Gymnastics for the neck: 11 exercises that will remove stress and improve your posture

Weak or strained neck muscles can cause poor posture and headaches. And because Layfhaker gathered exercises that will help you avoid problems with the cervical spine.

If you have any problems with the cervical spine, before performing the exercises, consult your physician.

Exercises to stretch the neck

All stretching exercises are performed smoothly, without jerks. Hold each position for 30 seconds.

1. Tilt your head back and sideways

This exercise will help stretch the sternoclavicular-mastoid and the long muscles of the neck.

Stand up straight, shoulders slumped. Tilt the head back, pulling on the front of the neck. From this position, tilt your head to the left. For greater effect, put your left hand on the right side of the head, but do not push hard.

Repeat to the other side.

2. Institution hands behind his head

This stretching of the muscles that raise the blade.

Raise your right hand and bend it at the elbow and touch the top of the blade edge. Put your left hand on top of his head and tilt your head to the left.

Repeat to the other side.

3. Tilting the head forward and sideways

With this exercise, you can stretch the upper part of the trapezius muscle and belt neck muscles.

Sit with your back straight, put your right hand on the left side of the head. Tilt your head forward and to the side, increasing the pressure with the help of hands.

Repeat to the other side.

4. Stretching back of the neck

This exercise stretches the muscles of the neck and the belt suboccipital muscles.

Stand with your back straight, put your right hand on the back of the head and the left - on the chin. Lower your head, making a double chin. In this case, the neck remains straight, neck tends upward. You should feel tension in the back of the neck, especially in the skull base.

5. Pose "threading a needle"

It is an interesting exercise at the same time helps to stretch the muscles of the neck, shoulders and back.

Get on all fours on the floor. Swipe right hand under the left, turning to the left.

Lower the right arm to the floor, turn your head so that the right ear was lying on the floor. The right hand should be straightened.

If you can, pull your left leg so that the right hand touch. His left hand behind his back clean.

Try to expand your neck and shoulders so to look at the ceiling. Now do the same thing in another direction.

IN this article there is even more good exercises of yoga that will help stretch the neck and shoulders, and here - versions with a massage ball.

And we move on to exercises that will help you strengthen the muscles of the neck.

Exercises to strengthen the neck

We will distribute the exercises by level of difficulty. At first, the most simple.

1. Turning the head resistance

Stand up straight, put his hand on the temple so that the fingers were directed to the back of the head. Slightly push the temple arm and against the resistance, turn your head.

Make 10 turns in each direction.

2. Withdrawal head forward resistance

Stand up straight, put his hand on his brow and gently push him. Overcoming the resistance, brings forward his head.

Repeat 10 times.

3. Shrugs

This exercise is carried out to pump the upper part of the trapezius muscle.

Stand up straight, take a dumbbell, arm pull along the body. Raise and lower shoulders 10 times.

4. Lifting lying neck

Lie on the floor and pull your neck forward and upward. Repeat 10 times.

5. Bridge

Lie on the floor, legs bent at the knees, feet and hands on the floor. Pick up the body in a partial bridge, resting on his head. Hold the weight in his arms, taking some of the load from the head. Hold the pose for 30-60 seconds.

A more advanced version - the bridge without hands, relying on his head. Perform each exercise very carefully and only when you feel that the neck muscles are ready for this.

6. reverse bridge

Place your feet so that the distance between them was twice the width of the shoulders. Lean forward without bending the knees. Put on the floor hands and head so that a triangle. Gradually try to move the weight of the body with hands on head.

Hold this pose for 30 seconds.

That's all. Strengthen and stretch the muscles of the neck, and you Improve your posture and reduce the risk of injury in training.