How To Engage Your Neck When Lifting - Neck Gains Without Isolation

[@josemarialaguinge]

Nose breathing > mouth breathing. I'll wait for the next video.

[@darwinianfitness7311]

Facts, thanks for watching bro

[@bleryper]

A lot of streetlifters do the extension pattern you showed on dips and I think Dan green does a similar thing with his neck on bench. Flexing into the press seems a little less intuitive though and possibly weaker if those examples are anything to go by, though maybe it’s good for bodybuilding purposes. I’ll have to try it out in the gym. Very interesting stuff this seems like the type of thing a lot of very strong people have been utilizing through out the years without really intellectualizing it. Come to think of it I recall Brian Shaw saying his mouth piece was his most important piece of equipment.

[@darwinianfitness7311]

Flexion style Head movement on bench is usually more subtle, I think because the bench itself gets in the way, but it is there. Extension style Is more obvious, and emerges when they do a close grip/ tricep emphasized press which follows an extension pattern, similarly, most street lifters are doing extension pattern dips, which im suspicious are stronger then flexion(chest dominant) dips. All of my content is an attempt at trying to intellectualize stuff elite lifters do without conscious understanding, in the hopes that us peasants can transcend our humanity by using similar tactics consciously. On that note, I have other vids that discuss how to optimize clenching teeth for strength without needing a mouthguard that you might find interesting. The most recent was a short, where you can actually see Paul Anderson do the technique essentially as described in old training footage! Thanks for watching, I hope you get some use out these ideas

[@lxMaDnEsSxl]

really nice video. I semi noticed mewing increasing my neck muscles but I didnt know you could incorporate flexion and extension muscles and really target it intentionally how it should be optimally.

[@darwinianfitness7311]

I appreciate it! Hope it gives you the yoke you deserve

[@ivanplavcic643]

man this is incredible, this is the first time i saw someone verbalise this concept rly amazing stuff. would love to see you explain how you view this in the context of lower body lifts. im guessing it has to do with small changes in pelvic tilt (i especially notice the difference with reverse nordics and hip hinges).

[@darwinianfitness7311]

. Thank you so much! It really means a lot that people find interest and use from my stuff. Yes! Those pelvic tilts, alongside even slight rotations internally or externally in the hip socket also weirdly connect to the neck and sternum movements shown here. all that and more will be elaborated on in the next vid, which despite my best efforts will take a bit longer yet. Stay tuned, and thanks for watching!

[@BallisticSollution]

Excellent video, been trying to change my breathing habits for a while now, not that I'm a mouth breather, but when I exercise, in through the nose and out through the mouth tends to be my default, especially in cardio. Attempting to modify that behavior, even in lifting is difficult. Thanks for the insights and the video explaining mewing, top tier stuff!

[@darwinianfitness7311]

The transition is awkward but you’ll definitely be able to make it. Thanks for the support!

[@MrReigato]

I would do 2 sets of moderate weight power cleans every time i went to the gym for about 2 years, and my neck grew quite a bit

[@keeganshulista1446]

I've been using pretty similar ideas to this in my work day, I load trailers floor to ceiling with packages. I also thought I was kinda just doing it because I'm schizo, but it's also made me better at the job than just about anybody regardless of body size. I do my best to maintain a mental connection between the weight and position of my head and let that radiate down through my sternum all the way to the stomach, and during lower body movements I imagine my pelvis is sort of like a boat being guided by my knees being sort of like rudders, with my ankles being like shock absorbers for my feet, which are like a swiss army knife that can grip smack or slide the ground.. Okay that definitely just sounds like some weird shit and I don't really know how I could be more technical about it. If I do all of this with the nasal breathing I feel like I'm in a mech suit that I control with willpower alone. And I fuckin destroy those trailers.

[@darwinianfitness7311]

lol I got really excited reading this comment, it’s super cool. What your intuiting is using your body like a distributed network of tension,and if grasp the interconnectedness between body parts you’re able to lift things way more effectively and without as much fatigue. This is exactly what my next vid is going to be about. That willpower movement thing is very similar to trying to maneuver on a skateboard, where you sorta just intend to go somewhere, and I think it’s the pinnacle of how movement works when the body is operating as an integrated unit Very dope to know other strength schizos found my vid, thanks for watching bro!

[@keeganshulista1446]

With enough focus, knowledge, and willpower, the human body can really do some spooky anime shit. I'll definitely be looking forward to that video man

[@arelphelps7088]

its one thing to intuit these things, but its even greater that you shared these things so articulately. thank you, tremendously helpful.

[@darwinianfitness7311]

You’re very welcome, thanks for the kind words and your continued support!

[@MrKanti-yy5ux]

I think you're onto something about the sleep apnea point. Despite being a healthy weight and a nasal breather, I suffer from moderate apnea, overwhelmingly caused by hypopnea episodes due to tissue relaxation that I can replicate when awake. Notably, this has gotten significantly worse since a bad URI that had me in viscous coughing fits and shredded intercostal muscles because of it (probably hindering ribcage expansion too if I had to guess). Hopefully I can see some improvement from these methods. Thanks for your endeavors, king.

[@jonathanparecki]

Awesome as always. Would love to see a whole video on the tangent section. Really interesting stuff.

[@darwinianfitness7311]

Thanks! Unfortunately the sleep apnea topic is a rabbit hole I’m still exploring. Recent insights about it put the video on hold until I could test new ideas on some sleep apnea suffering friends of mine. I think I have some very promising ways of rehabilitating it, and a very useful way of viewing the disorder, but it’ll probably be a couple months until it’s articulated well enough for a video

[@Empireofray]

Solid vid brother. Always knew the neck meant something but never really questioned it like this. All of the body is a chain

[@darwinianfitness7311]

Exactly! And the better you can connect it the better and more effective training and performance get Thanks for watching!

[@arelphelps7088]

wow, what the flip. goated insights. sensational

[@martincattell6820]

Interesting video. I contracted Bell's palsy as a teen and unfortunately did not properly recover. Many of the muscles in the right side of my face and neck have atrophied with the added complication that signals i onyend ro send to one muscle end up going to other muscles. For example, qhen i chew,mt eye closes. Another issue is that my right nostril does not dilate well. It collapses if i breathe in too sharply and has a greater tendency to get blocked up. To flare that nostril, i have to pull a crazy face 🤨😂 I force myself to chew on my right side because my left jaw was locking so often. As a reault of all this i have tried to develop more awarness of the muscles in my in my neck and face but i haven't tried very hard to remedy these problems. I will make more of an effort

[@darwinianfitness7311]

You’ll find this really interesting! I have a friend who recently recovered from stage four oral cancer, and his radiation therapy largely destroyed the muscles of his tongue, jaw and neck in a way that made eating extremely difficult and time consuming. By just clenching his teeth using my technique (which I cover in an other video), mewing, nasal breathing, and consciously learning to swallow properly with his tongue( this is covered in Mike Mew’s video), he’s managed to rehab himself to like 70% less difficulty eating then before. And Im Veeery suspicious the last little bit he needs to recover completely is to just institute these neck postures in to his training, alongside the other things he’s doing. I just haven’t had a chance to train him again and test my theory. I think you could potentially have great success doing the same. The teeth clenching video is one of my shorts and I believe it’s titled “clench your teeth like Paul Anderson”. Just like how the cues of this video integrate the neck, that video essentially allows you you to integrate the face into your lifting. I probably should have included it here, but I set a deadline and was strapped for time. If you can’t find the video or you want to talk to me about this topic with more depth/ask questions, I’d be happy to help. Just DM me on Instagram @darwinian_fitness Best of Luck Homie, and I Hope this helps!

[@martincattell6820]

@@darwinianfitness7311 Thanks for the advice

[@LamberBeb]

Ever since you posted that mewing/bracing/teeth gritting tutorial on instagram I’ve been getting neck pumps on every press I do lol

[@darwinianfitness7311]

That’s awesome man! This is essentially the continuation of that concept

[@stevethea5250]

link ?

[@darwinianfitness7311]

@stevethea5250 “Clench Your Teeth Like Paul Anderson” kzbin.infodrmzx3v1Iik?feature=share Here’s the short he’s probably referring to

[@stevethea5250]

@@darwinianfitness7311 cheers for that

[@MarianoGrande1]

I bet that's why Mitch Hooper is the world's strongest man. His neck is insane.

[@darwinianfitness7311]

A lot of the most freakish of the freakish get insane necks with no direct trading, Paul Andersons neck was even freakier, and you can actually see him mewing in training footage!

[@markhedquist9597]

Am i ever glad i stumbled onto your channel! (Well, algorithmed onto it) I watch a lot of postural restoration videos as i'm asymmetrical as hell. With lots of old injuries adding to the misery. I just started lifting again after several years off. Trying to be smarter this time around. The fact you used the word "patterns" really stuck out to me as it's used in PR lingo all the time. This, and your flexion/extension , internal/external rotation bias stuff just speaks volumes to me. And mewing. It's all connected. Great stuff here, man. This all gives me something to wrap my head around and be that much smarter with my old age lifting. Haha!

[@darwinianfitness7311]

I really appreciate that! I too was once a mangled goblin of a man but I found most of that style of content to be unintelligible and usually not progressive or well articulated. I try really hard to not fall into the same traps and provide information that, while zany, is still pragmatically useful and easily applied. I hope you continue to get value out of my stuff! Thanks for watching.

[@jmat3287]

U got a majestic neck bro, need to get my neck up to that size again since I quit grappling haha

[@darwinianfitness7311]

Thanks man! My neck was trash before learning to recruit it on compound lifts, hopefully it will help yours too!

[@helloyoutube2694]

I am dealing with obstructive sleep apnea since a looooong time, and i found that mewing during neck curls makes my throat really sore, thout its not normal, but after watching this video i guess getting my throat stronger gonna improve my sleep a ton, gotta give this a good shot

[@darwinianfitness7311]

A client of mine lowered his average apnea events from 101 per hour, as measured by his cpap down to .3, mostly through exclusive nose breathing, mewing, and incorporating the neck into his training. I didn’t think that bit would actually find a useful audience, so I’m really glad you see relevance to your own training. The sleep apnea video is a ways away, because I’ve been slacking, but I think you’ll find it very useful when it’s out. Thanks for watching and best of luck in your health!

[@kevinwicklund9593]

Interesting video. I love neck gains but my take is that in general shortening of the neck extensors during movement hinders fluidity and freedom of movement. Maintaining tension in the right places while keeping the neck long and mostly neutral allows the body to move more freely and breath efficiently. Shortening the neck during exercise can be like stepping on the brake and gas pedal at the same time. I do love some neck curls though

[@darwinianfitness7311]

Thanks! I disagree. Artificially locking your neck into neutrality seems much more likely to stiffen you and hinder your fluidity. What I’m advocating for is allowing the neck to move through natural full ranges of motion, just as you would any other muscle group. It’s important to note that I’m not saying to keep the neck flexed, I’m saying to incorporate neck flexion and extension naturally into compound movements. None of this hinders breathing unless you’re talking about mouth breathing, in which case the idea is silly. Mouth breathing is inefficient breathing. It also actively improves general movement , because neck movement can be used to To drive the limbs through rotation.

[@kevinwicklund9593]

I can see that perspective. I also agree that full ROM neck training is very helpful and that fixing the neck arbitrarily can be restrictive in some cases. It’s almost impossible to keep the neck neutral during some movements. I competed in football, baseball, hockey so I believe in training the neck but also have a background in the Alexander Technique, which mostly works with musicians and dancers. Shortening of the neck can absolutely restrict movement and breathing in these disciplines for example because it can led to unnecessary tension and shifts in the shoulders, ribs and hips. This can constrict the diaphragm from being able to expand fully and function with ease.

[@moritji6090]

Do you do any direct neck Work? What about Rotational & shifting patterns. Flex/Ext patterns are important but there is also Frontal & Transverse Plane movements. Do you train these too?

[@darwinianfitness7311]

I don’t do any direct neck work usually. I’ve started playing with transverse by trying to shift my neck around when I do side bends. It’s something I think about as potentially lacking, but I’m suspicious that with proper breathing and bracing mechanics incorporating the neck, those things probably get adequately hit by playing stabilizing roles, a similar way to how the obliques can assist in breathing and bracing under load

[@VeNoMziV]

So true about the tongue making you stronger, ever heard the expression the strong silent type

[@hoop6988]

Wow if never even heard of this before this is insane.

[@ErlingGrey]

This is awesome, subbed.

[@darwinianfitness7311]

Thanks for the support!

[@kaiserrar]

Is there a way to strengthen the neck without receding the Adam's apple? I don't wanna lose the aesthetics

[@fgdbdbv9399]

I didn't understand how big adam Apple is related to weak neck muscle?

[@darwinianfitness7311]

I’m gonna go in depth in a later video, but I’ve just observed that as the muscles of the deep neck flexors/throat get developed the Adam’s apple either recedes or gets covered in muscle. I’ve seen numerous people who I’ve trained now lose their Adam’s some by developing neck muscles

[@duccgod]

Thank you for this!

[@darwinianfitness7311]

Thank you for watching!

[@gigabuyceps]

Please collab with Connor Harris and do podcast together to explore more in detail all lifting variations.

[@darwinianfitness7311]

I definitely can’t swing that as a schizo ogre outsider to the lifting community, but I will cover this in more depth in my next vid. In the future I will also experiment with something like a podcast style format with a friend of mine, to try to get some more complex ideas out that would be too annoying to make in an edited video. Thanks for watching homie

[@0bs1n65]

👏🏻

[@krokajan1]

hello to people with hay fever that have permanently blocked nose half a year if not more like me :D

[@patriarchmike]

I didn't even know that I already do this all day and when I'm lifting. Unfortunately that means this is not the limiting factor that I'm looking for

[@darwinianfitness7311]

My next video might help you more, it essentially expands these ideas into the lower body, allowing you to move weights as one unit

[@user-go2xi7zq5q]

Excellent video

[@darwinianfitness7311]

Thanks!

[@shirty2]

I hate my neck, and I love gran turismo menu music. Subbed.

[@darwinianfitness7311]

I appreciate it bro, thanks for watching!

[@SaturnReturns]

Great video and massive neck! Good work.

[@darwinianfitness7311]

I really appreciate that bro, thanks for watching!

[@heitor4144]

awesome underated vid

[@darwinianfitness7311]

I appreciate it!

[@moritji6090]

These Flex/Ext patterns are concepts developed by Bill Hartman right? Just curious cause this info is really good and I am always looking for good resources to learn from.

[@darwinianfitness7311]

I’ve personally never heard another person mention these ideas, I arrived at these by trial and error and observation

[@CaffineAddict]

i get so psychotically mad that i will flex my neck so hard that my head is shaking before lifts (probably not very healthy)

[@darwinianfitness7311]

That sounds similar to my teeth clenching technique I discuss in other videos. Very effective for neck growth and strength, if done appropriately. Doubt it’s unhealthy, but flexing tighter than a certain point makes me feel weaker, and prevents me from getting the benefits of head movement. Done well both should stack and fully integrate the neck and head into your training

[@AC-xi4yn]

so extension biased for wide grip pullups?

[@darwinianfitness7311]

Yeah! wide grip tends to force external rotation as you pull, which in turn gets boosted by neck and sternum extension. This question buts up against something ill discuss in the next video, which is that certain grip widths/ stances more or less force certain mechanics. a shoulder width bench or pullups can be done both ways consciously, but at super narrow or wide grip the leverage gets so terrible that only one style is really viable

[@AC-xi4yn]

@@darwinianfitness7311 Ah ty, so by this logic, if I were to do narrower grip/one arm work, neck flexion would be better?

[@darwinianfitness7311]

For pulling yes,and I think you actually see this play out in the rounded pulling style of most guys who can do a one Arm pull up. I believe for pressing it’s reversed, wider makes for a flexion press and narrower favors an extension press. Again though you can probably force mechanics one way or another a lot of the time, it’s just at extremes of placement , one gets super weak/awkward

[@gio_roll4]

are you suggesting that we should move our chin while barbell bench pressing? sry English isn't my first language, and i'm not sure if you have implicitly said that, or not

[@darwinianfitness7311]

Yes, I’m actually saying that head movement of so kind should/could be used in basically every compound lift. And that doing it both makes you stronger, and grows the neck

[@thebrianbeale]

This is purely speculative and will not guarantee any results. Please consult a trained physician or someone with biology education to get a more scientific understanding of anatomy.

[@gio_roll4]

@@thebrianbeale yep, for bench press is probably a guaranteed neck injury, maybe for other exercises could have is role

[@darwinianfitness7311]

If you guys think slightly moving your head and neck while lifting is too dangerous, I don’t think lifting is the right hobby for you. Maybe try golf? Just be sure not to twist your ankles getting out of the cart

[@thebrianbeale]

@@darwinianfitness7311 "violently curl your neck"

[@Julez108]

Nice.

[@darwinianfitness7311]

Thanks homie

[@Ismailo-18]

Ramadan Mubarak ❤

[@darwinianfitness7311]

Likewise bro

[@YoungPeculier]

Mewing is BS

[@johannesstephanusroos4969]

Works for cats 🙃

[@somerandomdude3625]

Bet you he didn’t finish the video 😁

[@finnishboy5923]

I bet you read the title, watched 1 second of the video, and came down here to comment this, thinking you're a smart guy

[@paradiselosing]

This is about lifting not meowing.

[@CharlesTRose]

what a golden nugget if info, will incorporate immediately.

[@darwinianfitness7311]

I hope you get a lot out of it!

[@Sauna_Mikko]

Keep us updated on your experiment

[@CharlesTRose]

@@Sauna_Mikko this morning I did weighted dips and the active neck flexion at the bottom made me feel more stable and tighter and allowed me 2 more reps than usual