neck exercises

[burger boy]

Hi everyone,
How's it going? I've been checking out the internet for articles about weight training and martial arts (because there is nothing out there about weight training and kendo) and ran across some interesting exercises for strengthening the neck. It's basically lying sideways on a flat bench with your neck and head hanging over the side, placing a weight plate on the side of your head (usually over a towel) and then raising and lowering the neck. A couple of sets and then flip around and do the other side. I imagine that someone could also do front and back extensions as well.

With all of the men strikes that one receives in kendo, I was thinking that this might be a good exercise to perform as part of my workout routine. Has anyone ever tried this?

Appreciate any thoughts/advice on the subject.

Thanks.

burger boy

[nollaig]

Unless you are getting hit with a steel bar there is no need
for specific neck exercise’s.
I would be very hesitant about doing such exercises without
supervision.
You only have 1 neck, treat it well. I think you would
probably give yourself a injury doing this.
If you want to strengthen your body for Kendo, go
swimming.
I have a neck injury from a low speed car crash 3 years ago
and I still have trouble with it.
Never jump into a exercise program taken from the Internet
It will lead to disaster!!!

[ben]

Hi BB. I hate to be a downer but I agree with Nollaig. This exercise sounds extreme and ill-advised. If you get the thumbs up from a reputable chiropractor then by all means. But as Nollaig said you only have one neck and they're extremely delicate constructions. Once stuffed they never really come right. Did you know that even full circular rotations of the head during warm-ups are now discouraged?

A good neck strengthening exercise:
1) Interlock your fingers and place both hands behind your head.

2) Push back against your hands with your neck muscles but resist with your hands.

3) Make sure to push your elbows back too, to open up the chest.

4) Relax, then repeat.

Correct upright posture and total spinal health (which means developing your core abdominals as much as the muscles around the spine) is more important for good kendo than isolated neck strength.

HTH
b

[Hai_hai]

As a non-bogu wearing beginner, I do not know a lot about kendo weight training, but I do know about weight training in general.
You can do neck exercises if you wish. As someone beginning weight training, you would, like in any other exercise, start with very low weights (no weight to a half pound) and progress to more weight as needed. But as the others have mentioned, kendo doesn't require extra neck strength like other sports.

If you would like to increase your neck strength, I would not recommend the sideways neck raise that you described, but would suggest doing shoulder shrugs. You take a barbell, hold it arms length downward with hands placed shoulder width apart, and shrug your shoulders upward and then release downward. This works the trapezius muscle, not the deltoids even though it is called a shoulder shrug. The other exercise is to hold a barbell with your hands six inches apart from the center and vertically raising your hands and elbows until the barbell reaches your sternum. This works the trapezius muscle. You don't need to move your neck to work the neck muscles.

[Charlie]

Hai hai, you made a helpful post. Thank you. It is a refreshing and welcome change from your usual tone.

Question - do you make circular motions with the shrug, or just up and down?

[burger boy]

Thanks for all the replies and information, appreciate it.

I'm definitely going to hold off on the neck exercise I described, it's just not worth the risk.

Hai_hai, thanks. I'm already doing shrugs and upright rows for the traps so I'll just stick with them.

Charlie,
I've seen both types of motions in use at the gym, but I believe the recommended way to do shrugs is just up and down.

later...

burger boy

[Hai_hai]

Originally posted by Charlie
...Question - do you make circular motions with the shrug, or just up and down?

Although you see people roll their shoulders during a shoulder shrug, it is unnecessary and you don't benefit any more from it. So, only up and down is fine.