The video below includes a brief tutorial about neck training with a resistance band. All that is needed is a band and a strip of velcro. With these simple supplies, you’ll be able to effectively train the neck in multiple directions.
As mentioned within the video, I use 2 inch wide, industrial strength velcro. I also suggest wearing a beanie hat when performing the exercise as the velcro needs to be secured tightly. Without the hat, the velcro could potentially scrape your forehead.
As for comparing this exercise to others such as harness work, there are pros and cons to each. If you enjoy a heavy harness like myself, you certainly don’t need to abandon it for resistance bands. I use of both. I typically train my neck 2 or 3 days per week and never limit myself to a single exercise.
Unfortunately, neck training is everything but common. I have visited boxing gyms in different states and countries and rarely see anyone training the neck. Such neglect is a huge mistake for any combat athlete.
I realize that fighters have many objectives to train throughout the week, but the neck must be included on the list. If you’ve slacked on your neck training before, consider purchasing a piece of velcro and a band. You’ll have more than enough to start. It’s also nice that these exercises can be performed at home and will only require a few minutes. You don’t need to rearrange your weekly schedule to make time for neck training. Small additions will often accumulate into something much more significant if you remain consistent.
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“The gem cannot be polished without friction nor man without trials.” – Confucius
Neck training also very important for the average office sitter! I hear it all the time. Lower back pain first and usually its accompanied with upper back and neck problems.
If you want to go even lower cost, than use your hands for resistance:
1) form a fist and press head against it.
2) hold hands behind the head & press against it
3) hold head with hand on side & press against it
Simple, easy and affordable. I like this solution. Thanks.
Pretty shocking that a lot of boxers or just people training in “boxing gyms” neglected training their neck. Neck training should be a high priority in all contact sports, and especially a sport like boxing. I’m sure Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield didn’t neglect training their neck, both fighters had massive necks. Matter of fact, a lot of boxers, wrestlers and football players have more impressive neck musculature than weightlifters or bodybuilders.
Ross,
When I still trained Isshin-Ryu karate my instructor told me about a boxing coach friend of his who also trained tai chi and he recommended very very intense neck training and in his old age, he was apparently still able to spar at high power because it increased his ability to absorb impact. It’s anecdotal evidence to be sure, but it makes sense. I’ve done heavy squats for years and have been able to bounce back from tremendous falls, major impacts, and even a couple of car accidents with little to no long term effects.
Hi Ross, With all respect in the world, this exercise will only lead to disaster. For two reasons:
1) Dr. Stuart McGuill has much research on the subject. He concludes that shows the spine structures out of neutral spine with weigth (even it are very small) that cause injury, pinched nerve, disc protusion and herniated discs.
2) A boxer should look for stability in the cervical spine, and that is not achieved by manny repetitions. It’s like trying get CORE stability with many crunches repetitions.
The neck stability is achieved with isometric exercises (by the way, they generate greater fibers activation than concentric and excentric), ALWAYS with neutral cervical spine.
It should work the anti-extension, anti-flexion and anti-rotation from different angles, and always standing with ALL neutral spine and strong CORE activation and control.
I’m doing a work college on the subject. I talked to column biomechanical experts, and they agree.
To begin, I’m actually quite familiar with McGill’s (not McGuill) work. With that said, if athletes only did what the body is intended to do, you’d never see another boxing or MMA fight. We weren’t created to be punched, kicked, and elbowed in the face from all angles. From a neck strength perspective, there is much more to training than performing work intended to enhance neck stability. I have over 20 years of neck training experience. I can lift loads with my neck that would snap the average person’s neck in half. Look at others such as Mike Bruce and you’ll see more of the same.
I don’t know shit about theoretical side of neck training. BUT! When my neck hurt several years ago (I guess it was myositis) my only effective treatment was neck bridge workout. The doctors whom I visited could do nothing but temporally relieve the pain. The bridge cured my neck! No pain again! Since then I have been doing the exercise as preventive treatment and it works well.
Never tried that kind of exercises like those that you, Ross, recommended in the video above. I guess they are much less “dangerous†than the neck bridge for beginners. Gonna try them tomorrow after purchasing resistant bands 🙂
You’re absolutely right saying that the neck and wrist training are almost totally neglected. Thank you for bringing that problem (and actually the solution) to the masses.