BJJ Neck Bridging: Exercise and Safety Concerns

Neck bridges, a joint exercise among athletes, are primarily used in wrestling disciplines. It has been, for ages, placed as a fundamental exercise in the conditioning of wrestlers, and it is not surprising that such exercises have been widely embraced by other martial artists of grappling arts, MMA included, in their endeavors of developing potent and stable necks.

It has to be noted, however, that neck bridges help recognize this goal; many risks come with doing neck bridges the wrong way. Neck bridges are exercises that work out the muscles around the neck better. A given position would require an athlete to lie down on the spine to challenge the neck muscles further with some loads.

From there, the aim is to raise the hips with the aid of the legs while supporting the body such that only the feet and the topmost part of the head touch the ground. One can visualize this as a gymnastics bridge, except in this case, the arms are not performing the bracing structure, but the head is laid on the mat. 

In some neck bridge variations, the individual begins on the floor on their hands and knees. You then place the crown of your head on the ground and extend your arms out by your sides while your legs are straight, forming three “legs” of a tripod: your feet and your head.

In a more refined version, they maintain their head to the ground and alternate their legs, kicking front and back in the two positions and rotating the legs in any direction possible. In contrast, the head remains down and acts as the center of rotation.

Neck bridges strengthen your neck muscles and foster more suitable shoulder alignment. Building up the neck muscles is also necessary for all combat sporting activities and any other sport involving physical contact or activity based on speed.

Combat athletes who require various grappling positions will appreciate the incorporation of neck bridges. This is understandable as the neck muscles must be developed within the genres. Strikers also need good muscle mass in the neck. For example, a developed neck prevents the individual from getting whiplash from strikes, thus reducing counter-coup brain injuries caused by slamming due to movement.

Neck bridges are one of the best exercises for supporting the neck and maximizing the body’s functional and performance potential. They do not belong to the easiest, most pleasant, and most comfortable to perform exercises, especially in the beginning.

But again, quite a painful and uncomfortable procedure is worth the effort. You can also use a bench instead of a balance ball to keep your head higher from the ground level as you practice for the neck bridges. Once again, you can do them both by facing the bar and facing away. 

Neck stability is essential in grappling sports; it enhances stability and gives resistance. It helps create a solid foundation to discourage opponents from lifting or submission-blocking activities and encourage your movements.

The muscular neck can support forces, thus lessening the chances of concussion and other neck injuries. Hence, in jiu-jitsu and wrestling, a fighter must have a thick neck to help balance, prevent injury, and enhance grappling performance.

This is because a big neck can counter opponents better while minimizing the chances of concussion and neck trauma.

Engaged exercises involve the movement of the neck against some external resistance. They help develop strength, power, and constancy. Vigorous resistance activities allow the potency of the neck.

• Get down on your back while pressing down on your hands and lifting your hips.

• Carefully roll over onto the top of your head while holding most of your body weight with your neck.

• Hold this position for a few seconds, then move around the shoulder.

• If you are a beginner, be careful about how prolonged and robust you are.

• Position your hands across each other’s foreheads while drilling with your partner.

• Try to take turns pushing each other’s heads forward, back, and side-to-side while resisting one another with the heads.

• Execute the movements deliberately and concentrate on the neck muscles.

Isometric exercises utilize neck muscle contractions, which do not entail any movement of the joints. These workouts are thoughtful because they boost potency and solidity from a fixed mindset.

When practicing jiu-jitsu, it is vital to remember the importance of the isometric strength in the neck. This is because the bulk of the activities that one engages in with the neck while on the mat usually call for a near maximal or, even in the most extreme cases, maximal amounts of isometric contraction.

To perform a four-way isometric:

• Stand up or remain seated, maintaining an upright posture.

• Turn to face the person on your right and keep your right palm on your left knee.

• Move the head ahead while meditating your concentration on the dross head extension for that purpose; repeat the process for both sides, including head and back.

• For each of those, bend your neck and hold for up to 15 seconds, progressively increasing the time and resistance.

It is recommended to use a medium band at the beginning and then move gradually further to increase the resistance as you advance in strength.

• Take the band around your head and resist turning to each 90 degrees.

• Front, left side, back, and right side -this is what gives you your four-way.

• Kindly hold these different positions for 10 to 30 seconds, depending on how much resistance the band provides.

• Start small and build your way up.

One benefit of having this training is that you can perform one of the best neck stabilizing and strengthening dynamics in 360-degree spins.

• Put on the appliance and move away from the device so you can feel a lot of resistance.

• Then, maintaining good posture and keeping in line with the spine’s typical alignment, the head is slowly rotated in a circle.

• Keep the head fixed while the body, instead of the neck, turns to view the surrounding corners before the center anchor and back to the head forward.

The 360 spin is similar to the four-way neck isometric but is much more advanced. Angle imposition to your neck with this one is impossible. It is a neck exercise in the sense that it hypertrophies your neck.

This isometric or dynamic neck exercise will enhance isometric neck strength and range of neck motion. You can progressively increase your neck curvature in each direction through reps and sets.

• Hold the resistive band for left and right movements and after for left and right movements facing away from the band.

• Occasionally, practice left and right movements facing either side.

• Look to the left and right at the band, and five on the other side of the band, and repeat the same process without the band.

• Look left, look right is another safe and effective addition to neck bridges. The neck is rotated towards the right and left for this exercise.

Position the device appropriately on your head, ensure the resistance band is stretched tightly, and rotate the head slowly from side to side while attempting to overcome the resistance.

Additional  weights or elastic bands can help focus on muscles during training. If this is the case, one must begin with lighter weights and develop over time to prevent strains or injuries.

The neck flexion/extension will build your ability to pull your chin in and fight back against adversaries who try to yank your head backward to spoil your stance. One will, therefore, need a weight plate.

• Fasten a band to a strong and secure base behind.

• Execute extension flexion and head activities in a slow and controlled manner with resistance from the band at the back.

• Use the same load as the lateral flexion exercise, which is 2.5 kgs, whereas 5 lbs for women.

• Train with even more neck weight extension. You can try this attachment with a weight of 5kgs or 10 lbs. Again, do 10 – 20 repetitions.

Neck lateral flexion is often overlooked when using neck harnesses, for instance. Yet lateral neck flexion is paramount in BJJ because most motions involving the neck will have the neck bent sideways.

Your neck can either be your strength or your weakness in a choke. The only equipment necessary to perform this is a weight plate.

• Use a resistance band connected to a secure anchor on the side.

• Use the band against your temple, then move the neck laterally against the band with controlled movements.

• Start very light weight, about 2.5 kg or 5 lbs. This is more than enough to start.

• Twenty repetitions while performing dynamic neck exercises like these.

A metal contact neck brace can perform neck protection and retraction in the following way.

• First, place the device on your head to properly fix it.

• Then, stand with your back straight, ensuring tension in the resistance band.

• Stay at your anchor point and, with the resistance.

• Move your chin forward, then bring your head back when done to return.

Exercise for neck retraction

• Turn yourself to face the opposite direction From the anchor point.

• Execute the same action but chin up, turning your face outward from the anchor further while resorting to the resistance.

• The apparatus enables users to get these exercises done in a controlled manner and safely, as you can always modify the resistance to suit your ability.

• We recommend performing both these exercises in a single workout session to avoid imbalanced neck muscles.

The most important thing about performing neck bridges is to stay calm. The majority tend to get apprehensive the first time they try this exercise. It’s because it is very awkward and quite unnatural as well.

Proper approach and safety precautions should be observed while preparing the neck. It is advised to start with a light body workout and then start working out with weights that are more challenging or resistant.

Make sure to heat your body before jumping onto neck training sessions, and do not overexert yourself or push through pain without intensity modification. Jump into intense neck training only after clearing with a physician or healthcare provider knowledgeable about any existing neck issues or conditions you may have.

Putting in the work and expending energy towards neck exercises will help you optimize your grappling skills and protect you from possible injuries while strengthening your muscles. Strong necks play an integral role in providing the base support for the body during any grapple that involves increased intensity as the opponent attacks.

More severe injuries arise when you go beyond the range of motion and injure the back, explicitly causing a border disk to slip. This is an awful condition that can keep you away from any sporting activities or even render you incapable of practicing sports forever. Moderating or restraining the movement of the exercise or making any other attempts in an uncomfortable direction, such as doing neck bridge exercises, will result in a body injury.

Correct Positioning in the Neck bridge begins by lying face up on the mat. Bend the knees and settle the feet flat to the ground about the hip’s width. Rest the hands beside the body.

• Doing the lower rep ranges, it is only sensible that they work progressively towards higher rep ranges.

• Aim for two to three sets per session a few times weekly.

• Lift the hips and slowly rotate the upper portion.

• Most of the weight of your body is on your hands and feet in this position, with very little pressure on your neck.

• After some time, if you reach a point where standing on the neck bridge for some seconds, half a minute, for instance, becomes easy for you, extend the holding time of the position.

• Gradually add a few seconds every week until the bridge is held for one minute or more.

• When moving neck bridges, which entail bridging up and down, include more repetitions in your working sets as you strengthen. Let’s say you begin with ten reps, then 15, then 20, etc.

When the essential neck bridge is quickly done, variations may be introduced.

• A neck bridge can be tried with legs raised or one hand placed on the floor.

• However, there should always be correct form as such variations may cause injuries if not done correctly.

Try to make only a few adjustments in your training session. Add resistance and machine repetitions in different workouts.

Another method of enhancing the challenge offered by neck bridges is the addition of resistance.

• This can be achieved using either a resistance band or a yoga block.

• Proceed with caution when incorporating resistance, and make sure you are in a position to maintain the correct posture.

• Knowing your body and adjusting to the best place for you is essential.

• Getting injured from excessive training is worse than taking it slow and getting the proper posture.

Neck bridging exercises would benefit athletes actively participating in combat sports such as wrestling, MMA, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. These exercises are demonstrated to strengthen the neck muscles and improve stability against grappling and striking activities.

However, proper precautions and proper guidance are critically necessary because of certain risks that might occur from performing these exercises. In training, the rationale behind neck bridging is to enhance the athletes' general physical performance while minimizing concussion and neck trauma risks.

Q: What are the benefits of Neck Bridging Exercises?

Neck bridging exercises will help you develop the neck muscles, improve stability, and avoid possibly neck injuries in combat sports like wrestling and BJJ. It is also a part of enhancing shoulder alignment and general physical performance.

Q: How can we do neck bridges without taking any potential risks?

The most important thing here is proper alignment, avoiding shaking movements, and not putting pressure on the neck. Moreover, instructions from a qualified fitness trainer or coach are advisable for the safe execution of neck bridging exercises.

Q: Is neck bridging exercise available to everyone? Does it have specific requirements?

Neck bridging exercises can benefit individuals participating in combat sports and other exercise programs. One needs to determine his or her fitness level before joining any neck bridging program, especially those with neck or spinal issues.

Q: What other exercises can help one build his neck muscles?

In addition to neck bridges, some other exercises include isometric neck workouts, resistance drills, and specific strength training movements, all of which can work to ensure that the neck is solid and stable. It is advisable to do several different exercises with the guidance of a qualified instructor for a balanced approach toward developing neck muscle building.