"Neutral Neck:" How to Avoid Straining the Neck While Lifting

It's relatively common knowledge that during the big lifts, you should keep your back flat--some refer to this as a "neutral spine." Despite this, many people forget about the cervical part of the spine, or the neck.

Ideally, on a clean, snatch, deadlift or squat, the neck should stay in line with the rest of the spine. Once the weight gets heavy, however, one may start to compensate by hyperextending his neck as a lifeline. Instead of engaging larger muscles like the latissimus dorsi and the erector spinae, his cervical extensors are now taking the brunt of the work; compensatory patterns like these can lead to big problems over time.

Do not deadlift like this guy. 

To rectify this, I will have my clients find a spot about 3-4 inches in front of them. I will tell them to focus on this point throughout the entire lift. I will also place a PVC pipe behind their backs to help them find a more neutral position: this cue gives them tactile feedback of where their heads should rest.

Maintaining a neutral position of the head will allow you to properly engage your posterior chain while keeping your neck free from overexertion. Stop cheating yourself and find true strength. Movement efficiency is the key to longevity.