MoPro
TrainersEye · Neck & Upper Back Health
Neck & Upper Back D
Trainer's Eye
Phase 1 · Settle and move · Session D

Lift the head.
One centimetre.
That is the exercise.

The first deep-flexor lift, assisted rotation and the long holds that start to build endurance.

  • Dsession
  • P1Settle
  • 12:00on the clock
  • — donecompleted

Deep neck flexors go quiet

After neck pain the deep muscles at the front of the neck lose endurance and the big surface muscles take over. Retraining them is phase two.

A nod, not a lift

The craniocervical nod trains the deep flexors. The moment the chin juts or the neck bulges, the wrong muscles have taken over.

The upper neck rotates most

About half of all neck rotation happens at the top two vertebrae. That is why the upper neck drives both rotation and headache.

Three couplets · two rounds · twelve minutes · a neck that carries the day

A

Lift

Head lifts + deep flexor hold
A1

Supine head lift — partial

60 s · slow reps

Nod first, then lift the head a centimetre off the floor and lower — no chin juts.

Easier nod only, no lift  ·  Harder hold at the top

R1R2—
A2

Deep neck flexor hold

6 × 10 s · ×2

Nod, lift a centimetre, hold — stop the set the moment the chin starts to poke.

Easier nod without lifting  ·  Harder 15-s holds

R1R2
B

Assist

Towel-assisted rotation + blade squeezes
B1

Towel-assisted rotation

60 s · slow reps

Towel round the back of the neck; use the hands to guide a gentle turn and return.

Easier less assistance  ·  Harder further turn

R1R2—
B2

Shoulder blade squeezes

15 reps · ×2

Squeeze the blades together for two seconds, then release fully.

Easier smaller range  ·  Harder 3-s holds

R1R2
C

Open

Open book + long flexion hold
C1

Open-book rotation

60 s · slow reps

Side-lying, knees stacked; open the top arm and follow it with the eyes.

Easier smaller range  ·  Harder pause at the end

R1R2—
C2

Long isometric flexion hold

4 × 20 s · ×2

Palm on the forehead; steady gentle pressure for twenty seconds, breathing.

Easier shorter holds  ·  Harder firmer press

R1R2

The clock

Round 1settle in — 70%, perfect tracking
0:00A1 → A2
2:00B1 → B2
4:00C1 → C2
Round 2own it — beat Round 1 by quality
6:00A1 → A2
8:00B1 → B2
10:00C1 → C2

Each couplet: 60 s scored → the loading set → 10 s to move on. Done at 12:00.

How to run it

  1. Pain rule: up to 4/10 during, back to your normal by the next morning, no worse week to week.
  2. Never force or twist the neck to make it click. Nothing in this programme goes to a hard end range.
  3. Dizziness, visual change, slurred speech or swallowing trouble with neck movement: stop and get seen the same day.
  4. Isometric holds first. Tension without movement is the calmest way to load an irritable neck.

Tick it off

MovementRound 1Round 2Best
A1Supine head lift — partialslow reps in 60 s —
A2Deep neck flexor hold6 × 10 s
B1Towel-assisted rotationslow reps in 60 s —
B2Shoulder blade squeezes15 reps
C1Open-book rotationslow reps in 60 s —
C2Long isometric flexion hold4 × 20 s
Session time
StreakDay —
Client / Patient
Coach / Clinician signature
Date
TE-12-NECK-D