STRONG NECKS

IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO STRENGTHEN YOUR NECK IN THE OFF SEASON AND IN SEASON FOR FOOTBALL PLAYERS? YES, TO PREVENT NECK INJURIES BUT TO PREVENT CONCUSSIONS AS WELL!

A MISCONCEPTION IS THE CAUSE OF A CONCUSSION IS BECAUSE YOU HIT YOUR HEAD REALLY HARD. BUT IN REALITY, A CONCUSSION IS AN ACCELERATION/ DECELERATION INJURY OF THE BRAIN. MEANING, IT IS THE QUICK MOVEMENT OF YOUR BRAIN SLIDING BACK AND FORTH IN YOUR HEAD THAT CAUSES THE CASCADE OF EVENTS WE KNOW AS CONCUSSIONS. YOU CAN UNFORTUNATELY GET A CONCUSSION FROM WHIP LASH AND NOT EVEN HITTING YOUR HEAD ON ANYTHING. AND ITS BECAUSE OF THE REASONS I JUST STATED.

WHEN WE STRENGTHEN OUR NECKS, IT HELPS US CONTROL THE MOTIONS OF OUR HEAD SLOWING DOWN THE ACCELERATION/ DECELERATION DURING WHIP LASH HELPING TO PREVENT CONCUSSIONS. THIS IS ACTUALLY MORE EFFECTIVE THAN ANY OF THE GUARDIAN CAPS OR Q COLLARS. 

THERE ARE TWO SPECIFIC EXERCISES THAT I LIKE THAT I POSTED EARLIER THIS WEEK ON TIKTOK THAT YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT AND DO THROUGHOUT THE SEASON AND OFF SEASON.

THE FIRST ONE IS PARTNER MANUAL NECK. THIS STRENGTHENS DIFFERENT NECK MUSCLES IN EACH MOTION AT THE NECK. IF YOU DON’T HAVE A PARTNER TO DO THIS WITH, YOU CAN ALWAYS USE A BAND AROUND YOUR HEAD AND A POLE.

THE OTHER ONE IS PARTNER NECK PUSH UPS. I ESPECIALLY LIKE THIS EXERCISE BECAUSE YOU KEEP YOUR SPINE IN A STRAIGHT LINE AND ALLOW YOUR CORE MUSCLES TO WORK IN UNISON WITH YOUR NECK MUSCLES. ADDITIONALLY, YOU ARE BUILDING THE STRENGTH IN YOUR NECK WITH STABILIZATION IN A NEUTRAL POSITION WHICH IS KEY FOR CONCUSSION PREVENTION.

QUENTON NELSON ON PROPER STANCE AND HOW TO PULL

SPEAKING OF BUILDING A MEATY NECK, QUENTON NELSON, A GUARD FOR THE INDIANAPOLIS COLTS EXPRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF LOW MAN WINS WHICH HAS BEEN THE STANDARD SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME.

IN ORDER TO GET LOW, YOU WANT TO BE LOW IN YOUR STANCE WITH A FLAT BACK INSTEAD OF WITH YOUR CHEST UP. THEN, WHEN YOU COME OFF THE BALL IN SHORT YARDAGE, YOU NEED TO STAY THIS LOW THROUGH THE DRIVE.

ANOTHER GREAT ABILITY OF QUENTON IS HIS ABILITY TO COME DOWN ON A DOUBLE TEAM WITH POWER. SOME GUYS YOU ONLY SEE A PUSH WITH AN ARM ON HELP WITH A DOUBLE TEAM, BUT HE COMES DOWN HARD TO KNOCK THE DEFENDER OFF TRACK AND OPEN A PRETTY BIG HOLE WHILE CLIMBING TO THE BACKERS 

ADDITIONALLY, IF YOU ARE IN A MORE CATCH TECHNIQUE IN PASS BLOCKING, YOU CAN USE THIS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE. REACTING TO A DEFENDER WHO IS BULL RUSHING YOU INTO THE BACKFIELD, LEANING INTO YOU, CHOPPING THE ARMS SO HE FALLS ON A FACE IS A SOLID TECHNIQUE THAT CAN BE USED EVERY NOW AND THEN.

CHECK OUT THIS INTERVIEW WITH QUENTON NELSON BREAKING DOWN HIS OWN FILM FOR A DEEPER DIVE.