1. Serve it up
Plates are round, flat weights that you can use to strengthen neck muscles by placing them on your head during neck lifts. Plates are available at any gym by the barbells. They come in every weight, allowing for a variety of exercises and abilities. If you don't belong to a gym and you don't own an adjustable barbell set, you can purchase plates at any fitness store. If you're just using plates for neck and chest raises, then you don't even need to purchase them in sets. Used plates are perfectly fine to use for these routines.
2. Position the Plates
While lying flat on the floor, lift just your head. Don't allow any other body part to interfere; use only the neck muscles to lift. Increase the resistance on this exercise by adding plate weights. Put a towel on your head and lay the round, flat on top of your forehead. You must be careful when putting weight on your neck. You do not want to impose too much weight to cause injury to your neck or top of your spinal column. Start out with light weights, like a one-pounder, or even half a pound, and see how it feels. If you can lift your head easily, then increase the weight in one-pound increments. Do not tilt your head when doing this exercise. You don't want the weight to slide off while you're moving, and you don't want to have to hold it to keep it from falling. If you must, lightly hold the weight in place, but do not impose your arms on the lifting.
3. Reverse Strategy
Lie on your stomach on a bench or table so that your shoulders and head hang over the edge. Lay a light weight on the back of your head and hold it in place with your hands. You can put a towel under the weight for comfort; it will not negate the benefits of the resistance training. Slowly lift your head as high as you can, using only your neck. Don't press down with your hands for this routine; use them only to hold the plate in place. Repeat 10 times quickly. Relax and repeat the reps three more times. For an isometric workout, hold your head up with the plate in place for a count of ten then release. Remove the plate before standing up.
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