath the bar. The power clean and the power snatch will force you to pull a lot harder due to the fact that you have a lot less time to drop underneath the bar to rack it.
If you are a person who suffers from tightness due to long hours of sitting on your butt in an office doing these stretches will make your life more comfortable in many ways. The power you will grow in your traps will help you pulling movements and give you a decent and finished look to your body. - 17269
Lateral Flexors. The lateral flexors will tilt a persons head from right to left and is worked out in the same manor as the flexors. To start this, lie on a bench specifically on your side, then you will rest a towel on the side of your head while holding the weight in that place with your hand.
Very simply let the head tilt in a downward angle and then try to bring it up backwards to try to touch ear to shoulder on the bench. After this, do a few sets of 10-15 with the resistance as moderate before you go and switch to the other side to work the other opposing lateral flexor group.
Extensors. The extensors, much like the flexor groups, can be worked with a neck machine or a headstrap. To use the headstrap, the most common method is to take the end of the chain on the strap and hook it to a low-pulley or simply hang plates on the chain. Bend at the waist and place your hands on your quads, just above the knee.
Now of course you will want to focus on tilting you head backwards as though you were looking upwards. You can also lie on a bench with your face down and head hanging over the end. Then place a towel on the back of the area of the head with the weight being placed on it.
While holding the plate in place with your hands, let the head drop down slowly, then raise it, bending only at the neck. Moderate resistance for several sets of 10-15 reps will be ideal, just as with the other exercises.
Traps. The trapezius or trap muscles are apart of the extensor muscles group, so they will of course get some attention while doing exercises mentioned under the extensor heading. Moreover, they can be worked out with additional barbell exercises, as most would be aware of.
For the most part, people will lump together basic barbell and dumbbell shrugs as the key motions for working out the traps. The dead life with the variations of it will undoubtedly work the traps very hard. Those who have a monstrous traps are the ones with the big pulls.
While the deadlift is nearly always a part of my routine, I'd like to offer a few lesser-performed lifts taken from Olympic weightlifting that will hammer the traps extremely hard. The most common lift in this category would have to be the power clean and to a lesser extent, the squat clean. Because the arms are kept very straight as long as possible during the pull, the hips, traps and upper back must provide the power to accelerate the bar before dipping under it to rack the lift.
In the same way as the clean variations, the snatch will provide a lot of stimulation for the traps. The pull is going to have a rough "shrug" while the bar continues to accelerate before it dips beneath it.
I usually do the power snatch, this is where you will not drops as low in you completion of the lift with the bar in a locked position while you are standing in a squat position. I do not see a need to a full squat snatch even though it lets you use more of the weight because of the bottom position you get beneath the bar. The power clean and the power snatch will force you to pull a lot harder due to the fact that you have a lot less time to drop underneath the bar to rack it.
If you are a person who suffers from tightness due to long hours of sitting on your butt in an office doing these stretches will make your life more comfortable in many ways. The power you will grow in your traps will help you pulling movements and give you a decent and finished look to your body. - 17269
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