Buzz
While we often focus on toning our biceps or glutes, every muscle in our body, including those in our neck, can benefit from regular exercise.
Spending long hours hunching forward—like when you’re working at a computer—might leave your neck muscles stiff and underused. To keep your neck muscles healthy, it’s important to incorporate movements that counteract this posture, similar to how we take care of our feet with exercise.
Give neck yoga a try
Yoga offers something for everyone, and of course, experts like Adriene have specific routines designed for the neck and surrounding areas, such as the back and shoulders. (Since the neck muscles are connected to other parts of the body, many of these ‘neck muscles’ are actually part of the back and other areas.)
Move your neck through a full range of motion
These stretches from physical therapist Dr. Jo are designed to help you move your neck in every direction, potentially easing spasms or the common stiffness we refer to as a crick in the neck. (Dr. Jo suggests consulting a medical professional if you suspect a more serious issue.)
Incorporate strength exercises
Neck training often gets a bad rap, with some dismissing it as something only bodybuilders care about. While it’s true that wrestlers and football players aim to build strong necks for protection, what I found while researching top neck-strengthening exercises is that both athletes and slender physical therapists look equally amusing when using resistance bands wrapped around their heads.
So grab a band and follow along with these dudes (or with Doctor Jo, as she also has a video doing similar exercises) as you exercise your neck in all directions.
Get some normal exercise
The great thing about full-body exercise is that you don’t have to think consciously about each muscle and body part as you use it. If you engage in a normal resistance-training program—with weights, or with challenging bodyweight moves like those found in strength-focused forms of yoga—you’ll end up using all the muscles attached to your neck, even if you don’t consider what you’re doing to be neck training.
To give a few examples, crunches require use of the muscles at the front of your neck to stabilize your head and keep it from smacking into the ground. Your trapezius muscles run from your skull to midway down your spine, meaning that many back exercises like lat pulldowns will involve your neck muscles at least somewhat. And any moves where your body is in a sideways position, like side planks, require your neck muscles to do some work to keep your head from flopping around.
Similarly, exercise that gets you moving aerobically, like hiking or dancing, will also get your neck muscles moving a bit. As a bonus, half an hour spent goofing around with your kids in the backyard is half an hour you’re not hunched over at your computer. Give yourself a chance to get out and move around, and you’ll find you feel better all over.
