The Importance of Neck Strength Training for Grapplers

A strong neck is essential for preventing injuries and ensuring overall spine health during physical activities.

### Strengthening the Neck: Essential Training for Martial Artists
* 💪 "A strong neck is crucial for **maintaining a healthy spine and preventing injuries**, especially in contact sports like Jiu-Jitsu."
* 🧠 Many individuals neglect neck training, leading to chronic issues, as seen in a post where a grappler suffered a **cervical spine fracture** from a guillotine choke.
* 🤼 The text emphasizes the importance of strengthening the neck to enhance performance and reduce the risk of injuries, with the idea that "**injury doesn't need to be a permanent part of your story**."
* 📈 The video outlines ten pillars of neck training, focusing on **building strength and resilience** while ensuring **safety**, particularly for those with **previous injuries**.
* ⚠ Key safety advice includes **not pushing neck training to failure** and **mastering regressions before attempting more advanced movements**.
* 🏋 Each pound of strength gained in the neck reduces concussion risk by **5%**, highlighting the importance of **consistent training**.
* 🔄 The program includes various exercises targeting **neck flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation**, with the recommendation to **gradually increase frequency and volume**.
* 📚 For those interested in structured training, the speaker offers a **comprehensive program with instructional videos and form coaching** to ensure **safe progression** in neck strength training.

that's a thing that gets everybody is the god neck. Very few guys really strengthen their neck correctly, either having a strong neck. Why is that so important? People's necks get jacked up regardless. Like, there's people that go through life doing whatever paperwork, and they end up with a bad neck. It's important because you want a strong spine, and it's the upper portion of your spine. Neck is a vulnerable thing, so if you don't take care of it, especially when you are abusing it, when you are getting choked, when you are not tapping. I think you can get away with not lifting weights and doing Jiu-Jitsu, but I don't think you can get away with not strengthening your neck for very long. It's one of those things, and it connects you to the rest of your freaking body. I think the neck is one thing that you absolutely should strengthen. I came across this post on the BJJ subreddit a few weeks ago, and it was kind of funny but a bit [__] up. Just listen. Injury.

was way worse than I thought. Turns out my cervical spine was fractured by a cranked Guillotine. I will likely never come back and may now have a degenerative neck condition which will plague me for the rest of my life. So long and you're all weird as [ __ ] Lolo. I met like 10 normal people and the rest of you are mentally ill for real. And this is what his X-ray looks like. Wow, a lot of your necks are [ __ ] up too. I hope you all figure out a way to be active and pain-free. This may be more endemic to this sport than I thought. Best of luck to all of you. Now if you go through the comments, they're pretty hilarious and showcase why I love Jiu-Jitsu folk, but they're also kind of sad and disturbing because a lot of Grapplers have really [ __ ] up their necks. But it's also cool because I read a few comments from a few guys who have

actually injured their necks, and that's what propelled them to start training their necks. And that's really awesome because that means that injury doesn't need to be a permanent part of your story. I've had multiple neck tweaks and injuries in Jiu-Jitsu, but when I started addressing the issue with strength and movement, it's become pretty damn durable. So, in this video, I'm going to give you the 10 pillars of neck training that's going to allow you to build a strong, thick, if you want it, and resilient neck, taking your neck training to the next level while also assuring that you don't break your [ __ ]. And a quick note for the ladies out there, some of you, you don't want a huge neck. But please understand that your neck won't balloon up and get huge just because you train it. That takes a lot of extra resistance and training, but a strong neck is necessary for life, and you don't need heavy weights to make your neck strong. Now for the ladies that do want a thicker

neck. I salute you. In the first six Pillars of Strength, we'll cover movements to train the neck in all of its abilities and ranges of motion, and then the four pillars of safety, which are essential to understand. We'll cover the safest ways to train your neck so that you can build strength safely. Don't proceed with the more advanced neck movements I'm going to be showing you in this video if your neck can't handle the basics pain-free, with no discomfort. Before we begin, I'm going to give you the last pillar of safety: do not, I repeat, do not take your neck training to failure. We'll talk more about this soon, but keep this in mind as I explain these neck movements to you. Now, fun fact: each pound of strength your neck gains reduces your concussion risk by 5%. Pillar one is improving the isometric strength and ability of your neck. This is going to ensure that you have the strength to keep your neck upright and maintain good posture, and for martial artists and combat sport athletes, this

will improve your ability to resist all forms of neck flexion while force is being applied to it by an opponent. So, Bridges and Chin tuck. Let's start with Bridges. I saw this from strength coach Ian Danny and absolutely love it since it puts your neck under dynamic pressures. But that's not where you begin. You can actually start with level one, which is using your hand for some manual resistance. But before we get into that, I want you to warm up your neck real quick because I'm going to show you some neck movements that you can do as you're watching this video. So, for the warm-up, first nod yes for 30 seconds, then nod no for 30 more seconds. You guys do this in class all the time. Then do Stevie wonders for 30 seconds, and then take your ear to your shoulder for the last 30 seconds. Be extra careful training your neck, especially if you have previous neck injuries, you have forward head posture, or if you've just never trained it before. Now go ahead and take

your hand. Place it on your forehead and push with just enough force, nothing crazy where you start to feel neck pain, but just enough force that you start to feel the muscles on the back of your neck begin to fire. What we're going to do is we're going to hold this for 10 to 30 seconds, and we're going to do two to three sets. Now we have more neck movements that we're going to load with our hand coming in the video, so get ready for a pretty gnarly neck bump. And like I mentioned before, do not go to failure. So when it comes to timed repetitions, always stop 5 to 10 seconds before you know you'll fail. For level two, you can do this on a wall or on a bench to regress it. Put your hands on the ground, and then over time, you can do it without your hands on the ground. Level three is weighted bridges. Level four is dynamic weighted bridges. And level five, the chin tuck, is your cure for nerd neck, the most advanced version.

of chin tucks would be loaded with a head heart harness. Yeah, we're going to be using this, but once again, it's also just as simple as using your hand. And this is the next movement that we're going to be doing, the hand-loaded chin tuck. Take your hand once again to your forehead, use just enough force to push your head back, tucking your chin, and then have enough resistance in your hand to push your hand back out. So, do 10 to 30 repetitions for two to three sets, making sure that you're not pushing so hard on your head that you start to feel any type of pain or discomfort. This next one is pretty advanced, but it is great for the neck if you've already been working your neck consistently for a few months and you don't deal with any type of neck pain or dysfunction. Now, I know what I look like with this head harness, but if you have access to a sled and a little bit of load, this is great for your neck's ability to resist all forms.

of flexion. People are going to think you're a bit special, though you can sled forward, laterally, or backward, making sure your head isn't moved out of position at all by the sled. This is key for safety. Now, that was pillar one, but these next pillars are going to go by pretty fast. Pillar two is working our neck's ability to flex and extend. So, if you finished your isometrics, we're going to head into a super set. First, take your hand to your forehead, and we're going to do neck flexion. So, what we're going to do is, again, create a little bit of resistance into your hand, and then use your head and push your head into neck flexion. You're going to feel all these muscles start to work and come back. We're going to do this for 10 to 30 repetitions. Try to go slow and controlled. We're going to do that for two to three sets. But after we do flexion, we're going to super set that with extension. So, now we can push our

head into our hands, going into extension. You're going to feel the muscles at the back of your neck begin to fire, and then we're going to come back to neutral. Superset flexion with extension, both two to three sets, 10 to 30 repetitions, no pain. So, to take this further, level one would be manual loaded flexion and extension with the head harness. Level two would be plate loaded flexion and extension or band loaded flexion extension. You can do this on all fours or standing, and level three would be plate loaded flexion and extension with the head harness or a heavier resistance band. Your neck is the upper part of your spine, and to improve the way your spine moves, we train it in all of its ranges of motion. The same goes for your neck. So, the third pillar is lateral flexion. To do it with your hand, once again, take your hand to the side of your face. We're going to do both sides. Push your head into your hand, going as far as you can, and then use your hand and push your

head again. Your head's going to still be pushing a little bit of your hand to the other side. You're going to do 10 to 30 repetitions on that side, and you're also going to do 10 to 30 repetitions with a full range of motion on the other side. Two to three sets to progress movements with lateral flexion. Level one would be manual loaded with the head harness. Level two would be plate loaded or loaded with the band. Level three would be plate loaded with a head harness or, once again, a heavier resistance band. Now on to pillar four, which is rotation. Hand up again, and when you're done with lateral flexion, take your hand to your face. We're going to go through a full range of motion, but again, just enough pressure where you're not feeling any pain or discomfort. Push your head into your hand, rotating it, and then rotate it fully to the other side. And then after you do 10 to 30 repetitions that way, you're going to take your hand.

again push this side 10-30 repetitions on the other side, two to three sets to progress rotation-based movements. Level one would be loaded manually with the head harness, level two would be plate-loaded or band-loaded, standing on all fours. Level three would be a heavier resistance band, and if you want to take your neck rotation strength to the next level, I got this thing I want to show you, and every Grappler should get one of these. You should get one for the gym. It's called an iron neck. So, you strap this thing on your head, you pump it up. It's like a Reebok pump, remember those pumps where you press the it gets real tight to your head? And then you're pulling on that bungee cord, that black cord is 50 lbs of resistance. And so, I'm pulling back and he's like straightening out my posture, and then there's resistance and turning the band. Yeah, I have one and I really dig it, but I don't think it's the first thing you need to buy if

you want to strengthen your neck. You have so many options that were mentioned before that are free or a fraction of the price. But when it comes to all forms of neck rotation, it's probably the smoothest tool you can use, especially when compared to bands, the head harness, or hand loading. So, for the iron neck, the alpha plus harness, any of these resistance bands, or anything from Iron neck, you can use Yang 10 at checkout to save some cash. And if you grab the harness, make sure to grab either the alpha harness or the alpha harness plus because they're going to have all the connections that you're going to need to load your neck in all the angles we need to load it. The dog gears on the alpha plus harness make the plate-loaded neck work much more comfortable. In pillar five, we need to proceed with caution. This is compression and decompression. Now, you can do compression and decompression with your hands, but especially with compression and decompression, you need to be careful. I don't want you pushing down on your head.

With all the force that you can create, this is something that you need to be gentle with. If you've had neck injuries or disc injuries, then just don't do this. And if you experienced any type of pain, stop immediately. But go ahead, take your hands, lock your fingers together, and push down slightly on your neck for 10 to 30 seconds. We're going to do one to two sets of this, but right after you finish compression, you're going to take your hands underneath your chin and your ears, and you're going to wiggle up and pull up for again 10 to 30 seconds. We're going to do this for one to two sets, super set compression with decompression. Now for the next movements, please proceed with caution. You do want your neck to have the ability to handle compressive forces, but don't go overboard. You get seriously injured if you do a Neck Bridge, but you don't have the strength for it. Did you ever have neck problems? Like, would you need surgery? Yeah, I in my neck, you know that.

um no why you remember when I used to do those rolls on my head yes football destroy they destroy isometrics are going to put you in a much better position just basic isometrics are a great way to go about it um neck Bridges would not be on that list for me no neck Bridges folks most experts tell people not to do neck Bridges and in truth most people cannot handle them safely you probably are not ready for them but if you're a martial artist or a contact athlete this is a skill I will take time and build and key word take time don't do this immediately before doing regressions build a strong base in your neck with the movements I mentioned earlier in this video If you do embark on building the skill of the Neck Bridge I would suggest the regressions first not putting all of your weight into your neck initially level one would be the proone Neck Bridge keeping your hands on the ground so not all of the tension is in your neck level two would be the pro Neck Bridge with one hand and level

three would be the pro Neck Bridge with no hands. Next up, we're going to use the head harness to load your neck from low and high angles. Because of this, your neck is going to undergo different levels of compression and decompression depending on the angle of resistance. Low angles are going to provide slight compression, while high angles will give your neck slight decompression. This pillar of neck training is for more experienced trainees, and it is not day one work, but you can progress to this if you're confident in your neck's ability and you've been training your neck for at least 2 to 3 months consistently. Also, keep your frequency of compression work to two to maybe three times a week. If you increase that frequency, that's on you. I don't suggest that. You got to make sure to do all of this work conservatively, and we'll talk more about the safety precautions in the last four pillars, but for now, let's move on to pillar six, the last Pillar of Strength.

work the surrounding neck muscles to improve your neck's ability to function. Hit the traps from all angles with varying tempos. The traps and neck also benefit from weighted carries and sled work, and the trap three rays and rear delt work will strengthen the muscles behind the neck through movement and isometric strength. All these movements and progressions are programmed into the intact strength training program for martial artists and grapplers. Now pay close attention to this next section because I don't want you breaking your neck with all the ideas I just gave you. Most people don't train their necks often, and no offense, but most necks are weak, and yours just might be. I'm not saying it is; I'm saying it might be, so please pay attention so you don't break your [__] neck. Pillar one: master regressions before progressing. Master regressions before progressing. Master regressions before progressing. For all of the neck movements shown, there are regressions, which are just easier versions of the most advanced movements.

please, please, please Master regressions before progressing to more advanced neck movements. Many people have dysfunction in their neck and scapula, and if you begin doing head harness training and compression training with a weak neck, you could easily injure yourself. Think about this: if you've never squatted weight on a bar and then suddenly you loaded 315 lbs on the barbell, do you think you'd be able to do that successfully? No, you'd mess yourself up, and you need to think about your neck in the same way. So be conservative. You'll know you're ready when the regression is easy and the more advanced version of the movement doesn't feel sketchy. Pillar two: don't aim for more weight, aim for stimulus for your neck. Don't worry about how light the weight is. Does it feel like it's making your neck work? If so, that's good, and that's all you need. This is not about ego, and it's not a contest to see who can lift the most weight with their neck. This is about making your neck stronger and more durable for life.

and Sport take your time. Rushing to do more weight when you're not ready is an easy recipe for a neck tweak or worse. So, if you load up a crazy amount of weight and you injure your neck, well, you're being an idiot, and that's on you. Pillar three: increase volume and frequency extremely conservatively. For most people who don't train their necks, I'd suggest starting with 2 to 3 days a week initially. After 6 to 8 weeks, you can increase your neck frequency to 5 days a week. But this next part is extremely important: be careful with your training volume. Don't do six sets of every single exercise. Starting with the lowest regressions, do two to three sets of your choice of movement in the first six pillars of training. Pillar four: don't go to failure with your neck. Load it lightly and conservatively. Muscular failure of the neck is not a situation that we want to be in. When we fail a bicep curl or a shoulder press, we can just drop the weight, but when we fail

flexion and extension with a head harness or a bridge on a bench. Well, it's not pretty. Don't go to muscular or timed failure with your neck work. Always stop 3 to 5 reps shy of failure for your repetitions and 5 to 10 seconds shy of failure for your timed sets. Now, I have some bonus neck work coming up that's pretty advanced, and if you haven't been working your neck for more than 6 months, just do not [ __ ] with the stuff. But before we get into that, I've thrown a lot of ideas and concepts at you in this video, and that can be pretty overwhelming, which is why I made this and a lot more into a full program with all the tools I've mentioned in the video. There's over 70 videos with all the body weight, head harness, band movements, iron neck movements, and sled movements, all the regressions that we spoke about, and more regressions are in there along with sets and reps so that you can progress all these movements.

safely. But the best feature of all of this is the form coaching. You'll be able to send your video in doing any of these movements, and within 24 hours, you're going to be able to get a response in telling you what you need to fix about your form, which is extremely important. And linked below in the description is the untapped Discord Group, which even if you're not a member, you can join in. It has, I think, over 400 martial artists in there, and you can ask me questions on nutrition and training, and I'll be able to help you out there. So if you want access to untapped and untapped neck, you can use my code COMBAT30 when you sign up for the ATG app to save on your first month of coaching. So I told you this was coming. Please don't judge, but it might already be too late for that. This isn't one of the main pillars, but I think it's pretty amazing, and if you proceed, you must proceed with caution. I only suggest this for those

who have massive confidence in the strength of their teeth, jaw, and neck. Ideally, you don't want to be a person who suffers from any type of tooth pain, or pain in the jaw, or any type of neck pain. Seriously, only do this if you have a solid history of consistent neck training, ideally 6 months or more. I learned this from the legendary Bill MAA, who inspires me every day. I see his post. Please go follow him because he's just an awesome dude. And as weird as this sounds, lifters have been using their jaw muscles and their teeth to do movements for a long, long time. There are guys who have lifted up to 600 lbs with their teeth. But since the jaw and the teeth are interconnected and intertwined with the neck, this can be something that can really improve the strength of your jaw and also the strength of your neck. You could use a towel, a shirt, or the Jiu-Jitsu belt that you're currently manifesting. The sensation of doing this work with your jaw and face is unlike

anything I've ever done, and I'm personally pretty excited to progress this. Hey, I'm giving you the option. I can feel you judging me. You don't have to do this. So, there you have it. Go forth and build the thick, juicy, or just the strong neck of your dreams. And if you enjoyed this video, go and check out this one where I talk about the concepts to keep your body resilient for Jiu-Jitsu and martial arts for decades to come, so that you don't end up getting sidelined in your first few years of training like a lot of people do. So, click it. I think you'll like it.

What Nobody Tells You about NECK Training | Build Thickness Safely!

Nsima Inyang

A strong neck is crucial for maintaining a healthy spine and overall body connection, especially for those involved in physically demanding activities like Jiu-Jitsu.

Many people suffer from neck injuries, and strengthening the neck can help prevent long-term damage and pain.

The video will outline 10 pillars of neck training, focusing on building strength and resilience while emphasizing safety and proper technique.

The routine focuses on improving neck resistance to flexion through various exercises, starting with warm-up movements and manual resistance.

Progression includes wall or bench variations, weighted bridges, and dynamic bridges, leading up to chin tucks with hand resistance and a head harness.

The program emphasizes controlled movements, avoiding failure, and offers advanced options like sled exercises for those with consistent neck training.

Strengthening Neck Muscles: A Step-by-Step Guide

Neck muscle training involves flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation, with progressions from manual to plate or band loading.

The Iron Neck tool offers smooth resistance for neck rotation, but there are also free or low-cost options available.

Caution is advised when performing compression and decompression exercises for the neck.

Gentle neck compression and decompression exercises are recommended for 10 to 30 seconds, with caution for those with past neck injuries.

Neck Bridges are risky and should be approached gradually, with regressions recommended before progressing to more advanced versions.

Using a head harness for neck training and working the surrounding neck muscles are effective for building strength, but it's important to train conservatively and master regressions before progressing.

Master regressions before advancing to neck movements to avoid injury.

Focus on stimulating the neck rather than lifting heavy weights, and increase volume and frequency conservatively.

Avoid going to failure with neck exercises and stop reps and timed sets shy of failure.

The coaching program offers video form analysis with feedback within 24 hours.

There's a Discord group with over 400 martial artists for nutrition and training questions.

The video suggests unconventional jaw and neck training methods, emphasizing caution and prior experience.