EXECUTION
- Assume a side-lying position on a bench with the shoulders at the end so that the head is free to move through a full range of motion sideways.
- Weights via a head strap should hang down from the underside of the head.
- Lower the head under control until you feel a strong stretch of the muscles involved and then raise the head as high as possible.
- Do not turn the head during the upward rotation. Eyes should be focused directly in front. Inhale and hold your breath as you lower and raise your head maximally. Exhale after reaching the uppermost position and then inhale and hold as the head is lowered.
- Keep the movement under control at all times.
- Be sure to keep the body in a side-lying position at all times.
- Execute the movement at a slow to moderate rate of speed. There should be no jerking or quick movements.
To develop the upper trapezius bodybuilders do the shrug exercise. However, when this exercise is not done through the full range of motion you end up with sloping shoulders, which are accentuated by the thicker upper traps. To work the upper traps in their opposite action, i.e., lateral head flexion, in which only the head is in motion, you can get great development without sloping shoulders. As a bonus, you also strengthen the sternocleidomastoid, one of the most important muscles of the neck, together with many other muscles that support the cervical vertebrae. As a result, you get a stronger and better defined neck.
MAJOR MUSCLES INVOLVED
Upper Trapezius The trapezius a relatively flat sheet of muscular fibers that lies directly beneath the skin. It is located in the mid-upper back and runs from the base of the skull to the 12th thoracic vertebra of the spine. The upper fibers run downward and outward while the lower fibers run upward and outward to meet the middle fibers as the muscle inserts on the inner border and top of the outer scapulae. Because of the multi-arrangement of the fibers, the entire trapezius muscles has several major actions. However, in lateral head raises only the upper portion of the muscle is involved. The middle and lower portions are used mainly for stabilization and holding the scapulae in place to allow for effective shortening of the muscles involved.
Sternocleidomastoid The sternocleidomastoid is a very prominent muscle on the sides of the neck. It originates on the clavicle and sternum and inserts directly under and slightly behind the ear on the mastoid process of the skull. When viewed from the front, this muscle forms the letter “V”.
Scaleni The scaleni muscles (anterior, medius and posterior), named for their relative positions, form a triangle on the sides of the neck. These muscles run from the transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae to the first and second ribs.
Erector Spinae, deep posterior and other prime muscles The erector spinae group (iliocostalis cervicis, longissimus cervicis, longissimus capitis and spinalis cervicis) and the intratransversarii and the multifidus of the deep posterior spinal group laterally flex the head.
In addition, the semi-spinalis cervicis and semi-spinalis capitis with the splenius capitis and splenius cervicis, which are located in the neck, are involved. Most of these muscles are relatively short or long and slender and attach to different vertebrae of the cervical and thoracic spines. This helps to provide overall greater support for the head and neck. None of these are very powerful by themselves except for the sternocleidomastoid.
MUSCLES & ACTIONS
In lateral head raises you raise the head upwards while in a side-lying position. When in a standing position the muscles involved pull the head down to one or the other side.
COMMENTS
1) When working the muscles of the neck it is important that all movements be done under control and with strict form. Also you should do only one movement in one plane of motion. Thus in lateral head flexion it is important that the head not flex, hyperextend or rotate to the left or right. The head should be held steady and move in a sideward plane through the entire range of motion. If you combine head rotation, flexion or hyperextension of the cervical spine with lateral flexion, it can cause an injury.
2) The sternocleidomastoid is not only a lateral flexor of the head but also a rotator and flexor of the head. It has a tendency to perform all of these actions at the same time. For maximum safety the key is to be sure the stabilizer neck muscles as well as the neck extensors remain under tension to hold the head in the same plane as it is raised and lowered.
3) Because movement control is so important in the lateral head raise, you should not use extremely heavy weights which can cause you to execute quick or jerky movements or which may create a tendency to bring in other actions to help raise the weight. Keep in mind that when very heavy weights are used additional muscles must come into play not only to stabilize the body but to control the movement and to give an assist in raising the head. This can be a positive feature but the negative results outweigh them. Also, when the range of motion is decreased, it decreases the amount of muscle shortening and resulting development of the upper trapezius, sternocleidomastoid and other muscles.
4) Because very strict form is required in execution of this exercise it is important that you inhale and hold your breath during the raising of the head phase. The breath holding stabilizes the trunk so that it can remain rigid to allow the head to move in its correct plane. If there was exhalation during the exertion, the chest would relax and extraneous movements forward or backward would be possible. Thus breath holding is very important for producing correct technique execution and in keeping the exercise safe. This is especially important when doing cervical (neck) muscle exercises.
5) During exhalation, after raising the head, you help to relax the muscles but not completely as this once again would interfere with full control of the movement. But it is important that you relax sufficiently to allow the head to move in one plane but under control of the muscles at all times.
6) It is interesting to note the many muscles that are involved in lateral flexion of the head. They include short, long and thin and many overlapping muscles that cover the cervical spine quite extensively. For example, the sternocleidomastoid cover the sides of the neck diagonally, the three scaleni are directly on the side, the erector spinae group is attached alongside the spine, as are the deep posterior group and the semispinalis cervicis and capitus. The splenius cervicis and capitis cover the back of the neck.
7) Due to the different positions and the overlapping nature of all of these muscles, they provide much support to the neck and head. Because of this they should be strengthened for optimal performance. Muscles such as the trapezius, which is usually not thought of as a lateral flexor of the head, play an important role in moving the cervical spine. Thus they can easily be pulled if the other muscles are not well developed. The neck can be a relatively sensitive area that has no very big and strong muscles. Thus all of the smaller muscles should be developed to provide maximum stability for the head which is critical in the performance of many bodybuilding exercises and to prevent neck injuries.