Exercises for a Big Neck

Exercises for a big neck will build the muscles of your neck to strengthen them for sports such as wrestling, mixed martial arts and football. You can use a towel or a head-neck harness to perform neck exercises in the gym. The American College of Sports Medicine advises completing six to 12 repetitions of multiple sets to increase the size of your neck.

Seated Neck Extensions

Seated neck extensions work your small neck extensor muscles, your splenius capitis and semispinalis capitis muscles. These muscles lie under your large upper back and neck muscle, your trapezius, also responsible for extending your neck. Do seated neck extensions by using a head-neck harness with a 5-pound plate attached to the weight strap. Sit at the edge of a bench or a chair and secure the harness over your head. Support the weight of your upper body by bracing your hands on your thighs. Slowly bend your head forward then backward to complete a neck extension. If you have not done specific neck training exercises, complete only two sets of 10 repetitions. While the weight may seem light, you must slowly ease into your neck training program to prevent excessive neck soreness. You can also hold a towel across the back of your head to do seated neck extensions. Use your own manual resistance by pulling on the towel as you raise and lower your head.

Dumbbell Shrugs

Dumbbell shrugs primarily engage your trapezius muscle, or your traps. The dumbbell shrug is the most effective exercise you can do to build your largest neck muscle. You can easily see this muscle by doing a shoulder shrug in the mirror. The muscles bulging between either side of your neck and each shoulder are your traps. Perform dumbbell shrugs by grabbing a 20-pound dumbbell in each hand. Stand with your knees slightly bent and shrug your shoulders, raising them toward your ears. Lower your shoulders back down and repeat for two sets of 10 reps.

Lying Neck Flexions

Lying neck flexions focus on your sternocleidomastoid muscle. Feel this muscle as you turn your head to the left and run your fingers from your right ear to your right collarbone. You will need help from a training partner to do lying neck flexions with a head-neck harness. Lie on your back, your head off the edge of a flat bench. Your training partner must adjust the length of the strap so the weight plate does not touch the floor. Attach the harness to your head, then have your training partner slowly lower the weight plate. Brace your neck muscles to support the weight so your head and neck are in a straight line with your body. Flex your head by bending your chin toward your chest, then return to the starting position for one rep. Perform two sets of 10 reps. You can also drape a towel across your forehead to do neck flexions. Use your own manual resistance by pulling on the towel as you flex and extend your head.