We often overlook training this vital area for two main reasons. We either don’t know how to do it, or we don’t have the equipment to do so.
Lateral Flexors. A persons lateral flexor tilts the head from right to left, this are can be worked out in the same way as flexors. In the beginning you will lie upon your side on top of a bench, then you must rest a towel on the side of the head while holding in a weight against the spot with you hand.
Just simply let your head tilt downwards, and then pull it back upwards as if you are trying to touch your ear to the shoulder that is off the bench. Again you must use several sets of 10-15 reps of moderate resistance before you go and switch to your other side to work out the opposite lateral flexor group.
Extensors. The extensors, much like the flexor groups, can be worked with a neck machine or a headstrap. To use the headstrap, the most common method is to take the end of the chain on the strap and hook it to a low-pulley or simply hang plates on the chain. Bend at the waist and place your hands on your quads, just above the knee.
Now you will focus more on tilting your head backwards as though you looking up. Another path to take would be to lie down on a bench with you head over the other end. Put the towel on the back of your head and put the weight on top of it.
While you are holding the weight there, you can let it start dropping slowly, then raise it while you are just bending the neck only. Having moderate resistance for many sets with 10-15 reps will be crucial as the other exercises would be as well.
Traps. The traps or trapezius muscles are part of the extensor group, so they’ll get some work while doing the exercises mentioned under the extensor heading. However, they can be worked with some additional barbell exercises as most are aware.
For the most part, people will lump together basic barbell and dumbbell shrugs as the key motions for working out the traps. The dead life with the variations of it will undoubtedly work the traps very hard. Those who have a monstrous traps are the ones with the big pulls.
While the deadlift is nearly always a part of my routine, I’d like to offer a few lesser-performed lifts taken from Olympic weightlifting that will hammer the traps extremely hard. The most common lift in this category would have to be the power clean and to a lesser extent, the squat clean. Because the arms are kept very straight as long as possible during the pull, the hips, traps and upper back must provide the power to accelerate the bar before dipping under it to rack the lift.
In the same way as the clean variations, the snatch will provide a lot of stimulation for the traps. The pull is going to have a rough “shrug” while the bar continues to accelerate before it dips beneath it.
I generally do the power snatch, where you don’t drop as low upon completion of the lift and the bar is locked out overhead while in what would be a 1/4 squat position. I don’t see a reason to go into a complete squat snatch, which does allow the use of more weight due to the deep bottom position you attain to get under the bar. I feel that the power clean and power snatch force you to pull much harder, since you’ll have less time to drop under the bar to rack it.
If you are a person who suffers from tightness due to long hours of sitting on your butt in an office doing these stretches will make your life more comfortable in many ways. The power you will grow in your traps will help you pulling movements and give you a decent and finished look to your body.
