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

Six sessions in.
Measure the turn.
Time the hold.

Phase 1 check-in: rotation range, the deep neck flexor endurance test and the first upper-back reps.

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

Rotation range

Most adults turn roughly eighty degrees each way. Losing it changes driving, cycling and crossing a road.

Flares are normal

A flare that settles within 24–48 hours is sensitivity, not new damage. Hold the level, do not stop.

Both sides get weak

After neck pain, strength and endurance drop on both sides. Train the good side too.

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

A

Measure

Rotation test + deep flexor endurance test
A1

Neck rotation range test

60 s · slow reps

Turn the head fully each way and note how far past the shoulder the chin reaches.

Easier smaller range  ·  Harder slower and further

R1R2—
A2

Deep neck flexor endurance test

1 × max · ×2

Nod, lift the head a centimetre and hold to the first chin poke — time it and write it down.

Easier nod without lifting  ·  Harder aim longer each phase

R1R2
B

Rotate

Thoracic rotation test + prone retraction
B1

Thoracic rotation test

60 s · slow reps

Sitting with the arms crossed; turn the chest each way and note how far it goes.

Easier smaller range  ·  Harder arms overhead

R1R2—
B2

Prone scapular retraction

15 reps · ×2

Face down; lift the hands a little and squeeze the blades together, holding two seconds.

Easier hands on the floor  ·  Harder light weights

R1R2
C

Slide

Wall slides + neck endurance hold
C1

Wall slides

60 s · slow reps

Back to the wall; slide the arms up and down keeping the wrists and elbows in contact.

Easier arms lower  ·  Harder slower

R1R2—
C2

Neck isometric endurance hold

3 × 25 s · ×2

Hand on the forehead; hold steady pressure for twenty-five seconds, breathing throughout.

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
A1Neck rotation range testslow reps in 60 s —
A2Deep neck flexor endurance test1 × max
B1Thoracic rotation testslow reps in 60 s —
B2Prone scapular retraction15 reps
C1Wall slidesslow reps in 60 s —
C2Neck isometric endurance hold3 × 25 s
Session time
StreakDay —
Client / Patient
Coach / Clinician signature
Date
TE-12-NECK-F