Neck muscles: exercises and how to train
Several groups of muscles surround the neck: the sternocleidomastoid at the front and sides, the splenius and deep extensors at the back, with the upper traps joining in from above. They flex, extend, tilt and turn the head and hold it steady under load. In the gym your neck works every time you keep a neutral head position in a squat or deadlift.
How to train it
The catalog has no dedicated neck exercise; the neck gets indirect work from Shrugs and Barbell shrugs. For direct training, start with isometrics: press your palm against your forehead, the back and the side of your head for 10–20 seconds each, without jerking. Add resistance gradually and only with slow reps; 2–4 sets twice a week is usually plenty.
Exercises where it is the main mover
There is no isolation exercise for this muscle in the catalog — it works in the compound lifts listed below.
Exercises where it assists
Weekly sets in ready-made programs
A set where the muscle is primary counts in full, a set where it assists counts as half — the same way the log’s stats count it.
Other back muscles
See how much work each of your muscles gets
GymAssist paints a 40-muscle map from your sets, shows lagging muscles and forecasts recovery.
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