How to Build Neck Size and Reduce Neck Pain

Injury Prevention and Pain Reduction The incidence of neck pain has been steadily increasing over the past two decades and is now second to back pain, the most common musculoskeletal disorder. Women are more likely than men to suffer from persistent neck pain, in particular those who spend a lot of time in front of a computer. This is a key reason to emphasize neck strength in all athletes. In doing so, there are accelerated improvements in posture and torso stability, reductions in neck pain, and most importantly, zero neck injuries. On the science side of things, research studies have shown conflicting results as to whether or not exercise can effectively treat neck pain. However, I've yet to find enough high-quality research to support that it doesn't. I did locate a new study on women with neck pain that was published in the January issue of Arthritis Care & Research that found: "Specific strength training exercises led to significant prolonged relief of neck muscle pain, while general fitness training resulted in only a small amount of pain reduction." "The National Research Centre for the Working Environment in Copenhagen, Denmark, researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial for which they recruited 94 women from seven workplaces in Copenhagen between September 2005 and March 2006. The work tasks performed by the women consisted of assembly line work and office work, with 79 percent of the participants using a keyboard for more than three-quarters of their working time. "Participants first answered a questionnaire about their pain and then underwent a clinical exam to confirm a diagnosis of trapezius myalgia (muscle pain in the trapezius muscle, which extends along the back of the neck).
Participants were assigned to three intervention groups: those who did supervised specific strength training (SST) exercises for the neck and shoulder muscles, those who did high-intensity general fitness training (GFT) on a bicycle ergometer, and a control group that received health counseling but no physical training. Both exercise groups worked out for 20 minutes three times a week for 10 weeks. "The results showed that the GFT group showed a small decrease in neck muscle pain only immediately after exercise, while the SST group showed a marked decrease in pain over a prolonged training period and with a lasting effect after the training ended." The authors then concluded with an important statement: "Thus specific strength training locally of the neck and shoulder muscles is the most beneficial treatment in women with chronic neck muscle pain." This is interesting because it basically reinforced something that I discovered years ago through trial and error. I found that in order to make significant improvements in neck strength and performance, we must utilize some specific neck strengthening protocols (like the ones shown here). Just doing general stuff like cleans, snatches, presses, and kettlebell swings alone won't do it.
Reason #3: Improved Posture and Alignment Even though your spine is classified by three different sections, it's a single interconnected unit. Because of this, when one part of your spine is out of alignment, the other parts also move out of alignment to compensate. You'll never see anyone with perfect alignment at their pelvis, lumbar, and thoracic spine who has bad alignment at the neck. Like the tooth fairy, it just doesn't exist. Sometimes coaches get so caught up with the position of the pelvis and lumbar spine that they virtually ignore the neck position in movements like the plank, birddog, and deadlift. As Paul Chek says, "Your core is what would be left if you had no extremities (arms and legs)." This further reinforces the fact that it's just as important to train your neck as it is your abdominals, back, and hips. You could even classify neck exercises as "core training," if you're so inclined. Now that you understand the importance of training your neck.