Sculpture Neck Exercises

Stretching and toning your neck muscles can help to sculpt your neck, tightening flabby areas and correcting misalignment. Modern or sedentary lifestyles can contribute to poor posture, such as vulture neck, and lead to muscular imbalances. If you sit for long hours in front of a computer, the muscles in the back of your neck -- the extensors -- can tighten while the muscles in the front of your neck -- the flexors -- grow weak. Sculpture exercises can address muscular imbalances and help you to shape your neck.

  1. Stretch and Lengthen

    • Stretching can help to counteract the shrinkage and tightening of your neck muscles due to sitting for prolonged periods and aging. Because the rear of your neck tends to take the most pressure, stretching these muscles can serve to elongate your neck. Begin by pressing the back of your head and gently rolling your head toward your chest. Tuck your chin and hold the bottom of the stretch for 30 seconds. Perform lateral stretches by putting your head on one side of the head and slowly leaning your head toward the opposite side. Use your hand to lightly increase the pressure and deepen the stretch. Keep your face squared and shoulders down.

    Strengthen and Straighten

    • If you want to straighten your neck and maintain correct alignment with your spine, perform strengthening exercises. Instead of moving in response to the push of your hand in a stretching exercise, resist your hand's pressure as an isometric exercise. For example, place your fingers on the back of your head and push your head with a light touch. Resist the push for anywhere from 10 to 20 seconds. To strengthen your neck flexors, place your forefinger and middle finger between your eyes and resist the pressure. You can also do a chin tuck with a towel. Lie supine on the floor and set a rolled towel in the area between your throat and chin. Lower your chin, squeezing your neck flexors to keep the towel in place. Allow the back of your neck to elongate and relax.

    Boost the Load

    • By adding different types of resistance, such as free weights, elastic bands or cable machines, to neck-strengthening exercises, you can increase the load. For example, begin by attaching the ends of an elastic band around a stationary object -- pole or door – at shoulder height. Loop the middle of the band around your forehead as if it were a headband. Turn away from the pole and step away until the band is taut. Position your feet in a staggered stance with your right foot as the lead. Slowly draw your head forward as far as is comfortable and then return to starting position. Perform one set of eight to 12 reps. To strengthen your neck extensors, turn around and position the band around the rear of your head. Pull your head back as far as you can without straining.

    Cautions

    • The muscles in your neck are delicate and vulnerable to injury if you’re not using correct form. Should muscle fatigue begin to compromise your form, either take a rest or stop the exercise. If you feel pain when performing neck extensions with resistance, shorten the range of movement as well as lighten the load until the pain subsides. If the discomfort doesn’t lift, discontinue the exercise. According to “Stretching and Strengthening Exercises” by Hans Spring, if you’re trying to recover from a spinal injury, avoid any neck exercises that put pressure on your spine or vertebral discs.