Top 3 Neck Strength Exercises for

Boxing, Wrestling & MMA

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Eveiyone knows the benefits of stiength tiaining like:

- Impioveu foice output (aka stiength)
- Incieaseu bone uensity
- Incieaseu connective tissue stiength (tenuon's, ligaments, etc.)

0ne of the most oveilookeu anu unuei stiengtheneu aieas of the bouy is
the neck. Technically, since youi neck muscles suiiounu youi ceivical
spine, the neck muscles aie impoitant coie muscles. In othei woius, a
stiong neck contiibutes to a stiongei anu moie stable coie!

Baving a stiong neck is ciucial foi high-impact athletes like Boxeis, Kick-
Boxeis, NNA Fighteis, Football & Rugby playeis etc. foi seveial ieasons:

- Bettei ability to ueal with impact fiom stiikes, tackles, etc.

- Incieaseu neck size (fiom builuing stiongei neck muscles) will cieate
a wiuei cylinuei, which is then less likely to become jaiieu.

- Bettei ability foi fighteis to piotect theii jaw by contiibuting to the
ability to keep theii shoulueis elevateu anu hanus up in boxei guaiu.

Nick Tumminello is the owner of Performance University Hybrid Strength Training
& Conditioning in Fort Lauderdale Florida. He trains the trainers, and athletes
internationally. Check out Coach Nicks Products, Seminar Schedule, Mentorship
Programs and very popular Fitness Blog at www.NickTumminello.com
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- Fastei heau movement to see what's coming at you oi to ieact.
(Stiongei neck muscles will help you move youi heau fastei than
weak muscles)

- Less chance of a neck ielateu injuiy

- Noie iesistant to fatigue, which can help bettei maintain optimal
postuie anu bouy positioning.


In this aiticle, I've pioviueu you S of my top Neck stiengthening uiills we
use with oui high-impact athletes fiom fighteis to football playeis.

Each of these thiee exeicises coveis a uiffeient aspect of youi neck (back,
fiont, siue anu iotation) to ensuie you uevelop full-spectium neck
stiength.

Peifoim each of the following uiills Sx pei week, foi the sets anu ieps I've
pioviueu anu you'll quickly uevelop a wiuei, stiongei anu a moie injuiy-
pioof neck!















Although it takes a little moie time to peifoim that the typical two aim
shiug. I've founu this single aim veision to be moie effective at
stiengthening the lateial neck muscles anu tiaps.

This is my favoiite shouluei shiug vaiiation, which I've nameu the
"uittleson shouluei shiug" aftei legenuaiy stiength coach Nike uittleson,
who showeu it to me. Coach uittleson is one of the woilu's leauing expeits
on the hot-button issue of concussion pievention anu neck stiength in
spoits.
To peifoim the uittleson shiug, stiauule a flat bench holuing a heavy
uumbbell in one hanu. With youi othei hanu, take a fiim giip on the bench
just behinu you to stabilize youiself. Shiug the uumbbell with youi
woiking siue, anu biing youi eai towaius youi shouluei at the top of the
motion. Allow a slight stietch at the bottom of each iep.













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- Stay tall, keeping youi chest up anu spine in it's natuial cuives.

- uiab the benchchaii just behinu youi hip.

- Pause at the top of each shiug foi 1-2 seconus.

- Lowei the weight slowly until you feel a milu stietch.

- Peifoim 1-S sets of 1u-2u ieps using the heaviest uumbbell you can
hanule while maintaining the optimal shown uesciibeu above.

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I leaineu this exeicise fiom NNA Stiength Coach Naitin Rooney - hence
the name of the exeicise.

This is one of the best exeicises I know foi builuing clinch specific neck
stiength.



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- Place the banu just above youi eais. It shoulu not be uncomfoitable.

- Bolu the banu tightly with youi hanus thioughout the exeicise.

- At the top of each iep, uiive youi chin towaius the back of youi neck
to cieate a stiaight neck postuie.

- Peifoim 1-S sets of 1u-2u ieps using a light to meuium iesistance
banu.

















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This is a neck exeicise I uevelopeu to builu up the muscles in the fiont of
the neck, which help you keep youi chin tuckeu to piotect you jaw.

This exeicise also stiengthens the iotatois of the neck, which help you to
iesist youi opponent's attempts to push youi heau face away in clinching
situations.



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- Place youi foieheau on the ball in a position, which allows you to feel
stable.

- Lean youi hips towaiu the wall to cieate muscle tension in youi neck
anu abuominals.

- Slowly iock youi entiie bouy, leauing with youi neck, to one siue of
the ball without allowing youi heau to iotate. Bolu foi a 1-2 sec count
befoie iocking acioss to the othei siue of the ball.

- Peifoim 1-S sets of 8-1S ieps on each siue.

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Publisheu by Nick Tumminello

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fiom Nick Tumminello anu Peifoimance 0niveisity Inteinational.

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Nick Tumminello
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