Exercise Routine To Strengthen The Necks

Daily work is necessary to strengthen the cervicals and prevent them from being overloaded by the work we ask them and the tensions we put them under.

Painful necks is one of the main reasons for medical consultation today. Very often, these pains are due to bad postures.

For that, nothing better than to carry out stretching exercises and other physical activities which will allow them to be more flexible and which will also increase your muscle mass. In the rest of this article, we will teach you how to strengthen your cervical muscles and enjoy the benefits of toning this area of ​​your body.

The benefits of exercises to strengthen the neck

Having strong cervical muscles is an undeniable advantage for maintaining good posture on a daily basis. These muscles are interconnected with our back. They are stimulated by nerve impulses which can be affected by a lack of training.

As this study published in Journal of Pain Research shows , strengthening exercises can help strengthen the area by minimizing the risk of injury and supporting the rehabilitation of existing diseases.

In addition, regular practice of this type of exercise brings other benefits. Find out what these benefits are in the rest of this article.

Maintain a good balance

The basic motor movements that allow us to have a good dynamic balance need to be exercised regularly. By maintaining the strength of our cervical muscles we can avoid suffering, for example, from cervical vertigo.

Improve the quality of our breathing

Maintaining good flexibility in our necks allows us to increase the efficiency of our breathing, especially if we are exercising.

The breathing muscles contract during a workout. If we do not or little use them, they can weaken and suffer lesions. This therefore gives rise to neck pain that everyone may have experienced during their life.

Release stress

Exercises to strengthen the cervical muscles allow us to release the tension that we accumulate due to our stressful daily life. As this research published in the South African Journal of Physiotherapy shows , an exercise session is therefore ideal for removing stiffness in the neck and for relaxing related muscles.

How to strengthen your cervicals

It is important to maintain the elasticity of your necks to enjoy a good quality of life. To achieve this, you will need to follow an exercise routine that will allow you to strengthen your muscle tone. And thus reduce any contractures that can cause you diffuse and daily pain.

The exercises that we are going to recommend will allow you to keep your necks flexible. Remember that before doing physical exercises it is always recommended to warm up.

You must ensure that you adopt the correct posture when performing the exercises. Improper execution can make pain worse or cause injury.

If in doubt, do not hesitate to seek the help of a professional trainer. Have you made up your mind to give it a go?

Exercise 1: Forward bends

• Sit with your back straight, and look ahead.
• Place your hands on your forehead, exerting light pressure. At the same time, push forward with your head.
• Repeat this exercise 10 times.

Exercise 2: Side bends

• As in the previous exercise, place your hand on your face, but this time on one of your temples, exerting light pressure. Then push the other way with your head.
• Try to perform this movement so that your ear almost touches your shoulder.
• Switch sides, then do 5 reps on each side.

After this little warm-up, continue with the following exercises:

Exercise 3

• Tilt your head forward and then  feel the back part of your neck stretching.
• Hold this position for 5 seconds.
• Then do the same movement backwards, leaning as much as possible.
• Hold for 5 seconds, then pause for 10 seconds.
• Do 5 repetitions of this exercise.

Exercise 4

• Turn your head so that you are looking at one of your shoulders.
• Reverse the movement to return to your initial position.
• Then turn your head towards the other shoulder, then repeat this movement 10 times.

Exercise 5

• Tilt your head gently forward.
• Slowly turn your head to the left, making a circular motion backwards. Come back to your original position.
• Rest for 5 seconds.
• Then repeat the same movement in the opposite direction.
• Do 5 reps on each side.

Exercise 6

• Without moving your head, shrug your shoulders as if you want to touch your ears.
• Hold this position for 5 seconds.
• Then lower your shoulders as low as you can.
• Hold this position for 5 seconds.
• Repeat this exercise 10 times in both directions.

It is important to specify that these exercises must be done delicately and taking your time. Indeed, violent movements can generate dislocations. Maintaining a strong neck is fundamental to a pain-free life.

Some final recommendations

Having a strong neck is fundamental to enjoying a good quality of life. Incorrect posture, spending long periods in front of a computer, sleeping with an unsuitable pillow or allowing stress to accumulate are all triggers for neck pain.

• Enjoy a good rest and free yourself from your daily worries.
• Enjoy the benefits of walking and include this practice in your daily routine.
• Remember to perform relaxation and breathing exercises from time to time to regulate your stress.

With all the advice we have just given and the exercises we have recommended for you, you should be able to quickly observe an improvement in your quality of life.