NECK GAINS

[YoungThor]

It seems to be a common belief that the traps grow significantly when on cycle, even if you’re not focusing on them as your number one priority. There’s tons of evidence to back this up. But do you find that the neck grows at the same rate? Do you believe that even during a cutting cycle the traps and neck grow?

I’m prioritizing neck as well as traps training right now because I think it can all around change one’s appearance. How many of you guys with thick necks (or guys who have at least increased their neck size) isolate this area? I’m currently doing three or four sets of neck curls every two to three days.

Basically I just wanted to start a discussion about training this area. Feel free to add any information you want about your experiences. Maybe give some examples of how one could go about targeting the traps and neck. For now I’m mostly hitting them with shrugs, deadlifts, and neck curls.

Here’s some motivation:

Jeff King

Mike Tyson

Alexander Zass (this photo is from the early 20th century so he is without a doubt 100% natty)

Kurt Angle

Mike “the machine” Bruce

And now an example to show you how terrible it looks when you’re jacked but have skinny neck.

Scooby

 

[muscleupcrohn]

I think you intentionally took the worst possible picture of Scooby making a silly face lol.

 

[YoungThor]

I think you intentionally took the worst possible picture of Scooby making a silly face lol.

Haha well it proves my point and maybe will get a laugh or two.

 

[THOR 70]

The other meat heads look just as bad lol. Gotta have balance

 

[RickyBlobby]

Yeak I don't know about having a neck that looks like a big cawk lol. But yeah I agree that having a bigger neck and traps definitely gives you a much better look. My neck seems to grow pretty well just doing shrugs, especially if I look up while doing them. But yeah I have a smaller neck and trap exercises are something I do 3-4x a week.

 

[YoungThor]

The other meat heads look just as bad lol. Gotta have balance

So you’re saying there’s a limit on neck thickness that looks good? I think as long as you’re not shooting l synthol into your neck, or some other form of site enhancement, then you should strive for as thick as you can get it. And with the exception of Jeff King, all those guys were wrestlers or boxers at some point so their huge necks weren’t really achieved for aesthetics.

 

[Codybenz]

 

[muscleupcrohn]

So you’re saying there’s a limit on neck thickness that looks good? I think as long as you’re not shooting l synthol into your neck, or some other form of site enhancement, then you should strive for as thick as you can get it. And with the exception of Jeff King, all those guys were wrestlers or boxers at some point so their huge necks weren’t really achieved for aesthetics.

There is a point where your neck can be too wide for aesthetic purposes IMO. It could even make your shoulders look smaller/narrower in comparison in extreme cases.

 

[YoungThor]

There is a point where your neck can be too wide for aesthetic purposes IMO. It could even make your shoulders look smaller/narrower in comparison in extreme cases.

Okay, that guy may even have a deformity. That’s too far ha.

 

[RickyBlobby]

^ prolly be really hard to knock that guy out tho unless you landed perfectly on the chin

 

[Old Witch]

^ prolly be really hard to knock that guy out tho unless you landed perfectly on the chin

Ocular protrusions... if on the street, just an elbow will do fine. Usually breaks the face, literally a shattered eye socket. Definitely unconscious. Hell I’d argue the stronger the neck, the easier it is to shatter the ocular bones. Because the head doesn’t move away from the force. It can’t.

 

[Old Witch]

Getting all moon faced during a bulk is the number one way I’ve seen necks start to grow.

Don’t do neck curls, you crazy person. Shrugs and heavy deadlifts make big necks.

 

[EMPIREMIND]

Cmon guys... ALL NECKS MATTER!!!

[video]https://youtu.be/kH00Kms0eC0[/video]

 

[Codybenz]

Cmon guys... ALL NECKS MATTER!!!

[video]https://youtu.be/kH00Kms0eC0[/video]

Dang somebody beat me to it.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

Getting all moon faced during a bulk is the number one way I’ve seen necks start to grow.

Don’t do neck curls, you crazy person. Shrugs and heavy deadlifts make big necks.

You could do head bridges like you’re a wrestler lol.

 

[rowz4broz]

I agree with you neck and trap size drastically changes your look

 

[YoungThor]

Getting all moon faced during a bulk is the number one way I’ve seen necks start to grow.

Don’t do neck curls, you crazy person. Shrugs and heavy deadlifts make big necks.

Too late. We isolate all the other muscles, and I don’t see an issue with doing this with the neck. I enjoy it.

Alexander Zass used to lift a steel beam with his jaw and neck strength. He would have something connected to the beam that he could bite, as seen in the image above. Now I’m not planning on trying to get to that level but it’s inspirational.

And in this image we can see Mike “the machine” Bruce neck curling 300 lbs. and believe it or not he has never suffered an injury related to neck training.

 

[THOR 70]

So you’re saying there’s a limit on neck thickness that looks good? I think as long as you’re not shooting l synthol into your neck, or some other form of site enhancement, then you should strive for as thick as you can get it. And with the exception of Jeff King, all those guys were wrestlers or boxers at some point so their huge necks weren’t really achieved for aesthetics.

100% yes. Proportions and Aesthetics apply here too

 

[EMPIREMIND]

Dang somebody beat me to it.

Couldn’t help it smh. Possibly one of the most rediculous things I’ve seen yet

 

[muscleupcrohn]

100% yes. Proportions and Aesthetics apply here too

This. Look at Steve Reeves. He’s often considered the ideal of aesthetics, even by larger professional bodybuilders like Arnold, and his neck wasn’t massive, nor were his traps. Big enough to not look disproportionate, but not the focal points of his physique by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[Steeleydan]

Personally i think id rather have Scooby's neck than any of those other guys. No disrespect though, go'on get you some of them neck gainnnz

 

[muscleupcrohn]

In the pic you posted, Jeff King’s neck takes away from his physique IMO. If anything, it makes his traps look smaller in comparison, and his chest/shoulders/arms all look smaller/narrower in comparison too. Insane physique regardless of course.

 

[YoungThor]

Jeff King’s neck is a little cartoonish, I’ll admit that. And from a strict bodybuilding perspective, proportions are key (although one could argue that we are now in a mass monster era where size alone is key) but I’m into physical culture in general. I like bodybuilding and I take inspiration from them but I like boxing and old time strongmen (and modern) just as much. So that’s a little explanation of why I’m fascinated with this muscle group. For a boxer, or a grappler, having a strong neck is incredibly important. I may not be either of those things myself but I don’t think it’s a bad thing to appear as if you may be. I live in philly and I’ve learned that the more intimidating you look, the easier life becomes when you’re walking down the street. If you see scooby wearing a winter jacket, and that skinny neck is popping out the top, you wouldn’t have any idea he’s muscular. But if mike Tyson were in the same gear, you’d know he’s jacked. So the neck basically functions like the bicep. It’s an indicator of your overall strength that is very visible to the public, but the biceps are only seen in warm weather. Anyway, that’s a little bit of a ramble but you get my point. And of course overall width can be seen in winter clothes but it’s not entirely obvious weather the guy is carrying a lot of fat or muscle under there. Face fat is a dead giveaway that someone’s chubby though.

 

[YoungThor]

And I’ve only been isolating my neck for a month. I had it measured about two weeks ago. It’s 17 inches without a pump and un-flexed. I think I’d like to get it to 19 inches. Would any of you guys who believe heavy compounds are enough like to share your neck measurement? This isn’t a challenge or anything, I’m just curious. Because I believe you have to isolate it to get it to 19 inches or above, unless you have some great, thick neck genetics.

 

[YoungThor]

Personally i think id rather have Scooby's neck than any of those other guys. No disrespect though, go'on get you some of them neck gainnnz

To each their own. I personally think Scooby’s neck is even more disproportional to his physique than the thick neck guys’ is to theirs.

 

[Renew1]

To each their own. I personally think Scooby’s neck is even more disproportional to his physique than the thick neck guys’ is to theirs.

I think Jeff King's neck looks like a deformity.
But I also think Scooby's neck looks terrible attached to his body. I honestly don't understand how he accomplished that.

 

[YoungThor]

I think Jeff King's neck looks like a deformity.
But I also think Scooby's neck looks terrible attached to his body. I honestly don't understand how he accomplished that.

It makes me think that scooby just has a straight up drug body that’s full of water and glycogen, pumping the muscles up cosmetically. He can’t be anywhere as strong as he looks. His neck would have grown a bit from doing heaving pulls.

 

[Steeleydan]

Lol @ your neck measured "unpumped". Damn i wonder what a massive neck pump looks and feels like

 

[Thejoggernot]

What no picture of Zyzz with his traps of the gods ?

 

[THOR 70]

Jeff King’s neck is a little cartoonish, I’ll admit that. And from a strict bodybuilding perspective, proportions are key (although one could argue that we are now in a mass monster era where size alone is key) but I’m into physical culture in general. I like bodybuilding and I take inspiration from them but I like boxing and old time strongmen (and modern) just as much. So that’s a little explanation of why I’m fascinated with this muscle group. For a boxer, or a grappler, having a strong neck is incredibly important. I may not be either of those things myself but I don’t think it’s a bad thing to appear as if you may be. I live in philly and I’ve learned that the more intimidating you look, the easier life becomes when you’re walking down the street. If you see scooby wearing a winter jacket, and that skinny neck is popping out the top, you wouldn’t have any idea he’s muscular. But if mike Tyson were in the same gear, you’d know he’s jacked. So the neck basically functions like the bicep. It’s an indicator of your overall strength that is very visible to the public, but the biceps are only seen in warm weather. Anyway, that’s a little bit of a ramble but you get my point. And of course overall width can be seen in winter clothes but it’s not entirely obvious weather the guy is carrying a lot of fat or muscle under there. Face fat is a dead giveaway that someone’s chubby though.

I agree with a lot of this. I was talking to my brother in law about a year ago about what muscle group is the best indicator of strength. We said traps. To build them to a decent size, the whole body will undergo stimulus and probably be proportionally strong in a way

 

[BarryScott]

I train neck after illnesses, layoffs, cuts, etc. It grows fast and then you don't have to do it again because upper back work maintains it.

I usually do 4 sets of neck curls at the end of every workout (so 3 times a week) and start with a 5kg plate. Once I'm comfortably doing sets of 25 with short rest periods I'll bump up the weight until eventually I'm doing 25kg. Once you get to there your neck should be big enough that you can stop worrying about it for a good while.

 

[swimfan65]

So you’re saying there’s a limit on neck thickness that looks good? I think as long as you’re not shooting l synthol into your neck, or some other form of site enhancement, then you should strive for as thick as you can get it. And with the exception of Jeff King, all those guys were wrestlers or boxers at some point so their huge necks weren’t really achieved for aesthetics.

Screw that..my neck is 23 inches. Any idea how hard it is to buy a dress shirt? Dress shirt..70buck..alterations..30bucks. 100 bucks per shirt for me. When i was wearing a suite everyday to work..i probably had 5 grand in work clothes.

 

[BarryScott]

So you’re saying there’s a limit on neck thickness that looks good? I think as long as you’re not shooting l synthol into your neck, or some other form of site enhancement, then you should strive for as thick as you can get it. And with the exception of Jeff King, all those guys were wrestlers or boxers at some point so their huge necks weren’t really achieved for aesthetics.

Depends what you're going for. I like a powerful kind of look so I like having a thick neck and waist whilst most guys that bodybuild actively try to keep their waists small to emphasise the V-taper.

Similarly guys in the 50's/60's like Steve Reeves deliberately tried not to work their traps because they wanted that straight shoulder silhouette, which would be bizarre by modem bodybuilding standards.

 

[YoungThor]

Depends what you're going for. I like a powerful kind of look so I like having a thick neck and waist whilst most guys that bodybuild actively try to keep their waists small to emphasise the V-taper.

Similarly guys in the 50's/60's like Steve Reeves deliberately tried not to work their traps because they wanted that straight shoulder silhouette, which would be bizarre by modem bodybuilding standards.

I like that powerful look too. Some people like to use the term “yoked.” To be yoked you have to have a thick neck and big traps. This isn’t a bodybuilding look for sure. It belongs more to grapplers, powerlifters, and strongmen. But when you see a physique like that you can draw some conclusions, like if the guy were to grab you it’s probably impossible to get out of his grip. Grip strength is another topic all together but I’m trying to build that up.

Personally I realized that I have genetics that are more suited to look like a boxer. I mean lean and athletic with certain muscles being prominent. The muscles that are necessary to build for this physique are neck, chest, triceps, traps, core. Basically you’re power comes primarily from the posterior chain, so back is important. The legs are also a big part of power but so many boxers neglect them and that’s stupid on their part. These muscles don’t need to be glamour muscle, bodybuilder type size to be very strong and effective.

Unfortunately, I’ve been eating a diet more suited for a bodybuilder or a yoked guy for the majority of the last three years. The result has been that my body fat was always in the 20-25% range because I was way overdoing it even though my diet is clean. I’ve finally came to terms with my genetics and have been cutting all year. I’m down about 15 lbs and I probably have body fat in the high teens (maybe 17% or so). I’m not done cutting.

Anyway, that’s a little info on me and the physique I’m looking for. I like BarryScott mentioning he likes the powerful look. A lot of times on this forum people automatically assume we all want to be like bodybuilders but that’s not the case. I would need more juice to get to that level but right now I’m still just messing with some simple sarms cycles, which isn’t enough to catapult me out of my genetic limit. I do like the old time bodybuilder look (think Eugene Sandow) and I believe it’d be achievable for me in a couple more years of dedicated training. Maybe even sooner because his muscles aren’t much bigger than mine, he’s just way more ripped.

 

[YoungThor]

Wladimir Klitschko has a physique I’ve always really admired. But his biceps are definitely way bigger than most boxers. I’d guess he has a 18-19 inch neck but since he’s 6’6 it doesn’t look out of proportion.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

What about the bodybuilder-boxer look Stallone had going in Rocky IV lol?

 

[YoungThor]

Screw that..my neck is 23 inches. Any idea how hard it is to buy a dress shirt? Dress shirt..70buck..alterations..30bucks. 100 bucks per shirt for me. When i was wearing a suite everyday to work..i probably had 5 grand in work clothes.

Yeah but you have that tree trunk holding up your head and people respect that. And honestly your size must be expensive in every way. Clothes aren’t designed for 6’6 guys. I got family members that are 6’4 - 6’5 and they always said they’re glad they’re not one inch taller because shopping would be too difficult. And I can’t imagine your grocery bill haha. That’s gotta be expensive.

 

[YoungThor]

What about the bodybuilder-boxer look Stallone had going in Rocky IV lol?

That’s an absolutely incredible physique. He’s probably 220 and shredded there.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

That’s an absolutely incredible physique. He’s probably 220 and shredded there.

At one point Franco Columbu was training him. So he was likely doing old-school bodybuilding workouts. But Columbu abs Arnold both came from powerlifting backgrounds, so I’m sure Stallone still pushed some solid weight in compound lifts in his workouts too.

I don’t know when these pics are from, but he was in pretty insane shape:

Arnold and Stallone were great action movie stars. Don’t get me wrong, I love action movies with less jacked actors like John Wick and Taken, but there’s really not many actors like Arnold and Stallone anymore, not that there were ever many like them haha.

 

[swimfan65]

Wladimir Klitschko has a physique I’ve always really admired. But his biceps are definitely way bigger than most boxers. I’d guess he has a 18-19 inch neck but since he’s 6’6 it doesn’t look out of proportion.

View attachment 180434

I am also 6'6 and about 300 now...transforming from a power lifter to a more aesthetic look. I think it is possible for me to achieve the Kitskcho look..but a bit bigger at like 290ish to 300ish at 12 to 15%.

 

[YoungThor]

muscleupcrohn

All those guys you mentioned had awesome physiques. I’m still a big fan of the classic physique. I think Calum Von Moger does a decent job embodying that today, even though his legs are more overdeveloped as is typical with modern bodybuilders. Sadik Hadzovic kind of has that look too. I think he’s too big to be a physique competitor.

And Columbo looks better there than he did sometimes on stage. Competition prep turns people into mutants.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

Stallone definitely isn’t 220 there though. Arnold competed at ~235 and was way taller than Stallone.

 

[YoungThor]

Stallone definitely isn’t 220 there though. Arnold competed at ~235 and was way taller than Stallone.

He could’ve been more like 205. I can’t see him weighing much less than that. He’s 5’10 I believe.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

muscleupcrohn

All those guys you mentioned had awesome physiques. I’m still a big fan of the classic physique. I think Calum Von Moger does a decent job embodying that today, even though his legs are more overdeveloped as is typical with modern bodybuilders. Sadik Hadzovic kind of has that look too. I think he’s too big to be a physique competitor.

And Columbo looks better there than he did sometimes on stage. Competition prep turns people into mutants.

Yeah, sometimes competition prep doesn’t go well. But sometimes it does haha.

 

[YoungThor]

I am also 6'6 and about 300 now...transforming from a power lifter to a more aesthetic look. I think it is possible for me to achieve the Kitskcho look..but a bit bigger at like 290ish to 300ish at 12 to 15%.

That’d be awesome if you get there. Klitschko typically weighed in around 240-250 so you’d be quite a bit bigger for sure. I think at that weight maybe you could find a happy middle ground between Klitschko and Johan Els.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

He could’ve been more like 205. I can’t see him weighing much less than that. He’s 5’10 I believe.

Frank Zane competed at under 200 I think, and is listed at 5’9”. I could see Stallone being in the 190-200 range.

 

[YoungThor]

Frank Zane competed at under 200 I think, and is listed at 5’9”. I could see Stallone being in the 190-200 range.

Good point.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

That’s the thing. Being very lean gives the illusion of more size, especially when you have a substantial amount of muscle mass to begin with. He didn’t have insanely large traps, but he still looked big and strong.

 

[swimfan65]

He could’ve been more like 205. I can’t see him weighing much less than that. He’s 5’10 I believe.

Stallone is like 5'6.. I met him once...i could have picked him up and put him in my pocket. Dolph is 6'4 and and was 250 in Rocky 4 and he stallone look like a gradeschooler

 

[YoungThor]

That’s the thing. Being very lean gives the illusion of more size, especially when you have a substantial amount of muscle mass to begin with. He didn’t have insanely large traps, but he still looked big and strong.

This is very true. I weighed in at 192.8 today and I started my cut at 207.6. I looked bigger today than when I started my cut because I pretty much only lost fat and water up until this point. At a certain point I’ll probably start to look smaller and weaker. I need to find that limit.