What are the eight movements for exercising neck muscles

The eight movements for exercising neck muscles mainly include neck flexion and extension, neck lateral flexion, neck resistance training, shoulder shrugging exercise, neck rotation, elastic band neck training, prone neck extension, and supine neck lifting.

1. Neck flexion and extension

Sit up straight or stand up, with hands naturally hanging down, slowly lower your head to bring your chin close to your chest, hold for a few seconds, then slowly raise your head to the limit, and then tilt your head back. Repetition can enhance the strength of the anterior and posterior cervical muscles and improve cervical stability. Pay attention to gentle movements and avoid quick head shaking.

2. Neck flexion

Keep the head in a neutral position, slowly bring the left ear closer to the left shoulder, lower the right shoulder to avoid compensation, and hold for a few seconds before switching to the right side. This movement mainly exercises the upper part of the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles, which helps alleviate unilateral neck stiffness. During training, breathing can be coordinated, exhaling during lateral flexion and inhaling during repositioning.

3. Neck Resistance Training

Place the palm on the forehead, apply reverse resistance with the hand when pushing the head forward, and keep the head still to form resistance. Similarly, resistance can be applied to the left, right, and rear sides of the head. This type of isometric contraction can effectively enhance the endurance of deep muscles and is suitable for preventing cervical strain in people who sit at a desk for a long time.

4. Shoulder shrugging exercise

Slowly raise both shoulders to the height of the earlobe, hold for a few seconds, then relax and sink. The focus of the action is to control the upward rotation of the scapula, indirectly strengthening the lower neck muscles. It is recommended to use elastic bands to increase resistance and avoid the impact of hunchback on training effectiveness.

5. Neck Rotation

Slowly rotate the head to the left until the chin is parallel to the shoulder, visually observe the left rear, hold for a few seconds, and then turn to the right. When rotating, keep the cervical spine vertical and avoid leaning forward or backward. This action can enhance the coordination between the hemispinae and gyrus muscles, and improve cervical mobility.

6. Elastic Band Neck Training

Fix the elastic band behind the head and slowly bend the neck forward to resist resistance. You can also wrap the elastic band around your head and bend it towards the left and right sides to resist. Progressive resistance training can significantly improve muscle dimensions, but it is necessary to start with low resistance to avoid strains.

7. Prone position with neck extension

Lift the upper body, support the ground with both hands, and tilt the head back to face the ceiling. This action can strengthen the neck extensor muscle group and improve the round shoulder posture. Those with lumbar discomfort can switch to a kneeling position to avoid compensatory force from the waist.

8. Lie down and lift the neck

Keep the shoulders on the ground while lying down, use only neck strength to lift the head off the ground by a few centimeters, and maintain for a few seconds. This movement is aimed at the anterior cervical flexor muscle group, and during training, the chin should be retracted to avoid excessive forward extension of the neck. A towel can be placed on the pillow to reduce cervical pressure. When exercising neck muscles, it is important to control the amplitude of movements and avoid rapid bouncing movements. Warm up thoroughly before training, starting gradually from low intensity. If neurological symptoms such as dizziness and numbness occur, they should be stopped immediately. It is recommended to train 3-4 times a week, selecting 3-5 movements for each cycle. Each movement should be completed 8-12 times as one group, and 2-3 groups should be done. Daily use can be combined with hot compress to relieve muscle tension, and maintaining correct sitting and sleeping positions is equally important for neck health. Middle aged and elderly individuals or patients with cervical spondylosis should adjust their training plans under professional guidance.