Poliquin’s article touched on neck training, and I thought I’d pass on a suggestion for this. I train at a gym with no 4-way neck machine, and the harness they had broke while I was using it (as have three weighted dip belts, haha). Thus, for the last three months I’ve put a full inch on my neck by using (forgive me, gods of iron) cables.
I use a high pulley, and attach one of the straps for use in hanging leg raises. I then put the strap around my head and begin exercising vigorously.
Day one-
Vertical motion (forward and backward)
As a superset, first place your forehead in the strap and push away from the stack, getting a full stretch at the top of the movement and full contraction at the bottom. Upon completion of the set (I stop just prior to failure), reverse the motion by putting the strap across the back of your head. Note- hold onto the strap lightly to ensure that it does not slip off your head. Wearing a hat will give you some friction that will help hold the strap in place as well.
Day two-
Lateral motion
Same deal, but you put the strap around the side of your head and lower your ear to your shoulder.
I do these workouts, alternated, 4-5 days a week, usually doing baseball curls in between sets of neck for my forearms, or ab rollouts. I change my set and rep scheme every workout to stave off overtraining.
Incidentally, if your gym lacks an ab roller, as does mine (and there appears to be a continent-wide dearth in sports stores as well), you can use a preloaded barbell, or a weightlifting aerobics class barbell with some large plates on it.
