The Importance of Neck Training

I read this article today about the science behind a knockout and it confirmed what many old time boxing trainers have known for years and that is that neck strength plays an important role in defending against a knockout blow. A KO occurs due to trauma of the brain which happens as a result of a blow of sufficient force to the head. If powerful enough the blow will cause an acceleration of the brain within its cerebral fluid causing it to rebound back and forth hitting the inside walls of the skull. The trauma that results from this can cause the brain to simply shutdown resulting in what we call a knockout. A brutal example of the knockout punch was given late in 2009 when Ricky Hatton took on pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao and suffered a devestating KO loss, as shown in the clip below.



So what then can we do to help minimise the risk of suffering a knockout. Well for years boxers have sworn by neck training. In the article mentioned above the author comments on how the sternocleidomastoids muscles (located on either side of the neck) can play a role in the absorbtion of blows to the head by acting as a buffer to the violent shake of the head that results from a strike. It mentions, briefly........

The sternocleidomastoids (SCM) -- one on each side of the neck -- are paired muscles, composed of the sternomastoid component that runs from the sternum to the mastoid process of the skull, immediately behind and below the ear, and the cleidomastoid muscle that runs from the clavicle to the mastoid. When flexed, the SCM rotates the head toward the opposing side. Flexing both SCMs in alternation shakes the head “no,” as one might if waving off an overly concerned ringside physician. Flexing them simultaneously flexes the neck forward and extends the head -- in the right circumstance resisting the force of a blow to the face. It’s why fighters often seem to be ducking into a punch.

Lets look then at how to train the neck The easiest way is to use our own bodyweight. I regularly use the exercise 'neck bridges' (as demonstrated in the video below) and can attest to their effectiveness for neck training. They are simple to do and only take a few minutes to complete. 1-2 times a week should be enough and over time you can increase the intensity by holding a weight on the chest to give more resistance to the neck. Another option is neck curls which can be done using a relativley inexpensive piece of equipment called a neck harness (see ebay for cheap options). The neck harness is a good option for those looking to progress onto weighted neck work as increasing amounts of weight can be added to the harness as you build your neck strength. For those involved in combat sports there is nothing to lose but perhaps a lot to gain and the options listed above are both simple and inexpensive ways too target the neck muscles and hopefully help protect the combat athlete against a knockout when fighting in the ring or cage.



For more information on neck training for boxers and some variations of the neck bridge as well as other ideas check out Ross Enamaits informative article called The Chin, The Beard, The Knockout