Weighted Lying Neck Extension

1. Lie face down on a flat bench with your head and neck hanging off the end, chest supported by the pad.
2. Fold a towel over the back of your head and hold a light plate against it with both hands.
3. Start with your neck in a neutral line, then slowly lower your head toward the floor until you feel a light stretch.
4. Raise your head by extending your neck until your face points forward, slightly above neutral.
5. Pause for a second at the top while keeping your torso pinned to the bench.
6. Lower back down under control, taking about two seconds on the way down.
7. Complete 10 to 15 smooth reps before carefully setting the plate down.

Common Mistakes

• Starting too heavy: The neck responds to light loads and high control. Begin with a 1.25 to 2.5 kg plate and earn heavier weight over weeks, not sets.
• Jerky, fast reps: Snapping the head up and down is how necks get tweaked. Every rep should be slow and deliberate.
• Hyperextending at the top: Craning the head far back compresses the cervical joints. Stop just past neutral.
• Lifting the chest off the bench: Arching the upper back turns it into a back extension. Only the neck should move.