There are actually at least nine muscles in the neck, each playing a different role. They allow for the head to rotate (yaw) and exhibit roll and pitch. We call this "three degrees of freedom" and the neck is perhaps one of the most versatile parts of the body. Can you think of any other part of the body that can allow this?
Sadly, few people know how to build neck muscles and it is therefore also the most neglected part of the body. Even professional sportsmen will neglect this muscle group. When race car drivers visit a circuit that goes in the opposite direction to the norm, they often experience neck soreness. Many contact sports lead to a high rate of neck injuries which could be reduced if more people learned how to build neck muscles to a level that prevents injury.
The neck muscles also integrate well with the shoulder and back muscles. By working on only the latter and not the neck muscles, there will be an imbalance and even a hunched look can result!
Also, building up this muscle group will mean better performance -- think about Mike Tyson in his prime. He didn t just have big arms and a big chest. His entire core a honed physique, including his neck. Few heavyweights have been as complete, physically speaking, as Tyson in his prime.
To build neck muscles, you must remember to warm up properly as this is a muscle group that you do not want to injure through poor preparation. Gently rotate the neck from one side to the other but don t perform a full revolution -- this is not good for the neck.
Most neck muscle workouts involve resistance, usually against your hand. Typically, you can do just a few simple and light workouts to benefit from the results. Some bodybuilders will work their neck muscles very hard but this is not recommended. Remember that the neck contains many important nerves and the last thing that you want to do is to pinch a nerve.
Some people even use a large rubber band for resistance. These are difficult to find and you might want to order over the internet as they are quite rare. However, they are a great tool for helping to build neck muscles.
Even better but less accessible is specialized gym equipment in a physiotherapy gym. Such equipment is designed for those recovering from injuries to their back and neck. If you are lucky, you might have access to specialized equipment designed solely for the neck. However, as we have discussed, working on the neck muscles need not be this expensive and complicated -- in fact, you don t need any equipment at all and can still obtain a great workout.
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