00:00Your physique isn't stuck because your arms are small, it's because your neck is missing in action.
00:06You grind chest, back, shoulders, arms, and legs, but the neck? Nowhere in your program.
00:12Yet this muscle can literally flip your whole physique.
00:16You've probably seen those comparisons, thin neck versus thick neck.
00:21Same face, same body, but add a couple extra inches to your neck and suddenly you turn heads everywhere you go.
00:28And yet, I'd bet 90% of you never train it.
00:32You toss it in the same forgotten muscle category as calves.
00:37Yeah, I saw you skip calf day last week.
00:40And the truth is, your neck barely gets any work in daily life.
00:44If you don't train it directly, it stays small.
00:47Bad posture, no aura, no presence, no power.
00:51Let me fix that.
00:52A thick neck is a game changer.
00:54You don't just look stronger, you look like an absolute unit.
00:58More powerful, more athletic, even more attractive.
01:02But it's not just about looking like you eat dumbbells for breakfast.
01:06If you wake up every day with a stiff neck or that annoying pain that makes you feel 20 years older,
01:13chances are your weak, lazy neck is crying out for some training.
01:18Your neck is literally the base holding up your head.
01:21Strength in it can improve your posture and fix your neck pain and even headaches.
01:25And if you're in boxing, martial arts, or football, you already know.
01:30A thick neck is basically built-in armor.
01:33It keeps your head steady by acting like a shield.
01:36Meanwhile, the average gym bro, he's flexing his chest, blasting his arms,
01:42but his neck looks like a bendy straw holding up a bowling ball.
01:46And yet, here's the best part.
01:48Your neck grows fast.
01:49Because it's not a muscle you train accidentally in daily life,
01:54the moment you start hitting it properly, it responds.
01:58This is one of the rare muscle groups where you can see crazy gains in just a few months.
02:04And don't worry, you don't need some fancy medieval torture device to train it.
02:09I'll show you exactly how to build your neck at home with zero fancy equipment.
02:14And before you ask, no neck bridge.
02:17This exercise can build a strong neck, but it's also like gambling with your spine.
02:22Even if you do it right, over time it can mess up your neck for good.
02:26So let's keep it safe, smart, and effective.
02:29Before you even start cranking out neck curls,
02:32we need to actually understand how your neck works.
02:36Because it isn't just there to stop your head from rolling off.
02:39It's got three main jobs you need to train if you actually want it strong and functional.
02:45First, forward flexion.
02:47That's the good old head nod, involving the sternocleidomastoids.
02:52Yeah, those thick ropey muscles running from your ears down to your collarbone.
02:57Train these, and boom, instant neck thickness that makes your whole frame look stronger.
03:02The second function of your neck is the backward flexion.
03:06This is your look up at the ceiling move.
03:09Here your extensors and traps are the big players,
03:12with a squad of smaller stabilizers backing them up.
03:16They keep your posture locked in and your head steady when the weight gets heavy.
03:20The last functions of your neck are lateral flexion and rotation.
03:24This is where you tilt your head to the side or twist it left and right to say no to cheat meals.
03:30These moves still hammer your sternocleidomastoid,
03:34but if you want a neck that's not just bigger, but actually balanced and functional,
03:39you can't skip any of these.
03:41That's why we're going to hit it with three types of exercises.
03:45Curl, backward flexion, and rotation.
03:48But before we even touch the workout,
03:50don't skip the warm-up or your neck will hate you.
03:54Your neck's packed with small, sensitive muscles.
03:56If you dive straight into heavy flexions and extensions cold,
04:01you're basically begging for trouble.
04:04Stiff neck, pulled muscles, you might even feel dizzy or lightheaded mid-set.
04:09And nothing kills a workout faster than feeling like your brain just rage quit.
04:15So start with one to two minutes of dynamic warm-up.
04:18Gentle nods, rotations, and tilts.
04:21Get the blood moving, wake up the muscles.
04:23Quick, simple, and it makes your neck training feel smoother.
04:27Once you're warmed up, we're kicking things off with the most basic but powerful move for neck training.
04:33The neck curl.
04:34Look simple, but don't sleep on it.
04:36It's a powerhouse move.
04:38Lie back on a flat bench with your shoulders on the edge and your head hanging free.
04:43From there, tuck your chin to your chest, then lower it back down under control.
04:48That's it.
04:48Clean, smooth, full range of motion.
04:51Start with no weight.
04:53Nail the movement first.
04:55Once you can crank out solid reps without wobbling around, then bring in the load.
05:01Add a plate to your forehead, but use padding like a towel so you're not crushing your head.
05:06Or even better, use a dumbbell with a fat grip.
05:10It sits way nicer.
05:12Do three sets of 10 to 20 reps.
05:14Once that feels easy, apply progressive overload just like any other lift.
05:20Add a little weight over time, but keep your form locked.
05:24Then we'll focus on the back of your neck with extensions.
05:27If the curls give you the front thickness, these build that back and support so your head doesn't flop around like a bobble head.
05:35Here's how you do it.
05:37Lie face down on a bench with your head hanging off.
05:40Place a plate in the back of your head and slowly lower it down to feel a full stretch.
05:45Then bring it back up until your head is neutral.
05:48And stop there.
05:50No need to snap into hyperextension like you're trying to look at the ceiling.
05:54If you want to upgrade, you can get a head harness, aka your personal machine of torture.
06:00Way better than balancing a plate, and it keeps the resistance nice and steady while letting you load way heavier.
06:07Same deal as the previous exercise, three sets of 10 to 20 reps.
06:12Start with no weight, own the form, then progressively overload.
06:16For the last exercise, start simple with neck rotation before you slap on weights.
06:21Lie back on a gym mat, a bench, or even your bed, and slowly turn your head left and right.
06:27Once you're loosened up, it's time to level up with lateral flexion.
06:32This is where the gains get real because you can actually overload it.
06:36Just lie sideways on a bench, bed, or even the edge of your couch.
06:41Head hanging just past the edge so it can move freely.
06:44Start neutral.
06:45Eyes forward.
06:46Then slowly drop your ear towards your shoulder.
06:49No twisting, no jerking, just clean side-to-side bending.
06:54Control the way back up.
06:55That's one rep.
06:56If you're brave enough, you can also do this exercise with the infamous head harness.
07:02Go for three sets of 10 to 20 reps each side.
07:06Keep it controlled.
07:07Keep it clean.
07:08All right, let's wrap this up.
07:10Here's a summary of your neck workout.
07:12Keep in mind that your neck can handle high volume.
07:16But for most people, hitting this workout one to two times a week is plenty to see real gains.
07:23If you want to speed things up, and if your neck feels rested, you can push it up to three to four sessions a week.
07:30Just listen to your body.
07:32Don't be the guy who can't turn his head for a week.
07:35But remember, apply progressive overload if you want to maximize hypertrophy.
07:40Add a couple more reps, add some weight, or change the tempo.
07:44The goal is simple.
07:46Challenge your neck a little more every week.
07:48Do that consistently.
07:50And just like with your chest, back, or legs, you'll stack size, strength, and stability until your neck looks unskippable.
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