Neck Support
How to Build Neck Size and Reduce Neck Pain
Article Learning Objectives 1. How specific neck training can help prevent injury and improve posture. 2. Why specific neck strengthening protocols are more effectively than generalized neck training. 3. How to use specific neck training exercises to improve posture and performance.
Introduction For years, boxers, wrestlers, and football players have understood the importance of having a strong neck to tolerate the high-impact nature of their sports. However, aside from the above sports, I haven't heard of many people practicing regular neck strengthening routines. They just don't get it. There are three very important reasons to make neck training a priority in any training program.
Reason #1: The Neck Supports Your Head I'm going to make this one real simple. Your brain controls your entire body. In order for your brain to communicate with your body, it must go through your neck. If something isn't right at the neck, it can affect everything your brain is trying to tell your body to do (or not do). In other words, your neck is an essential crossroad to your body!
Reason #2: Injury Prevention and Pain Reduction The incidence of neck pain has been steadily increasing over the past two decades and is now second to Back Pain, the most common musculoskeletal disorder. Women are more likely than men to suffer from persistent neck pain, in particular those who spend a lot of time in front of a computer. This is a key reason to emphasize neck strength in all athletes. In doing so, there are accelerated improvements in posture and torso stability, reductions in neck pain, and most importantly, zero neck injuries. On the science side of things, research studies have shown conflicting results as to whether or not exercise can effectively treat neck pain. However, I've yet to find enough high-quality research to support that it doesn't. I did locate a new study on women with neck pain that was published in the January issue of Arthritis Care & Research that found: "Specific strength training exercises led to significant prolonged relief of neck Muscle Pain, while general fitness training resulted in only a small amount of pain reduction." "The National Research Centre for the Working Environment in Copenhagen, Denmark, researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial for which they recruited 94 women from seven workplaces in Copenhagen between September 2005 and March 2006. The work tasks performed by the women consisted of assembly line work and office work, with 79 percent of the participants using a keyboard for more than three-quarters of their working time. "Participants first answered a questionnaire about their pain and then underwent a clinical exam to confirm a diagnosis of trapezius myalgia (muscle pain in the trapezius muscle, which extends along the back of the neck).
Participants were assigned to three intervention groups: those who did supervised specific strength training (SST) exercises for the neck and shoulder muscles, those who did high-intensity general fitness training (GFT) on a bicycle ergometer, and a control group that received health counseling but no physical training. Both exercise groups worked out for 20 minutes three times a week for 10 weeks. "The results showed that the GFT group showed a small decrease in neck muscle pain only immediately after exercise, while the SST group showed a marked decrease in pain over a prolonged training period and with a lasting effect after the training ended." The authors then concluded with an important statement: "Thus specific strength training locally of the neck and shoulder muscles is the most beneficial treatment in women with chronic neck muscle pain." This is interesting because it basically reinforced something that I discovered years ago through trial and error. I found that in order to make significant improvements in neck strength and performance, we must utilize some specific neck strengthening protocols (like the ones shown here). Just doing general stuff like cleans, snatches, presses, and kettlebell swings alone won't do it.
Reason #3: Improved Posture and Alignment Even though your spine is classified by three different sections, it's a single interconnected unit. Because of this, when one part of your spine is out of alignment, the other parts also move out of alignment to compensate. You'll never see anyone with perfect alignment at their pelvis, lumbar, and thoracic spine who has bad alignment at the neck. Like the tooth fairy, it just doesn't exist. Sometimes coaches get so caught up with the position of the pelvis and lumbar spine that they virtually ignore the neck position in movements like the plank, birddog, and deadlift. As Paul Chek says, "Your core is what would be left if you had no extremities (arms and legs)." This further reinforces the fact that it's just as important to train your neck as it is your abdominals, back, and hips. You could even classify neck exercises as "core training," if you're so inclined. Now that you understand the importance of training your neck. Click Here to view the best neck training exercises for increasing neck size, improving posture and relieving neck pain
About the Author
The director of Performance University, Nick Tumminello is a highly sought after coach and educator in the field of human performance enhancement. He is the developer of the Core Bar™ and has authored numerous Best Selling DVD’s which can be purchased at www.PerformanceU.net .
Nick also serves as the Strength & Conditioning Coach for Team Ground Control MMA. Nick lives in Baltimore MD where he regularly trains his athletes.
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