Building Neck and Body Power - Part 2
By Robert Drucker
In the first installment of this series, we looked at the neck curl and how to use this exercise to build a bigger neck and greater body power. In this installment, we look at another terrific neck and power builder, the wrestler's bridge.
In years past, the wrestler's bridge was a relatively popular exercise among strength enthusiasts. This is the main reason why so many of the oldtimers had large and powerful necks. Hackenschmidt, Jowett, Liederman, Nordquest, Travis, Steinborn, and many other iron men during the Golden Age of Strength were advocates of the wrestler's bridge, and if you look at pictures of these men, you will see that each possessed extraordinary neck development.
The oldtimers recognized that the degree of body strength that a man possesses can be predicted by size of his neck. In The Key to Might and Muscle, George Jowett observed,
"If I want to find out how much physical force a man possesses, or is likely to possess in a dormant state, I look at his neck. That never fails to answer my question. In both men and the other male beasts, the neck has always been the true indication of a quality and quantity of his concentrated nerve power. A strong healthy man always has a powerful neck, and he always will have one."
The strongest animals also have the strongest necks. The hyena, for example, is pound for pound one of the strongest animals in the world, and a member of this species generally possesses an incredibly thick and powerful neck. A full grown spotted hyena can deliver a bite with over 800 pounds of force per square inch (psi). This is enough force to crush large bones almost instantly.
Adult lions also have powerful necks, and they can drag prey two to three times their size for several hundred feet without pause. Fool hardy would be the person who would attempt to wrestle a fully-grown and healthy lion. Even if the lion were muzzled and de-clawed, the muscle power of the large cat alone would be enough to kill almost any man with ease. Just one swipe from a large lion's paw could deliver a blow with enough force to shatter a man's ribcage. And, any attempt of an un-armed man to choke the beast or hold onto it with a headlock would almost certainly disastrous. For, given the animal's powerful neck strength, the person would almost certainly be tossed like a rag doll and then pounced to death with 350 to 550 pounds of rock hard feline muscle.
The leopard is another large cat that harbors great strength. These animals have been known to drag a kill three times their size up a tree. Can you imagine the neck and shoulder strength that this cat must possess to accomplish this feat?
A powerful neck is not only important for animals, it is also important for people. A strong neck helps to protect the cervical column (the seven vertebrae located at the top of the spinal column) from injury. When I was 17, I was involved in a car accident as a passenger in the front seat. Unfortunately, I was not wearing a seat belt and my head slammed into the windshield at the moment of impact. Luckily, the hit wasn't hard enough to shatter glass, but I firmly believe that had my neck not been stronger than average, it would have been severely strained, fractured, or even broken. This is not to say that a heavily-muscled person does not need to wear a seat belt. I am merely pointing out that a thick and powerful neck is better protected than a weak and thin one.
A strong neck also can help a victim break free from an attacker's hold. During my college years, a friend of mine was a wrestler, and he possessed a very powerful neck (in large part because he practiced the wrestler's bridge on a regular basis.) One night my friend was walking alone along a street off campus when he was approached by two thugs who were looking for trouble. A fight broke out, and one of the thugs tried to strangle my friend from behind with a neck hold. This turned out to be a big mistake - for the thug. My friend slammed his head backwards with tremendous power, and the impact broke his attacker's nose. My friend then body slammed the stunned thug to the ground where additional punishment was dished out. The thug's partner could do nothing except run away as fast as he possibly could. The lesson to be learned here? Don't mess with a guy who has a large and powerful neck.
A successful wrestler almost always has a strong and powerful neck. A great deal of neck and body power is built by wrestling with a strong and skilled opponent, but most wrestler's also practice the back bridge movement. This is why it is often called the wrestler's bridge. Bridging helps the wrestler develop the strength, skill, and flexibility needed to escape an opponent's hold on the mat and to avoid injury. As a group, wrestlers have the strongest and most powerful necks of all athletes. This should tell you something about the value of having a strong neck.
In contrast to wrestlers, the vast majority of fitness buffs and body builders do no direct neck training at all. In fact, I will go as far to say that the majority of gym members today know nothing about bridging and neck development whatsoever. As I mentioned in Part 1 of this installment, my family and I recently went on a lengthy vacation. During this time, I trained at the fitness room of three different hotels. When I would enter the fitness room to train, I would seemingly see endless individuals doing dumbbell curls, triceps extensions, leg extensions, tread-mill work, television watching, and bench presses, either with a pair of light dumbbells or on a machine. But, not once did I see a single fitness-minded individual, other than myself, do any direct neck work. And, nearly all the fitness folks who watched me train had never before seen the execution of the neck curl nor the wrestler's bridge. When they saw me train, they simply looked at me like I was some sort of freak from Mars. The neck exercises that I did were absolutely foreign and intimidating to them.
Even in most commercial body-building and fitness gyms, the vast majority of members rarely do direct neck work, and the practice of the wrestler's bridge is almost never seen. Over a thirty-year period, I trained in many a commercial gym, and not once did I see somebody perform a bridge movement.
In the old days, neck work was much more common because the importance of building a strong neck was stressed and promoted by the muscle magazines and by the majority of strength writers. Even suppliers of barbell sets often included a neck strap with their outfits. Today, however, the body-building public receives very little information about neck training and the many benefits to be gained by practicing the bridge exercise. Flash and show have replaced true strength and substance, and the neck has been given a back seat to the more popular muscle groups, such as those of the arms and chest. This unfortunate trend involves a complex array of commercial interests, ignorance, misguidance, and value shift of the current generation. You don't want to fall victim to this hideous trend.
With regards to neck training, I favor compound movements such as the wrestler's bridge and the neck curl, as described in Part 1 of this series. These two exercises not only build the neck, but also encourage the development of total body power. When a person possesses total body power, they are strong from head to toes, and they possess the flexibility and coordination skills needed to effectively apply their strength to every-day encounters. A person with total body power has a very strong back, powerful hips, and thickly muscled legs, for these three muscle groups are the main generators of great power and strength. Paul Anderson was the strongest man of all time not because he had big arms, but because he possessed the strongest legs, lower back, and hips in history.
Strength athletes, such as football players, wrestlers, Olympic weightlifters, and martial artists generally possess a high degree of body power. These athletes train their body as a unit, and they are capable of demonstrating explosive power as a result. They possess not only well developed "show" muscles, but also super strong stabilizer muscles and thick cord-like tendons. In contrast, the pumpers and toners of the world, those folks who concentrate solely on building the "show" muscles of the body, usually do not possess a high degree of body power. Their shapely biceps, triceps, and pecs may look impressive, but they are generally weak in the small of the back, the legs, and the hips. Furthermore, the average pumper possesses soft and thin tendons and poorly developed stabilizer muscles.
Many strength athletes consider the wrestler's bridge to be a pure "neck" exercise. No doubt, this exercise will develop the neck, probably better and faster than any other. However, the wrestler's bridge is much more than just a "neck" movement. It is one of the most complete strength-building exercises you can do. When practiced consistently, it strengthens and adds flexibility to the neck, back, hips, legs, and stabilizer muscles. And, I can tell you from personal experience, bridge work increases mental and physical awareness, invigorates the body with greater energy, and helps to keep the spine healthy and pliable. In short, the wrestler's bridge builds body power.
Despite the many advantages offered by the wrestler's bridge, care must be taken to ensure that this exercise is performed safely. Poor physical condition, insufficient preparation, inadequate warm-up, going beyond a safe range of motion, bad exercise form, use of excessive weight, or trying to advance too fast can lead to injury. Let's look at each one of these safety components in detail.
Physical Condition
If the wrestler's bridge is new to you, it would be wise to get a check up from your doctor and given a clean bill of health before starting a new bridge program. You want to make sure that you do not have any physical conditions that could make the bridge exercise potentially harmful to yourself. Particularly important is that your back, neck, and spinal cord are healthy. Be especially prudent if you suffer from back or neck pain, are in poor physical condition, or if you are over the age of 40.
Preparation
Unless you have a lot of experience performing bridge movements, it would be wise to slowly work up to a full bridge over several workouts. It takes time and repeated workouts to develop the skill, flexibility, and strength required to safely be able to perform the wrestler's bridge in full form.
During your first several workouts, it may be best to practice bridging with your legs folded over and/or with assistance from both of your hands. As you become stronger and more flexible, you should gradually move towards performing the bridge without assistance from your hands and without folding your legs.
Warming Up
Always warmup thoroughly before doing bridge work. It is especially important that the back and neck be limber before getting into the bridge position. As described in Part 1 of this series, I perform the wrestler's bridge shortly after my leg workout. The squats do a superb job in preparing my hips, back, and legs for the rigorous stretching and bending required by the bridge exercise. I also perform a series of head bends using my hands to supply a light to moderate resistance. Performing a set or two of "light" bridges with assistance from the hands and arms also provides a good warm-up.
I should point out that warm-up requirements vary from individual to individual depending upon a number of factors, including a person's age and physical condition. Thus, my method of warm-up may not be best suited for everybody, or even for most people. You may need to establish a warm-up procedure that best suits your needs through systematic trial and error.
Range of Motion
Regardless of your level of experience, be especially careful not to bend your neck or back beyond a comfortable range of motion. Overextending the vertebrae of your lower back or neck can result in a pinched nerve or damage to the spinal column. If something doesn't feel right while performing the wrestler's bridge, cease the exercise immediately and try again with a dimensioned range of motion, but only when you are secure in the knowledge that you can do so safely.
If you are currently unable to perform a full bridge (hips up high, both feet planted firmly on the ground, and nose on or close to the floor), do not fret. Simply extend yourself only to the upper limit of your comfort range. Then, as your flexibility improves, slowly and progressively increase your range of motion.
Due to factors such as bone structure, physical condition, inherent flexibility, and age, some people may be unable to safely arch their back and neck enough for their nose to touch the floor. This is typically true of beginners, but it can be true even for some advanced fellows who simply have a difficult structure or physical condition to work with. The main thing to remember is to never force yourself to stretch beyond a comfortable range. Given practice and time, eventually your range of motion can be safely increased.
Exercise Form
The wrestler's bridge is most effective and safest when good form is used. Forcing a bridge movement with a sudden thrust or jerk not only increases the risk of injury, but reduces the effectiveness of the exercise. Bridging should be performed smoothly and with continuous motion, and your feet should be kept firmly on the floor throughout the movement. Beginners are advised to keep their hands on the floor or mat to provide balance, and/or to provide a needed "push". More advanced trainees should keep their hands above ground and do all of the work strictly with their legs and neck, although a slight push from the arms may prove beneficial to get the exercise started (see Step 1 and Photo 1 below).
One mistake that beginners often make is to not raise the hips high enough. The key to good bridge is to raise the hips as high as can be done safely. The higher the hips go, the easier and safer it becomes to roll the head back and bring the nose towards the floor.
To facilitate raising of the hips, the feet should be brought relatively close to the body. If your feet are stretched out too far, hip movement will be restricted, and strain on the neck will be dramatically increased. Ideally, assuming that this can be accomplished without undue strain or pain, the angle between the thigh bone and the lower leg bone should be about 75 to 80 degrees when the hips are up as high as possible, and the chest should be well below waist level. See accompanying photos. Bringing the feet too close to the body (angle less than 75 degrees or so) can cause the muscles in the back of the thighs to contract vigorously and cramp painfully. Obviously, you want to avoid this situation.
Amount of Weight
One of the benefits of learning how to bridge with your hands above ground is that they become free to hold additional weight. Nonetheless, it is wise to first master the bridge with just your body weight before you move on to holding additional weight. If you perform the wrestler's bridge slowly and with good style, then body-weight should prove sufficient for all but the strongest of bridgers. All too often, bridgers push to use heavier weights during their neck workouts too quickly. The result is poor exercise form, a reduced range of motion, the development of aches and pains, and less than optimal training progress.
Don't fall into the "more weight is always better" mode of thinking. This notion is not true when it comes to performing the wrestler's bridge. Progress by strengthening your form, increasing the number of repetitions (or holding time), increasing your range of motion, and by slowing your movement. Hold additional weight only if you can do so without sacrificing proper exercise form and without significant discomfort. And, never turn the wrestler's bridge into a strength-testing exercise. Use of excessive weight is potentially very dangerous, and the resulting forces on the cervical vertebrae can be high enough to cause permanent damage to the disc structure. Remember, the wrestler's bridge should be performed to build your body, not to damage it.
Exercise Frequency
Performing a good bridge requires skill, flexibility, and strength, and all three of these critical components require repeated practice and time to significantly improve. Progress in the bridge movement is best made by working the exercise frequently enough to stimulate an improvement, but not so often as to provide insufficient recovery time. Performing the bridge too often or too vigorously can lead to overtraining and to chronic back and neck pain. Be careful not to overdo things.
As a rule of thumb, I recommend performing two to five working sets of the wrestler's bridge once or twice a week, but not more. Don't try to rush things. Remember, performing too many sets, overextending yourself, or training too often can short circuit the development process and set up a path to pain or injury. Progress at a comfortable pace and stay safe.
Bridging Versus Holds
There are two basic ways to perform the wrestler's bridge. The first method is the hold style. This form involves getting into the "top" bridge position (Photos 3 and 4) and holding your position for a time count, usually for as long as you can. Bridge holds are described by Logan Christopher in his excellent article How To Master the Wrestler's Bridge, so I won't cover this version here. Please refer to Logan's article for details on how to perform bridge holds.
The second method for performing the wrestler's bridge, and the type detailed in this article, is the "bridging" style. In bridging, instead of performing a single hold, repetitions are performed by raising the hips up and down while the chin is rotated either away from or towards the chest (see photos below). If bridging is performed slowly and in good style, a person's body weight often provides sufficient resistance. Progression can be achieved by slowing the movement and/or by incorporating "mini holds" at virtually any point (or points) along the range of motion. Alternatively, a weight can be held for added resistance.
Many bridge experts recommend, once enough skill and flexibility is gained, performing bridge holds with the head held far enough back so that the forehead, not the top of the head, rests on the floor. For holds, this position is often favored because less stress is placed on the cervical vertebrae.
When it comes to performing the bridging style of the wrestler's bridge, however, I find it better to move the head back (chin away from chest) only until the top of my head rests on the floor, but no further (see Photo 4). If I bring my head too far back so that my forehead reaches the floor, I find it difficult to maintain a good position, and the repetition movements become difficult and awkward to perform.
With regards to neck and power development, I slightly favor the bridging style of the wrestler's bridge. However, I find that practicing the hold style is more effective for improving flexibility. Thus, I often finish my bridge workout with at least one fairly long hold, and I focus on stretching and improving my range of motion. Although I am not quite there yet, my goal is to improve my flexibility to the point where I can easily take my nose to the floor while performing a bridge hold.
How To Perform The Wrestler's Bridge - Bridging Style
Photo 1: Starting position for the wrestler's bridge. Note how the feet are kept close to the body. Photograph by Oldtime Lifting staff.
STEP 1
To get ready for bridging, lie down on the floor as shown by Photo 1. The head should rest on a pad, and the feet should be brought close to the body. Mental focus is critical here, and you want to make sure that your are properly positioned before starting to bridge.
Photo 2: The hands are brought to the floor. Photograph by Oldtime Lifting staff.
STEP 2
Slightly rotate your head back (move chin away from chest) and bring your hands to the floor as shown by Photo 2. You will use your hands to aid balance and generate momentum at the start of the movement. Advanced bridgers may opt to start the bridge with their hands kept off of the floor.
Photo 3: The "top" position is reached by using the hands to aid balance and generate a bit of momentum. The neck and the legs, however, should do most of the work.
STEP 3
With the hands and arms used to aid balance and assist with the lift, roll the head back (chin brought away from chest) and the lift the hips upward as high as comfortably possible. When the hips reach their highest point, the top of head should rest on the floor mat. This point is referred to as the "top" position. See photo 3.
Photo 4: The hands are moved off of the floor and onto the chest. Beginners should keep their hands on the floor until they have developed sufficient skill and strength to perform the movement hand free.
STEP 4
Once the "top" position is reached, move your hands away from the floor and bring them to your chest as shown by Photo 4. EXCEPTION: If you are a beginner, you should continue using your hands and arms for assistance throughout the entire bridge movement. Go "hand-free"only after you have gained sufficient strength and skill to do so safely.
Photo 5 shows that the body is slowly lowered by dropping the hips and rotating the head forwards.
STEP 5
After a brief pause in the top position, slowly lower your body by dropping your hips and rotating your head forward (chin moved towards chest). Use both your neck and your legs to guide and control the downward movement, and keep your feet planted firmly on the floor. See Photo 5.
Photo 6 shows that at the "bottom" position, the buttocks just clear the floor and the back of the head should rest on the mat.
STEP 6
Continue rotating your head forward and dropping your hips until your buttocks almost, but not quite, touch the floor. By not allowing your buttocks to contact the floor, tension is continuously kept on your neck, legs, and back, and the exercise is made more demanding and more productive. At the "bottom" position, you should be looking straight up and the back of your head should rest on the mat. See Photo 6.
Photo 7: After a brief pause, the movement is reversed using both the neck and the legs to provide the push.
STEP 7
After a brief pause at the bottom position, slowly raise your hips and rotate your head backwards (chin away from chest) while the arms are kept at the chest. See Photo 7. Use only neck and leg power to raise yourself, unless you are a beginner. Beginners may benefit by using their hands and arms for assistance, as shown in Photo 2.
Photo 8: The "top" position is once again reached, and then the lowering and raising steps are repeated.
STEP 8
Continue to raise your hips and rotate your head backwards until you once again reach the top position. After a brief pause at the top, repeat the lowering and raising steps until you can no longer continue in good rhythm and style. The last rep should not be so hard that the bridge movement becomes jerky or forced.
Holding Extra Weight
As your strength and skill improve, you will find that you will be able to perform a higher number of repetitions in the bridging movement. As mentioned previously, you can make this exercise harder by slowing the movement, or by briefly pausing at any point in the range of motion. However, some advanced folks will either find it necessary or desirable to hold additional weight while bridging.
Photo 9: Advanced bridgers may elect to hold a weight for additional resistance. Note resting position of dumbbell before it is picked up.
Getting a weight into position for the wrestler's bridge can be accomplished in a number of ways. I prefer to use a dumbbell, and I place the dumbbell on the floor and behind my head prior to starting the first repetition of a set. I first get into the "top" bridge position, and then I grab onto the resting dumbbell as shown by Photo 9.
Once I grasp the dumbbell, I then swing it upwards and above my chest as shown by Photo 10. From here, I bridge as explained above, except I continue to hold the dumbbell above my chest until the set is complete.
Photo 10: The dumbbell is lifted off of the ground while in the "high" position. The weight is then held above the chest for the remainder of the set.
Although I occasionally perform a set of bridges while holding a heavy dumbbell above my chest, my preference is to perform the the bridging exercise relatively slowly, in good form, and with just my body weight, or while holding a relatively light weight. I find that holding a heavy weight while bridging puts unnecessary stress on the spine, especially on the cervical vertebrae. Holding a weight that is too heavy can also lead to poor exercise performance and a reduced range of motion.
Many guys brag about how much weight they can handle in the wrestler's bridge, but usually I find that their style is not very good. My advice is to master the body-weight version of bridging before you even consider holding an external weight. As you gain strength and skill, then you may want to try bridging while holding a light barbell plate, barbell, or dumbbell. Increase your training poundage as you become stronger, but don't overdo things. Make sure that your bridging form doesn't end up taking a back seat to your ego.
Sets, Reps, and Training Frequency
The wrestler's bridge, as described in this article, is a relatively demanding exercise. If practiced too often or too harshly, the body will not be able to adequately handle the stress load, and nagging pains and/or lack of progress will be the end result.
I have very good success by performing only two to four hard sets of bridges just once a week. Using this approach, progress has been steady, and I have not triggered nagging pains. A typical bridge workout for me goes something like this:
- Set One: body-weight - 12 to 15 reps.
- Set Two: body-weight or hold light dumbbell - 10 to 12 reps.
- Optional: Set Three: hold slightly heavier dumbbell - 6 to 8 reps.
- Optional: Set four: one to three minute hold while holding a moderately heavy dumbbell or barbell.
With regards to bridging, I prefer to perform a relatively high number of repetitions per set. I find that the neck grows more quickly when the bridge movement is repeated a number of times. Additionally, as the reps go up, less resistance is required to adequately tire the involved muscles. This, in turn, keeps the stress load placed on the spinal column in check.
Of course, what works best for me may not work best for you. Only personal experimentation will answer how many sets, reps, and training sessions are best suited for you.
Wrap Up
It is indeed sad that relatively few strength trainees devote training time to the practice of the neck curl and the wrestler's bridge. Both of these exercises are marvelous power builders, and they both build a mighty neck. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - it is not possible to be a powerhouse if you possess a weak and scrawny neck. People who can demonstrate great strength and power always possess spectacular neck development.
By no means have I covered everything there is to know about neck and power training in this two-part series. Hopefully, however, I have provided sufficient information to stimulate your thinking and to motivate you to consider incorporating neck curls and bridges into your workout program. I am confident that you can greatly benefit from regularly practicing these two power-building exercises. Please let me know your comments, questions, or suggestions.
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Other Useful Articles About Neck and Power Building:
- How To Build Neck and Body Power - Part 1
- How To Master the Wrestler's Bridge
- Reg Park On Neck and Trap Training