neck strength training

what exercises and progressions are there for strength-training of the neck?

Weighted neck extensions would be one, like back extensions but curling only your neck. You can also do it isometrically if thats more specific to what you need.

Wrestler.

Farmer burns does have excellent neck work. Neck bridging is excellent! I used to use the 4-way neck machine when I used to fight, those are good. Getting a head strap(Preferably the one from Iron Mind) is a good choice as well. What do you want to strengthen your neck for?

Headstands seem to work my neck, especially when I work towards a free standing headstand. My neck burns from just thinking about it! Hmmm defiantly going to work that at the gym today

slizzardman said:

What do you want to strengthen your neck for?

Main reason for my question is two person planche. Like I wrote in the thread (http://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3186) here, whenever I try it, my neck get's very sore. Training with two person planche would be possible, but feels like it's too much load, so I need something easier to strengthen the neck - mainly to avoid injury; I believe a correclty done two person planche shouldn't put as much load on the neck as I get at the moment experimenting with it.

Also for things like free-standing headstand or having someone stand on my head (which is supposed to help learning free standing headstand), I guess a strong neck built by a reasonable progression (instead of just putting my whole weight on it in a free headstand ) won't hurt.

@niftyvt: do you just train free standing headstand on a normal floor by gradually putting less weight on the hands? Or do you have a more sophisticated progression for it?

Thanks for all the answers so far. I'll try neck bridges and weighted neck extensions as soon as the soreness from last weekends experiments on two-person-planche is gone

Yep, I do the classic lessen the support of the hands by gradually picking up fingers. I am currently at two fingers and can almost pick up to one finger on each hand. Doing them in a straddle helps too.

I'd say the most specific exercise for that is the neck deadlift. Head harness, attach to weight, start in the deadlift position with neck and back straight, upper body at 45-70 degrees. Stand up, keeping everything straight and the upper body at 45-70 degrees. Lower down. Do for reps. Increase weight slowly, a few lbs at a time at the most. My neck is still strong from previous exposure, so I can start with 75 lbs if I push it, but I'm thinking I'll be better off with 60. I'd suggest 30-40, personally.

Interesting exercise, thanks!