Neck Exercises that KILL Your Neck (DO THESE INSTEAD!!)

Neck exercises are often done when people want to either build a bigger, stronger looking neck or need to for a sport that they play. MMA fighters, wrestlers, football players and more will often turn to neck bridges as their go-to option for improving the strength and size of their neck. That said, I’m going to show you why those two neck exercises are possibly the worst thing you can do and what you should be doing instead.

Neck exercises like the bridge are actually very effective at helping you to build the muscles of your neck bigger. That said, they are also doing a number on the integrity of the spine and ligaments inside your neck in the process. When you perform either a forward or a backward neck bridge you are doing what is called a closed-chain exercise.

Normally, closed chain exercises are great options that help to replicate the actual function of the muscles and joints in a more realistic setting. The neck is not one of those joints that works in a closed chain manner however. Forcing it to do so is the first step in a recipe for disaster when it comes to neck workouts and exercises for building a bigger neck.

As soon as you find yourself pushing on your neck as you move it into flexion, extension or side bending you are asking for a major problem. The compression provided by leaning all or some of your weight (I demonstrate a partial unloading of your bodyweight by using my hands in this video) is not something your neck is built for.

Add to this the fact that you will then combine this compression with motion and you are creating a scenario where you are increasing the likelihood of having bone rub against bone in your neck. This, over time, can lead to the formation of bone spurs or osteophytes which can increase the chances that you will have impingement of one of your cervical nerve roots.

When you get contact by a foreign body with your nerve roots in your neck, you see either a weakness in the muscles along the distribution of that nerve or feel sensory issues and pain down the dermatome associated with that nerve. This is not a good thing and is something you must avoid at all costs when picking the neck exercises that you are going to do to build a bigger neck.

[LucifersDeathSquad]

This guy is giving out so much free knowledge other people are charging alot for. Thanks jeff. Love your channel

[BoiseG]

I'm 52 yo, wrestled all the way through college; did all of the wrong exercises Jeff mentioned and today I have disc fusion at C5/6/7 with muscle atrophy in my upper chest, triceps and middle back that will never recover 100%. One thing Jeff didn't mention with his point on posture, is everyone looking down at their phones. Looking down at your phone is slowly deteriorating your neck.

[Couto]

Being a therapist myself I wanted to add make sure you all do stretches for the neck post-exercises as well!!
Do stretches for upper fiber traps, scalenes and SCM all of which you have google on how to do, 30 seconds min. each side.
Overtime your neck muscles will tense up A TON doing these exercises leading to headaches and general neck stiffness which can be avoided.


Thanks for the info.

[sweetlildevil]

I do these exercises and my neck is looking GREAT! The only thing that sucks is that people in the gym are constantly staring at me and smirking like I'm one of those goofs in those fail videos. But, the results I'm seeing outweigh the smirks so I do it anyway.

[aaronthomas]

Warm up the neck before training it to activate the fibers and prevent "lock out" the next day (when you can't move your head)
Nod yes 30 seconds
Nod no 30 seconds
Chin to collar bone on each side 30 seconds
Ear to shoulders with neck lined up
Be extra careful training neck, especially if you have previous injuries or forward head posture.

[firefist]

Fun fact:Jeff actually killed a person for this skeleton.

[Rodneydncn]

Jeff is right on the money, as usual. I was bridging constantly for BJJ training. Woke up feeling like a red hot shank was lodged in my cervical spine. Turns out it was a c5-c7 disc injury that pinched my nerves to the point of paralyzing my left arm for a month causing severe atrophy... still recovering

[robertassad]

I am 74 training for 50 years, still learning.Great. Video Jeff.

[mickyweird]

I know the fitness YouTube scene is full of people snapping at each other. But Jeff is the only person I have seen giving genuine instructions on safety while exercising. If you never see this Jeff it doesn't matter I just wanted you to know you showed me how to cure my sciatica of 5 years. Thank you.

[flav]

3:36 I'm here because I just woke up and felt huge pain in the neck and tingling in my left arm. Jeff is right, take this video seriously.

[warrioreirenikos]

Yes dude, proper form is always been the first that we need to notice, neck training is absolutely awesome, not only develop your neck muscle, but it could decrease your head issue, like migrain etc. Thank you for your information Coach, this means a lot.

[dw]

Been doing these exercises for about 10 weeks now. Definitely a great way to safely strengthen and build. I started SUPER light just to be safe. Plan to keep it in the regimen 2x week. Thanks for this video.

[amx]

Damn Jeff now my neck is larger than my head i need a head workout.

[hadeed]

This guys knowledge about human physique and exercises is off the charts

[mp]

Thank you so much Jeff. You're a star. I hurt my neck a year ago when I came off my motorbike. Lucky I was going slow around a corner. I've tried the exercise you just showed and my neckreally feels relaxed. I just want to say thanks for all the hard work you put into doing these videos. You really are the best.

[masjut]

Great advice, I messed my neck up in my youth from poor advice and violent training. Recovered from two ruptured disc. Without surgery. In my 40s.

[phillewis]

No wonder this channel has 11 million (!) subscribers. The quality of content - the knowledge and how it’s presented - is absolutely outstanding.

[ohgloucak]

Do a video for tricep workouts that reduce elbow pain! You're a badass Jeff!

[MrMountain]

My old wrestling coach needs to see this

[Bredfight]

This was the video that started it all for me. This was the video that got me into fitness, personal training, and physical therapy... I been a subscriber for the last 5 years.