Neck Empowerment: Build Stability and Confidence with These 3 Exercises

Our neck muscles need steady supply and mobility but a sedentary lifestyle often makes them stiff. It can cause various health problems. It is important that the neck muscles remain flexible so that they can support different motions and even different ranges. This also includes rotation, side bend, forward bend and extension. It not only keeps them supple and fluid, but also active and strong. It can help prevent any type of neck injury that can have a debilitating effect. Here are some effective exercises that are known to help the neck muscles work effectively and prevent neck pain.

1. Neck extension

How to:

• You can sit or stand while doing this exercise.
• Add resistance manually when you look up.
• Place the hands behind the head and stretch the head in the backward direction; Resist with the arms which work the neck muscles harder.
• Once the head is fully extended, return to the starting position.
• Number of repetitions: It can be repeated two or three times to feel the effects.

How it helps: By providing resistance it helps improve muscles and the range of motion is expanded.

2. Neck forward flexion

How to:

• You can sit or stand while doing this exercise.
• Hold the head in a neutral position.
• Place hands in front of forehead.
• Flex the neck muscles pushing the head forward against the arms.
• Press until the chin touches the chest.
• Reverse back, bring the head back to a neutral position and repeat again.
• Number of repetitions: This can be done two or three times along with other neck muscle exercises.
• How it helps: This particular exercise helps strengthen the neck muscles. It is a position in which the neck is bent forward and extended as much as possible.

3. Neck lateral flexion

How to:

• This exercise is performed by moving the head from one side to the other in such a way that the ears move towards the shoulders.
• To start you need to place the left hand on the head and above the left ear.
• Slowly turn the neck to the left and push against the hand.
• Switch sides to do the same on the right side.
• Number of repetitions: Combine this exercise with other muscle flexing exercises two or three times on each side.

How it benefits: This particular exercise helps increase range of motion as you flex your head from side to side, reaching for the shoulders.