Neck flexion and neck extension exercises are important for athletes to perform in order to strengthen the neck muscles and prevent injury. Both exercises target the neck muscles and have their own unique benefits. In this article, we will compare neck flexion and neck extension exercises and determine which one is better for athletes to perform for strength and prevention.
Neck Flexion: Neck flexion exercises involve moving the head forward and down. This type of exercise strengthens the front neck muscles and helps to prevent neck pain and injury from collisions, falls, or sudden movements. Examples of neck flexion exercises include chin to chest and neck curls.
Neck Extension: Neck extension exercises involve moving the head backward and up. This type of exercise strengthens the back neck muscles and helps to prevent neck pain and injury from collisions, falls, or sudden movements. Examples of neck extension exercises include neck bridges and neck extension using a resistance band.
A strength equipment device that allows you to perform both neck flexion and neck extension would be The Strong Neck, which is a simple neck training tool that allows you to safely train both motions with the ability to progressively overload through simply adding more weight plates to the device.
When it comes to strength, both neck flexion and neck extension exercises are effective in strengthening the neck muscles. However, neck extension exercises tend to focus more on the back neck muscles and can provide a stronger workout for those muscles. On the other hand, neck flexion exercises tend to focus more on the front neck muscles.
In terms of prevention, both neck flexion and neck extension exercises are important for preventing neck pain and injury. However, neck extension exercises can be more effective in preventing injury from collisions or falls because they strengthen the back neck muscles, which play a key role in absorbing impact from collisions or falls.
In conclusion, both neck flexion and neck extension exercises are important for athletes to perform for strength and prevention. Neck extension exercises tend to be more effective in terms of strengthening the back neck muscles and preventing injury from collisions or falls, while neck flexion exercises are more effective in terms of strengthening the front neck muscles. Athletes should aim to incorporate both neck flexion and neck extension exercises into their workout routines to achieve the best results.