Subject: Fw: neck work daily
From: "Judith Tierney" <[email-masked]>
To: "BIG MICK" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 23:50:14 +1000

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Judith Tierney 
To: robert abbott 
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 11:49 PM
Subject: neck work daily

 Find out from your doctor before you even think of doing these moves Robbie -

BASIC ANATOMY AND MUSCULAR FUNCTION [Flexion means bending / Extension means straightening]

To protect the cervical area from injury in boxing a strong, thickly - muscled neck is vital.

Regardless of the length of your neck you should have seven cervical vertebrae.

The main muscles of the neck the STERNOCLEIDOMASTOID and the TRAPEZIUS provide support and act to produce a variety of different movements.

The STERNOCLEIDOMASTOID has two parts or heads located on each side of the neck that start behind the ears and run down to the sternum (breastbone) and clavicles (collarbones). 

When both sides contract at the same time, the STERNOCLEIDOMASTOID flexes the head toward the chest; when one side acts singly, it brings the head laterally toward the shoulder or rotates the head to the side.

The TRAPEZIUS is a kite shaped muscle that covers the uppermost region of your back and the back section of your neck. 

The main functions of your traps are to elevate your shoulders (as in shrugging), to adduct your scapulae (pinch your shoulder blades together) and to extend your head backward.

THESE TWO MUSCLES ACT UPON THE NECK IN SEVEN DIFFERENT WAYS -

FLEXION OF THE HEAD FORWARD -

EXTENSION OF THE HEAD BACKWARD -

LATERAL FLEXION OF THE HEAD TO THE LEFT -

RIGHT ROTATION OF THE HEAD TO THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT -

ELEVATION OF THE SHOULDERS - 

To develop the neck properly, exercises should be prescribed for as many of the various functions as possible.

1. Exercise your neck daily it's important to focus your full attention on performing exercises for your cervical area. 

Too often the neck is exercised at the end of a workout almost as an afterthought. 

You should exercise your neck at the beginning of your workout while you are strong both physically as well as psychologically.

2. Perform all exercises in good form GOOD FORM is raising the weight without the use of momentum in about 1 - 2 seconds, pausing distinctly in the contracted (or mid-range) position and lowering the weight under control in about 3 - 4 seconds. 

This ensures that the targeted muscles are raising the weight (rather than momentum) and that your chances of an injury while strength training are minimized. 

3. Execute each repetition throughout a full range of motion each rep should be performed from a position of full stretch to a position of full muscular contraction and back to a position of full stretch. Exercising throughout a full range of motion will allow you to maintain (or perhaps improve) your flexibility, which reduces your potential for injury. 

This ensures that you are exercising your entire muscle -- not just a portion of it.

4. Reach concentric muscular failure between 8 - 12 reps (or 40 - 70 seconds). 

Concentric muscular failure is when you have exhausted the muscle to a point where you literally cannot raise the weight for another repetition. 

Using sets less than 8 

reps increases your risk of injury if you exceed 12 repetitions, the set becomes a test of endurance rather than strength.

 

 

EXERCISES 

The following is a specific description of various exercises which can be performed to strengthen the muscles of your neck using conventional equipment. 

However, one side of your sternocleidomastoid can still be used singly by performing neck lateral flexion.

1. Neck extension. This exercise works your sternocleidomastoid (both sides acting together). 

If you are using manual resistance, lie supine on a bench, place your feet flat on the floor and position yourself so that your head hangs over the edge. Interlock your fingers and place them across your chest. To do the movement, bring your head as close to your chest as possible during the mid-range of each rep pause briefly in this position and then lower your head under control back to the starting position at the completion of each rep to ensure a proper stretch.

2. Neck flexion this movement targets your trapezius and neck extensors using manual resistance, lie prone on a bench and position yourself so that your head hangs over the edge. Place your hands and feet on the floor (or position your legs across the edge). 

To start the exercise, extend your head backward as far as possible during the mid-range of each rep pause briefly in this position and then return your head back to the starting position at the completion of each rep to obtain a proper stretch.

3. Neck lateral flexion your sternocleidomastoid (one side acting singly) is utilised during this movement. 

4. Shoulder shrug this is the best exercise for isolating your trapezius muscle. 

It can be performed with a barbell, dumbbells, trap bar use an alternating grip or a grip with both palms facing backward when using a barbell use a parallel grip with other equipment. 

To begin the movement, keep your arms and legs straight and pull the resistance up as high as possible trying to touch your shoulders to your ears during the mid-range of each rep. 

Pause briefly in this position and then lower the weight back to the starting position at the completion of each rep to ensure a proper stretch. 

Avoid throwing the resistance by using your legs or by swinging your upper torso back and forth movement should only occur around your shoulder. Finally do not roll your shoulders as you perform this exercise.