Neck Strength

Neck Strength

Building a strong neck is a good idea... but especially if you plan on doing crazy things like this. That's me holding a full nose-to-mat neck bridge with 168-pound pat Povilaitis standing on top of me while bending a red nail. It took me a long time to build up this level of neck strength. DON'T try this at home.

---

The Neck Helmet

The Neck Helmet

A "strongman" should be strong everywhere and that means building a strong neck too. One of the best ways to build a thicker stronger neck is by using a "neck helmet" a football helmet with a retrofitted weight horn. This setup makes it very easy to train the neck from several different directions. This particular neck helmet was using some plans from an old issue of Iron Man Magazine and has been in use for over 10 years (no, it's not for sale.)

---

The Wrestler's Bridge

The Wrestler's Bridge

The wrestler's bridge is a great exercise, but it isn't for everyone. Regardless, one of the areas that you should pay particular attention to building is the strength of your neck. Here's the course that taught me how to bridge correctly: Combat Conditioning.

---

Teeth Lifting

Teeth Lifting Bit

Teeth Lifting was a favorite feat of many oldtime strongmen, and this particular mouthpiece was sold by the York Barbell Company in the pages of Strength and Health Magazine Several hundred pounds can be lifted in this manner and this type of lifting will build incredible neck and jaw strength, however, we do NOT recommend this style of lifting (If you decide to do it anyway, please have a dentist onhand.)

---

Joseph Vitole

Joseph Vitole
At a bodyweight of only 150 pounds, Joe Vitole broke the World's Record with a teeth lift of 550 pounds. Needless to say, teeth lifting builds incredible neck strength. While you may not necessarily want to include teeth lifting in you routine, you should unquestionably be training your neck.

---

The Neck Strap

The Neck Strap

A strong neck not only looks impressive, it can save your life too - especially if you play football. Not to mention that since you should train every part of your body, neck strength is simply a part of a complete program. Also, since your neck may not be used to intense training, you will likely experience impressive results rather quickly. The neck strap has long been an effective method for building neck strength, it's quick, portable and can be used by just about any athlete -- plus, if your name is Pat Povilaitis, you can hang an engine block from it while you bend a horse shoe...

---

Farmer Burns: The Hangman's Drop

Farmer Burns built his neck strength to such an advanced level that he could literally "hang" himself with a noose, including the drop, -- and live. That's pretty intense as this rare photograph shows (DO NOT try this at home.) His theory was simple -- one of the most important physical training goals of any combat athlete is to build the neck to the point that no one can choke you out. The "Old Farmer" built up his neck strength with his favorite exercise: The Wrestler's Bridge

Farmer Burns: The Hangman's Drop

---