Whether you are playing sports, training to be a bodybuilder or simply want to build a a well round physique, having a thick, strong neck is very important.
Although your neck thickness isn't really defined by a measurement per se, it's measured in terms of its proportion to the rest of your body in terms of your composition, weight, and height.
If you have a super muscular body, it only makes sense that you want a thick neck as well.
Some of the exercises you can do to thicken and strengthen your neck include neck extensions, neck flexions, dumbbell shrugs, and shoulder blade squeezes, all of which we will take a closer look at further below.
The Importance of a Strong Neck
Although many people see the value in exercising their biceps, triceps, shoulders, and more, many people don't think about why it's so important to have a strong neck.
Well, the neck is generally a weak point, which means that it is prone to being strained and injured.
Therefore, if you have strong and limber neck muscles, it helps prevent neck injuries from occurring.
Furthermore, if you have a thick neck with strong muscles that are well stretched out, it should also help reduce general neck pain and stress.
Moreover, your neck muscles are also important as they help support your deltoids and trapezius muscles during a variety of other exercises.
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Muscle vs Fat in the Neck
Although having a bit of fat in your neck is fine, having a neck defined by fat instead of muscle is not ideal. A healthy diet and proper physical activity will lead to a buildup of muscle mass around your neck.
It's easy to tell the difference between muscle and fat by how it feels and looks.
Muscular neck will feel and look strong, particularly when it's flexed, whereas a fat neck will be soft and loose.
If it's due to obesity, having too much fat in your neck can also come with certain risks, and can even narrow the airways in your throat. Which can in turn lead to conditions like sleep apnea.
Whatever the case may be, you want to thicken your neck by exercising it, not by simply eating more.
Let's move on and take a look at the four best neck exercises to help strengthen and thicken your neck.
The Best Neck Exercises for a Thicker and Stronger Neck
Right now, we want to cover a variety of exercises to give you a thicker and stronger neck, starting with a classic neck flexion exercise.
Neck Flexion
The neck flexion exercise is one that you can do using a four-way neck machine or without any equipment at all. This is a great way to stretch out the rear of your neck, therefore greatly benefiting your trapezius muscles and upper back.
- Keep your spine straight and stand up tall.
- While keeping your mouth closed, slowly bend your head downwards and try to touch your chin to your chest.
- Hold this position for several seconds and then return to the starting position.
- Aim to repeat this motion up to 10 times for three sets.
Neck Extension
Whereas the previous exercise was fantastic for stretching out and thickening the rear of your neck, here we are talking about the front of your neck. You can use a four-way neck machine or you can do the neck extension without any equipment at all.
- While standing up straight, move your head backward and point your chin up into the air.
- Hold this position for up to three seconds and then return to the starting position.
- Aim to perform this motion at least 10 times.
Neck Lateral Flexion
You can use a four-way neck machine or a resistance band to increase the difficulty of this exercise, although you can also do it without any equipment at all. The neck lateral flexion exercise is a great one for the flexibility and thickness of the sides of your neck.
- Stand up with your back straight and look straight ahead.
- Tilt your head to the right side by bringing your right ear towards your right shoulder.
- Ensure that your shoulders remain flat throughout the movement. You don't want to lift them up, or else you aren't doing this exercise properly.
- Hold this position for roughly three seconds, return to the starting position, and repeat on the opposite side.
- Aim to perform three sets per side.
Neck Rotation
The neck rotation is a great exercise to improve both the flexibility and thickness of your neck, especially where the sides are concerned.
- Stand up straight and tall, while facing forward.
- Start by slowly rotating your head to the right, aiming to look back over your right shoulder as far as you can.
- Hold this position for about three seconds and then return back to the starting position.
- Repeat this motion for the other side.
- Aim to repeat this motion for roughly 10 repetitions per side.
Dumbbell Shrugs
Dumbbell shrugs are a great way to increase the strength of your neck, shoulder, and trapezius muscles.
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
- Hold a pair of relatively heavy dumbbells with your palms facing your hips.
- Raise your shoulders up as far as you can. To make it easier, imagine your shoulders touching your ears.
- Hold the raised position for one or two seconds, and then return to the starting position. Aim to perform up to 12 repetitions and three sets.
Shoulder Blade Squeeze
Finally, we have the shoulder blade squeeze, which is a very simple exercise that is ideal for strengthening virtually all parts of your neck.
- Stand with your chin tucked into your chest and your back straight.
- Drop your shoulders backwards and down as far as they’ll go.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together as close as you can and hold this position for a few seconds.
- Return to the starting position and then repeat up to 10 times for three sets.
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Rounding Up
As you can see, there are plenty of simple yet fantastic exercises to help you get that thick neck you've always been dreaming of. As long as you incorporate them into your regular workout routine, you should have no problem achieving great results.
