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

On all fours.
Gravity changes.
The neck learns.

Loading the neck against gravity in a new position, plus the pulling that anchors the blade.

  • Isession
  • P2Deep flexors
  • 12:00on the clock
  • — donecompleted

The blade anchors the neck

Several neck muscles attach to the shoulder blade. If the blade will not hold position, the neck works to steady it.

Serratus rotates the blade

Serratus anterior turns the shoulder blade upward so the arm can reach overhead without the neck helping.

Neck pain is common and treatable

Neck pain is one of the leading causes of years lived with disability worldwide, and most of it responds to exercise and education.

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

A

Quadruped

Four-point chin tuck + head lift hold
A1

Four-point chin tuck

60 s · slow reps

On all fours, eyes to the floor; tuck the chin toward the throat and release, head still.

Easier kneeling upright  ·  Harder hold three seconds

R1R2—
A2

Quadruped head lift hold

5 × 12 s · ×2

On all fours; hold the head in line with the spine, chin tucked, for twelve seconds.

Easier shorter holds  ·  Harder 20-s holds

R1R2
B

Pull

Face pull + towel pull-apart
B1

Face pull with a towel

60 s · slow reps

Towel round a handle at head height; pull the hands to the ears, elbows high.

Easier less tension  ·  Harder more tension

R1R2—
B2

Towel pull-apart

15 reps · ×2

Towel held taut in both hands at chest height; pull the hands apart and squeeze the blades.

Easier less tension  ·  Harder more tension

R1R2
C

Whole body

Bird-dog + prone I
C1

Bird-dog

60 s · slow reps

Opposite arm and leg long, neck in line with the spine; hold three seconds each rep.

Easier arm or leg only  ·  Harder 5-s hold

R1R2—
C2

Prone I-raise

12 reps · ×2

Face down, arms by the sides, thumbs up; lift both arms and hold one second.

Easier smaller lift  ·  Harder 3-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
A1Four-point chin tuckslow reps in 60 s —
A2Quadruped head lift hold5 × 12 s
B1Face pull with a towelslow reps in 60 s —
B2Towel pull-apart15 reps
C1Bird-dogslow reps in 60 s —
C2Prone I-raise12 reps
Session time
StreakDay —
Client / Patient
Coach / Clinician signature
Date
TE-12-NECK-I