T Nation

Neck Work Form

Bodybuilding
#1

Okay, so thanks to Jim Wendler as inspiration and a few other things I picked up doing direct neck work awhile ago.

Its awesome.
The one question I have is when using a head harness - does proper form necessitate touching the chin to the chest? When I look down that much even without weight I feel pressure in the base of my neck at the back of my head - I can look up all day to flex, but looking down is odd. Is this expected or should I just go down where its comfortable and not crank my neck?

Sorry if it seems obvious, I’m just double checking.

#2

Why direct neck work?

Mine is 18.5" and I’ve never done anything remotely close to direct neck work unless you are counting shrugs.

This being a bodybuilding forum, I just don’t get it.

Not saying you shouldn’t, maybe I just have super neck genetics…

#3

I wouldn’t go chin to chest but that’s just me. You look at the anatomy of the neck, and the last place you want pressure is at the base of the head. And your neck extensors tend to be stronger than your flexors, so I wouldn’t call that odd at all. I’d just work within a comfortable range of motion if you’re going to do direct neck work at all, save yourself the possible ego injury in a very painful way.

#4

^ same here lol… I’m 150 lbs and last I measured have a 16.5" neck. I have a tendency to tense my neck when doing a lot of exercises. Maybe because I have a big head

However, my training partner who is close to the same weight seems to have a naturally thinner neck. Maybe OP is in this category

#5

[quote]countingbeans wrote:
Why direct neck work?

Mine is 18.5" and I’ve never done anything remotely close to direct neck work unless you are counting shrugs.

This being a bodybuilding forum, I just don’t get it.

Not saying you shouldn’t, maybe I just have super neck genetics…[/quote]

I come from a thai background where neckwork used to be awesome, its a slightly different ballpark when you’re talking muscling out of a clinch. I don’t exactly have a stack of dimes holding my head up, comparing measurements to the guys in this thread shows I’m about normal. I work my traps heavy, I’m just curious what a stronger neck would do lol.

#6

[quote]countingbeans wrote:
Why direct neck work?

Mine is 18.5" and I’ve never done anything remotely close to direct neck work unless you are counting shrugs.

This being a bodybuilding forum, I just don’t get it.

Not saying you shouldn’t, maybe I just have super neck genetics…[/quote]

You answered your own question, Beans.

Yeah, it’s a bodybuilding forum, and the OP wants to build his neck… which is part of the body. So why not train the part you want to add mass to?