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| Training Your Rotators and Flexors: Workout Routines |
| Written by Ricardo d Argence |
| Thursday, 17 December 2009 08:21 |
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Why would anyone want to train the neck? Some people might think that it is all about appearance but the fact is, a strong neck is a big asset for those who play contact sports. Many people overlook this training for two reasons. Either they do not know about it or they simply do not have the correct equipment to do it. All you need though is a little imagination and you will be able to exercise your neck muscles. You will also need some plates, a bench, a towel and some surgical tubing.
Why would anyone want to train the neck? Some people might think that it is all about appearance but the fact is, a strong neck is a big asset for those who play contact sports. Many people overlook this training for two reasons. Either they do not know about it or they simply do not have the correct equipment to do it. All you need though is a little imagination and you will be able to exercise your neck muscles. You will also need some plates, a bench, a towel and some surgical tubing. Rotators: You might already know that the 4-way neck machine will not work on the rotators so you will want to go for the manual resistance for this group of muscles. The rotators are not able to be worked with weights but there can be some resistance added. You will do this by applying your hand to your neck while you slowly turn it either to the left or the right. I would strongly suggest that you ease into this and don't use a great deal of resistance. Once you reach the limit of your range of motion, slowly increase the resistance and hold an isometric contraction for 5-10 seconds. You will then repeat this process but turn your head in the other direction. Again, make sure that you are going as far as you can and then hold. Complete 3-5 sets in order to make sure that you are really working out this generally overlooked group of muscles. Many people find that this exercise is best done while seated. This way your upper back muscles are completely relaxed. You only want to work on the extensor group so make sure that you are relaxing during the whole exercise. Flexors: As for the flexors, you can use the neck machine if it is available for you to use. If it is not available for you, you can do some simple things and end up with the same exact exercise. Remember, the purpose of this is to tilt the chin forward and down towards the chest. First, lie on a flat bench, facing up and with your head over the end of the bench. You will want to place a folded towel on your forehead and then gently place a weight plate on the towel. Keep the weight plate in place with your hands and then allow your head to relax and drop downward. Proceed to slowly raise the head up as though you're trying to tuck the chin into the chest. Be sure to use the hands only to hold the weight in place and not to help the next muscles perform the movement. As with all neck work, start light and work slowly into the motions. I would not suggest using extremely heavy weight for low repetitions due to the fragile nature of the neck structure, especially if you aren't used to training the neck with weight. Several sets of 10-15 reps should easily give enough work to start building this muscle group. Another option is to take a simple piece of surgical tubing that's available at any medical supply house or home improvement store and tie the loose ends into a knot. Now, you simply have a loop or circle of tubing. When working the extensors, you will want to sit on the bench or a chair. Place the tubing on your forehead and then place the other end around a doorknob. Allow the head to tilt back and then forward and begin to feel the resistance. Once you have made it to the limit of your range of motion, you will want to tilt backwards again and then forwards again. Do several sets of 10 - 15 reps for this exercise. Once you find that you are ready to increase the level of resistance, you will want to move further away from the anchor point by adding another loop of the tubing or by adding a heavier gauge of tubing. You can wrap a washcloth or towel around the tubing that will rest against your forehead. This will make it much more comfortable for you and it will also keep it from slipping while you go through the range of motion. About the Author: Obtain the number one natural bodybuilding program, the Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail Method and achieve the best results in a few weeks. Visit us to read more Muscle Building Articles |