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TrainersEye · Neck & Upper Back Health
Neck & Upper Back G
Trainer's Eye
Phase 2 · Deep neck flexors · Session G

A nod.
Not a lift.
That is the whole skill.

Phase 2 opens on the deep muscles at the front of the neck — the ones that go quiet after pain and never come back on their own.

  • Gsession
  • P2Deep flexors
  • 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.

Sleep and pain

A short night raises next-day pain sensitivity. Sleep is part of a neck plan, not a bonus.

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

A

Nod with feedback

Towel nods + graded holds
A1

Towel-feedback chin nods

60 s · slow reps

Rolled towel under the neck; nod so the towel is gently squeezed, then release fully.

Easier thinner towel  ·  Harder hold three seconds

R1R2—
A2

Graded chin tuck holds

6 × 12 s · ×2

Nod and hold; add two seconds each week only if the chin never pokes.

Easier 8-s holds  ·  Harder 15-s holds

R1R2
B

Blade

Serratus press + scapular push-up
B1

Serratus wall press

60 s · slow reps

Forearms on the wall; push the chest away so the blades spread, then let them settle.

Easier hands higher  ·  Harder one arm at a time

R1R2—
B2

Scapular push-up

15 reps · ×2

On the knees or a table, arms straight; let the chest sink between the blades, then push away.

Easier hands on a table  ·  Harder feet further back

R1R2
C

Face down

Prone chin tuck lift + prone T
C1

Prone chin tuck lift

60 s · slow reps

Face down, forehead on the hands; tuck the chin and lift the head a centimetre, then lower.

Easier chin tuck without lifting  ·  Harder hold two seconds

R1R2—
C2

Prone T-raise

12 reps · ×2

Face down, arms out in a T, thumbs up; lift a hand-width and lower slowly.

Easier smaller lift  ·  Harder 2-s hold

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. A gentle nod, not a lift: the chin tucks toward the throat and the big surface muscles stay quiet.
  2. If the front of the neck bulges or shakes, the deep muscles have stopped working — rest and restart.
  3. Seconds before reps. Build the hold time first, then the number of holds.
  4. The shoulder blade is trained in the same session: the neck cannot be strong on an unstable base.

Tick it off

MovementRound 1Round 2Best
A1Towel-feedback chin nodsslow reps in 60 s —
A2Graded chin tuck holds6 × 12 s
B1Serratus wall pressslow reps in 60 s —
B2Scapular push-up15 reps
C1Prone chin tuck liftslow reps in 60 s —
C2Prone T-raise12 reps
Session time
StreakDay —
Client / Patient
Coach / Clinician signature
Date
TE-12-NECK-G