Effective Bodybuilding Neck Exercises

New bodybuilders very often overlook bodybuilding neck exercises. Others however, include neck exercises only at the end of a workout session and consider it to be of lower priority. They concentrated on building the abdominals, chest, biceps and shoulders to get the nice v-shaped sculptured look. However, their overall appearance does not look balanced, as the neck is "pencil-thin". The neck is the most neglected muscle.

In clothing, a bodybuilder with a thin neck cannot be differentiated from a non-bodybuilder. A thick neck proudly announces that you have rippling muscles beneath the clothing. When you work on your neck muscles, other muscles such as the traps and back muscles are affected, which help contribute towards a more symmetric look from the back and front.

Isometric and head-harness exercises can build and strengthen the neck muscles. In a standing position, with your right hand on your head, contract your neck muscles and push your head to the right, and hold and resist for 15 seconds. Repeat a few times and then with the left hand. Next, with body hands behind your head, try to move your head back, hold and resist for 15 seconds.

Attach a suitable weight to the head harness. With your hands on your leg and when seated, raise your head in a semi-circular motion, as far as you can.

Another exercise is to lie down on edge of the bench, hold a flat barbell weight at your forehead with your hand, and raise your head in a semi-circle motion, as far as you can. Next, return to the original position and repeat a few times. Repeat, with your stomach on the bench and with the weight held at the back of your head.

The shrug is also another effective neck exercise to build the trapezius region and back of the neck. With a dumbbell in each hand, perform the shrug by moving your shoulder upwards.

Bodybuilding neck exercises should be included into your workouts. It is best to allocate a separate day to work on the neck muscles.