Pancake Sprawl Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 i have one of those things where you put a harness on your head and hang weight on a chain and pull it up, but i was wondering what kind of exercises can i do for the sides and front of my neck? i know about bridges also, but being 6'5 and 330lbs i'm just a little bit hesitant to do rolls during the bridge. i can bridge and i did it before but i just don't like how unstable it feels. any other exercises out there to workout my side and front neck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalachiMcMullen Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 (edited) I don't know if you can specifically work the side of the neck with a head harness(at least not the ones I know of), but doing regular neck lifts, some light swinging and some heavy lockouts(just trying to stand up with weight on the harness while keeping the neck rigid) will work the sides by default. Heavy rack lockouts, shrugs, Hise shrugs, and regular heavy/high rep squats/deads all work the neck very well by themselves. You could also: Take a towel or piece of leather(you're going to be biting it) and attach weights to one end. Lay on your side and, holding the weight tightly in your jaw, turn your head up and away from the weight. Repeat laying on your opposite side to work the other side of the neck. You could use a strap that just loops around your head too. Do a neck bridge against a wall and do the same movements you would on the floor in a full neck bridge. It's safer and you have more control over the situation. Edited April 11, 2009 by MalachiMcMullen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pancake Sprawl Posted April 11, 2009 Author Share Posted April 11, 2009 (edited) wow very nice man thanks! neck bridges on the wall! that's something i never thought about. kind of off topic, but this is why i like you guys ...every time i ask a question you guys come up with answers that i never even thought of, an most of the time it's free stuff lol btw i think you can work it because the way i did it was lie down on a bed on my side, put a 10lb plate on the side of my face and hold it there and curl it towards the ceiling and it's pretty achy now, like a workout ache not a neckache. it's just that it's a little cumbersome and i was looking for something a little better with more ROM. Edited April 11, 2009 by Pancake Sprawl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maidenfan Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 All kinds of stuff you can do man. I'm not 330, but I'm 280ish and I've worked my way to headstand neck bridges (4ways and rolling), so it can be done, you just have to work at it. Heres some of the things I've done in the past - all work pretty good. Band Work - set a bench in your power rack, set the j-hooks so they're below the bench. Loop a band between the j-hooks, lay on the bench, stretch the band over your head and work away - all four directions (thanks to Bert Sorin for this one) - just be very careful with the band tension and work your way up to the volume - easy to strain the neck if you go too hard too fast. - or just loop the band onto one of the uprights, wrap around head then stretch away. This is a good exercise as you can work the neck in all sorts of "real world" angles, not jsut the 4way. Heres a youtube video explaining the exercise. Swiss Ball Bridges - against the wall, on knees, etc, etc. Bridging on the floor - start on your knees and work your way up to headstand bridges - just doing headstands feels great. An old George Jowett exercise requires a partner, but is probably the best way to "real world" strengthen the neck. Stand in front of your partner and bend at the waist. Have your partner put you in a headlock. You simply try to move your partner around the room while he applies light pressure. Move in all directions. Works fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pancake Sprawl Posted April 11, 2009 Author Share Posted April 11, 2009 yeah, i'm definitely going to do full neck bridges, but i don't think my neck is strong enough to do it at my current weight yet, so i was going to do other easier exercises to build up the strength until i can do neck bridges. thanks man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timiacobucci Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 I don't have a neck harness so I can't really compare to that, but there are a few things other than what has been described that I know work damn well. Now this may sound crazy, but if you use enough padding it really is not so painful or dangerous as it sounds. Try bending some steel over the top of your head, or in your mouth. Especially short stuff in your teeth cranking down on one side, like Gazza did in his shiny in the mouth vid if you have seen that. I have been doing this recently and with a good amount of leather on it, it doesn't feel bad on your teeth at all, but my jaw muscles and neck are sore as hell the next few days. Especially along the sides like you are talking about. You could even get some flat steel stock you can't bend, you could do heavy isometrics with that and spread the load out along allot of teeth and with some padding I'm sure that wouldn't bother them much at all. Again don't automatically think it's too crazy until you give it a try, you can try easy stuff and add a little pressure at a time to see how it feels and be progressive about it, no need to go nuts straight out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomcgui Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 try this one. Lay on your back on the floor. Put towel under head. Now turn your head from side to side while pushing back/down with your head. Flex your abs while doing this. Now roll over face down, stomach flat on floor. Turn your head again side to side pushing down slightly. Lift face up just enough to get nose through and flex abs. Another one while laying flat on back is to arch your neck head as if you were walking like a chicken. Probably could add a small plate to make it a little harder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadgame1 Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Iron mind has one that you can hit the sides of the neck it'like 70 dollars .....I..THINK....MMMHHHH.... .yeah check out the site Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyle102887 Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 I just rotate the IM neck harness to all four sides of my neck. It works just fine.......I use resistance bands for the sides though. Hung at head level and just side step away from the band till it stops me. Helps the core as well since you have to stabilize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tselegala Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 bite into a 45lb plate and rotate youre head around!! that should get some frightened stares at the gym lol!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squanto Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Its actually pretty easy to hit all four ways with the neck harness. Attach it to a low pulley, do them the regular way, grab where the harness attaches to the chain and pull up to relieve the weight, turn around in the harness and do them forward, grab halfway up the chain w/left hand, relieve weight, turn to the left and simultaneously push chain in front of you w/shoulder, relive weight and turn around and hit the other side. Hurts like a bitch when you have sunburn Little late, but hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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