Are neck isos necessary for big neck?

[Darkseidd21]

What helped u get that big thick neck, isos for neck or rows, carries, dl and that stuff, share ur experiences. Thanks

[air2fakie]

You're confusing neck and traps.

[BeginnerGainz]

Neck?

Or traps?

[EiFit91]

You're confusing neck and traps.

Maybe he is this guy?

[img]https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/********/000/033/831/ed.jpg[/img]

[paulinkansas]

I used to do neck bridges in wrestling practice. It's sort of like planking, but you use your head instead of your arms.

[EliKoehn]

18" neck here. Not huge or anything but decent development. Never once isolated it (besides shrugs, I suppose) but it seems to respond from deadlifts, rows, etc. The traps insert in the neck so that distinction is curious to me.

[air2fakie]

18" neck here. Not huge or anything but decent development. Never once isolated it (besides shrugs, I suppose) but it seems to respond from deadlifts, rows, etc. The traps insert in the neck so that distinction is curious to me.

Goes to OP's specific Q since he's asking about specific exercises vs. others, as they're two diff things. That's like saying distinction between bis and tris are unimportant since they're both in the arms.

You can have a big neck and no traps (see EFs pic above), and big traps and a pencil neck. General neck size is largely genetic, kinda like calves - although you can build both to be more muscular from that general size or simply make both fatter too.

[EliKoehn]

Goes to OP's specific Q since he's asking about specific exercises vs. others, as they're two diff things. That's like saying distinction between bis and tris are unimportant since they're both in the arms.

You can have a big neck and no traps, and big traps and a pencil neck. General neck size is largely genetic, kinda like calves - although you can build both to be more muscular from that general size or simply make both fatter too.

But isn't that like saying you can have monster triceps and thin arms? I suppose that's possible, but to the extent that a major part of it is well-developed, it confers that status in part to the whole thing, unless this is a semantic difference and you mean the front of the neck, specifically.

Sincere question because I cannot think of this, myself: can you provide an example of someone with a pencil neck and huge traps?

But there are muscles in the rest of the neck obviously which likely are mostly genetic. For what it's worth, perhaps I misunderstood OP's question. He seemed to be asking what seemed to confer neck size and I related my own experience, but if that's not-applicable, please disregard.

[paulinkansas]

This is a situation where you would use a neck bridge.

[air2fakie]

But isn't that like saying you can have monster triceps and thin arms? I suppose that's possible, but to the extent that a major part of it is well-developed, it confers that status in part to the whole thing, unless this is a semantic difference and you mean the front of the neck, specifically.

Not sure what you're not getting, look at your overall neck and see where the traps overlap it. The difference isn't semantic, nor are the muscles targeted by the two categories of exercises that OP asked about. Of course - much like a lot of musculature - the two often go hand in hand, and big traps certainly add to the overall appearance of the neck.

Similarly, if you've taken the time develop monster tris you prob have developed bis too. But you can certainly have monster triceps and ugly or small-looking arms, if you never did any exercises that target biceps. It's much more common for casual gymgoers to have biceps & no triceps though, which is less noticeable since they're on the back of the arms. If you go to a commercial gym and look around, you'll see tons of people who literally have zero long head tri development.

Sincere question because I cannot think of this, myself: can you provide an example of someone with a pencil neck and huge traps?

As I noted above, if you've developed huge traps you likely have developed your neck somewhat in the process as well - or at least have non-pencil neck genetics. I'll let PinK google pics of overly developed traps while maintaining a pencil neck - my guess is they'd be enhanced without doing a balanced program to achieve that feat. IRL if you know a skinny dude with a pencil neck, give him a program of only overhead bb & db shrugs and no other exercises for 1 year. Practically speaking, I hope no one ever does that - but the point being, there is a distinction and it's possible.

But there are muscles in the rest of the neck obviously which likely are mostly genetic. For what it's worth, perhaps I misunderstood OP's question. He seemed to be asking what seemed to confer neck size and I related my own experience, but if that's not-applicable, please disregard.

I read OP's Q as clearly not knowing the distinction between traps and the neck (which you noted is IYO irrevelant), or what certain exercises would be focusing on. A lot of neck isos will hit specific muscles not targeted "well" by other movements. Keep in mind there are a lot of people who don't have your generous size and frame when they start working out, and some people's traps insert much lower on the back of the neck than others and/or they have "taller" necks.

Usually when we see Qs like this, the person is focusing on details that don't matter for where they are in the process, instead of just lifting hard with proper programming.

[paulinkansas]

give him a program of only overhead bb & db shrugs and no other exercises for 1 year.

I'm sort of doing that. I hit every body part 2x a week, but I hit traps 3x a week. Been doing it for about 4 months now.

[Darkseidd21]

Neck, talking bout the neck not the traps

[air2fakie]

Neck, talking bout the neck not the traps

If the neck is your #1 priority for weighlifting, wear a weighted neck harness during your entire workout and during the day. Or add a neck day to your bro split. Be mindful of any pain or overuse.

[George2100]

I used to box and was forced to train neck almost everyday. Direct neck training is very important for contact sports. I would stick to neck curls with a plate on your forehead and neck ext with a plate on the back of your head or a neck harness. Neck ext and neck harness work are very similar. Start light with no resistance. 100 reps neck flexion (curls for front of neck) twice per week and 100 reps of neck extensions (work the back of neck) twice per week on different days. Bridges can be kind of sketchy IMO. You can do 1x100 1x50 or 4x25. Whatever fits your own goals.

[Darkseidd21]

I used to box and was forced to train neck almost everyday. Direct neck training is very important for contact sports. I would stick to neck curls with a plate on your forehead and neck ext with a plate on the back of your head or a neck harness. Neck ext and neck harness work are very similar. Start light with no resistance. 100 reps neck flexion (curls for front of neck) twice per week and 100 reps of neck extensions (work the back of neck) twice per week on different days. Bridges can be kind of sketchy IMO. You can do 1x100 1x50 or 4x25. Whatever fits your own goals.

thanks man just what I was looking for..

[Darkseidd21]

If the neck is your #1 priority for weighlifting, wear a weighted neck harness during your entire workout and during the day. Or add a neck day to your bro split. Be mindful of any pain or overuse.

will add neck at the end of my pull session twice per week

[MyEgoProblem]

Yes.
You can get a big neck without direct work.

Will it be the biggest? Probably not.
But they are huge downsides to an xxl neck such as sleep apnia (sp?)

But also huge UP sides if you are a contact sport/combat athlete, such as much lower instances of concussion, ko or i guess getting choked out.

Weigh up the risk reward for your self.

Id only do neck extensions these days and would only really program extensions for people who want neck work for anyone who isn't taking hits.. If bg they are id have them bridge too or use the iron mind harness

[Darkseidd21]

Yes.
You can get a big neck without direct work.

Will it be the biggest? Probably not.
But they are huge downsides to an xxl neck such as sleep apnia (sp?)

But also huge UP sides if you are a contact sport/combat athlete, such as much lower instances of concussion, ko or i guess getting choked out.

Weigh up the risk reward for your self.

Id only do neck extensions these days and would only really program extensions for people who want neck work for anyone who isn't taking hits.. If bg they are id have them bridge too or use the iron mind harness

thanks man I'd definitely want big neck but not at every cost, so I will add some light neck work and see what it does to my neck