Neck strengthening

**Shawarma** · Posted On: 11/15/2005 5:32am

It also hurts a lot if you start by overdoing them, which is what can potentially damage your neck. Better to ease your way into it. I'd advise you to do it on a towel or soft carpet as well and not do it like I did when I begun, doing neck bridges on a stone floor. I now have a kind bony protrusion on my forehead (no joke.) I refer to it as my rhino-horn.

**Greese** · Posted On: 11/15/2005 6:08am

So are neck bridges safe? I mean matt furrey says they are...so I kind of assume they are not just cause of that. I was doing one and when I do them I go up on to my toes and my eyebrows are touching the mat...and the old judo guy told me not to do them because I will have neck injuries when I get older...he said the break down the pads between vertebrae...thoughts?

**VikingPower** · Posted On: 11/15/2005 8:01am

Neck harnesses are safe as long as you just go up and down. When you start going side to side, that's where it really starts to mess you up. I use a neck harness and isometric exercises myself, I don't bridge as much as I used to anymore.

**lawdog** · Posted On: 11/15/2005 8:31am

Originally Posted by greese1

So are neck bridges safe? I mean matt furrey says they are...so I kind of assume they are not just cause of that. I was doing one and when I do them I go up on to my toes and my eyebrows are touching the mat...and the old judo guy told me not to do them because I will have neck injuries when I get older...he said the break down the pads between vertebrae...thoughts?

I agree with the old judo guy. Neck bridges increase the chance of disc injuries. IMO, there are safer ways to strengthen the neck.

The reason wrestlers do so many neck bridges isn't to strengthen the neck for the sake of having a strong neck, it's training to bridge out of a pin. Nothing more.

Although neck bridges are an excellent way to strengthen the neck, if your goal isn't to bridge out of a pin, IMO there are safer ways to strengthen the neck that are not as potentially harmful.

**PirateJon** · Posted On: 11/15/2005 8:46am

Originally Posted by lawdog

IMO there are safer ways to strengthen the neck that are not as potentially harmful.

Can you say what the "safer" ways are, or did you already and I'm blind?

**Judah Maccabee** · Posted On: 11/15/2005 9:07am

There's a **** load of ways in the thread I posted.

**lawdog** · Posted On: 11/15/2005 9:17am

Originally Posted by PirateNinja5000

Can you say what the "safer" ways are, or did you already and I'm blind?

Well, IMO none of these are as effective as neck bridges, but they do work and are much safer over the long term. Because of the potential for disc damage, ROM should not be a significant concern when doing neck strengthening exercises. The safer exercises are more static, or use limited ROM. When using a larger ROM, it's safer not to use a lot of resistance.

1. Isometrics.
Can be done with your own hands, up against a wall, against the ground, etc.
2. The towel exercises.
Using the towel to add resistance.
3. Weightless ROM exercises.
Lie on a bed or a bench and move head up & down and side to side off the side of the platform. You can also just hold the head unsupported for time.
4. Neck harness.
Very effective but limit the range of motion or have same problem as bridges.
5. Strengthen the traps (shrugs, etc.).
Very effective and probabaly the safest way to strengthen the neck.
6. Chin tucks.
Lie on your back and tuck your chin into, or close to your chest while trying to stretch and lengthen your neck. Lift your head slightly off the ground, using your abs, and hold it for time as opposed to reps.

Those are a few different ways that are safer than neck bridges. I'm sure there are many more and probably even better ways that I don't know of.

**Lothene** · Posted On: 11/15/2005 3:14pm

Chuck on some death metal and headbang like crazy.

I'm not kidding either, my neck is fucking strong.

**warnerj5000** · Posted On: 11/15/2005 3:32pm

After I do my situps and pushups, I usually do some neck exercises by laying on my back and moving my head up and down, and side to side. It seems to help somewhat.

That's what my MT instructor recommended, at least.

**Darkpaladin** · Posted On: 11/15/2005 3:52pm

I do neck bridges while supporting my weight with my hands.

I can control the amout of stress, and quickly slip out without injuring my neck if things go south.

Neck bridges and reverse pushups (gymnastic bridges) are great ways to strengthen your back as well.