Reg Park on Neck and Trap Training

By Rob Drucker

Over the years, I have visited and trained at many commercial gyms. Yet, despite my many visits, I never once saw anybody do a wrestler bridge, or even use a neck strap. What I did see, and see often, were ill-informed bodybuilders doing endless sets of bench presses, curls, and triceps push-downs. I say ill-informed, because most of these bodybuilders did not realize that true strength and power comes from the hips, legs, back, and neck, especially when these four groups work together in perfect harmony.

You can almost always spot a man who lacks true strength and power. The dead give away is his neck. If it is scrawny and underdeveloped, you can bet his overall strength is lacking, regardless of how big his arms are. For the neck is an accurate measure of one's strength and power. Show me a man who has a large and powerful neck, and I will also see a man who is brutally strong from head to toes. In contrast, show me a man with a weak and skinny neck, and I will also see a man who lacks functional strength, the kind needed to move a heavy piano or toss a heavy tire. If you are not convinced of this, try to name any world-record holder in any strength event who did not, or does not, have a well-developed neck. I can't.

One of the strongest bodybuilders who ever lived was Reg Park. His stats tell his story: 500-pound bench; 600-pound squat; 700-pound deadlift; 315-pound behind neck press; and a three-time Mr. Universe winner. One of Reg's strength weapons was his thickly developed neck. Reg trained his neck regularly because he understood it is a major link in the strength chain. In Park's words, "A good thick and well muscled neck is always a sign of a strong man."

Park also stressed the importance of having strong and well-developed trapezius muscles. Park said, "To the weightlifter, a pair of powerful trapezii are necessary. These help give him a powerful pull and aid too in pressing, jerking, and snatching when the weight is passing to arms length."

After explaining the value of strong traps for the weightlifter, Park went on to say,

"The bodybuilder finds he must pay attention to the neck and shoulder girdle if he hopes to attain as near perfect proportions as his type of structure will allow. You'll grant that a man with a massive development of every group but those of the neck and traps, would look out of proportion on a posing platform."

The quotes from Reg Park above were taken from the January, 1953 issue of American Manhood. In this issue of Joe Weider's classic magazine, Reg Park described in detail a complete neck and upper back training course in an article titled, How I Developed My Neck and Trapezius Muscles.

In his article, Reg described how he built his traps and neck with bent-forward rows, the high dead lift off boxes, stiff-legged hang cleans, upright rows, the wrestler bridge, and a "Mono Resistance Movement". Let's look at what Reg had to say about each of these six exercises in some detail.

Bent Forward Row

To provide maximum stimulation of the trapezius muscles, Park recommended pulling the bar to the waist or lower chest, not to the bend of the hips. "If the bar is pulled to the waist or lower chest, the muscle performing the work is the trapezius."

Park did four to five sets of this exercise, 7 to 10 reps each set. The strongman said that this exercise provides good results whether done loosely or in strict style, and he suggested alternating both methods.

High Dead Lift Off Boxes

For this movement, Park placed a barbell atop of two boxes so that the barbell was about knee high in the start position. The bodybuilder would then deadlift the weight from the boxes until he stood fully erect. Just before Park reached the upright position, he would give his shoulders a heave and a shrug. Park would try to hold the shrug as long as he could. He would then slowly lower the barbell back on top of the boxes and repeat the movement after a brief pause.

Reg explained that he preferred doing a partial deadlift rather than a regular deadlift for two primary reasons. First, the partial deadlift caused less strain on his long back. Second, the partial deadlift allowed him to use a heavier weight and place a greater stress on his trapezius muscles. Referring to this partial style, Park said, With the heavier weight you can use, the traps are really pulled and the lower back is worked thoroughly too without any danger of strain."

Park did four to five sets of five repetitions of this exercise.

Stiff-Legged Hang Clean

Park started doing this exercise after he learned that it was a favorite of Khadr El Touni, a great Egyptian weightlifter. Touni had tremendously developed trapezius and forearm muscles, much due to the practice of this lift. Park was apparently very impressed with Touni's development.

To perform the stiff-legged hang clean, park would rest a barbell atop of two boxes, much like he did for the high dead lift. However, for the hang clean, the starting position of the weight was about mid-way between his knees and the top of his upper thighs. From the starting position, Park would pull as hard as hard and fast as possible in a cleaning motion, aiming to clean the barbell up to eye level, or at least as high as he could. The barbell was then lowered from the shoulders and immediately cleaned again without a pause. A picture in American Manhood shows Park performing this movement with his knees slightly bent. Park said that Touni performed this lift while keeping his feet still and bending his knees as little as he could.

Park did five sets of five reps of this exercise.

Upright Rowing

This was a favorite exercise of Clancy Ross, the 1945 A.A.U. Mr. America winner. Park was good friends with Ross, and encouraged by his friend's amazing development, Reg also incorporated the upright row into his workout. For maximum benefit, Reg Park emphasized, "...the body should be kept as upright as possible and the weight pulled slowly and evenly up to chin level. As the bar is pulled up the front of the body, the elbows should be allowed to point out to the sides and the shoulders should be pulled back."

Park performed this exercise with a narrow grip (hands held approximately eight inches apart) for four sets of eight repetitions.

Wrestler Bridge

This was one of Reg Park's favorite neck exercises. Park used a pad for this exercise to protect his head. He would then bridge by rolling his head from front to back while he held a weighted barbell above the chest at arms length. As park performed the bridge, he would push with his thighs to assist his neck and gain a greater range of motion.

Park emphasized that beginners should start this exercise with just their body weight. When a lifter's strength improves on this lift, the Mr. Universe winner suggested that the lifter can progress by using a light weight held across his knees. Only after gaining considerable skill at bridging did Park recommend doing this exercise while holding a weight at arms length above the chest.

Park did four sets of eight repetitions of this exercise.

Mono Resistance Movement

Park did this movement by placing his hands behind his head and then pressing his head back while resisting the movement with his hands. He also utilized a DUO form of this movement by applying resistance to both the front and the back of the head simultaneously. This was done by placing one hand on the back of his head and the other hand on his chin. Resistance is then supplied on both sides as the head is moved to-and-fro. Park suggested doing this exercise until you are tired and unable to continue.

In conclusion, Park emphasized that the neck and trapezius muscles must function together to demonstrate great strength. The famous bodybuilder also had this to say about the neck and trapezius muscles: "They are links in the chain that makes up a really strong back and shoulders, and one group should never be neglected for the other."