Neck Exercises

For many years now, NFL players have made neck exercises a daily or weekly habit. Training the specific musculature surrounding the neck is an effort to prevent concussions during any practice or playing time.

We look at the neck as the cylinder that protects the head area. We want to strengthen the neck as much as possible to reduce and lessen some of those concussive impacts,” said Los Angeles Rams Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Ted Rath. “If we have a stronger neck, we do, in theory, believe that you can control the head better. it’s the same thing if you have a stronger arm, you’re going to be able to protect the shoulder better.”

NFL players use neck training equipment and resistant exercises to put the neck under tension in order to grow the neck muscle.

Video Credit: Exigo-UK

“We call it the four-way neck. It’s like U-shaped thing, you put your face in it and you can push it forward, to the side backward. So, it’s all-around neck muscle,” said Baltimore Ravens long snapper, Morgan Cox.

Former NFL Players Marques Hagans, Thomas Williams and Gregg Guenther all agreed that neck strength training was a regular part of their workout. Hagans played in 2006-2010, Williams played in 2008-2012 and Guenther played in 2005-2006.

“We’re ultimately asking the muscle fiber to super compensate and actually increase in strength in a cross-sectional diameter,” Rath said. “We can put them under tension whether it’s using our own hands and manual resistance or using one of those machines.”

Rath, like many football strength and conditioning coaches, takes his job very seriously by protecting and promoting the health and well-being of his players.