You can follow me on Twitter @creatorvilla. My perception is that a lot more people today are training neck than ever before. This has a lot to do with recent research that has come out on the benefits of a stronger neck. It also has to do with advances in training equipment. The neck, of course, is a group of core stabilizing muscles that support the head, and is a factor in virtually every strength training movement. However, there are a number of reasons why people especially target this area for maximum impact. In this article, I present 4 of the most common reasons people train neck: 1-) to treat / prevent neck pain; 2-) to reduce the risk of concussions / brain injury; 3-) because bigger necks are more attractive; and 4-) to strengthen the voice. This month also marks a year since I started training my neck. I’ve included some progress pics and a one-year update of my experience at the bottom of the article.

Disclaimer: You should consult your doctor before undertaking any strength training program, as there are risks involved, especially with a sensitive area like the neck.

4 Reasons People Train Neck Muscles

1. To Treat / Prevent Neck Pain

Conventional wisdom has it that a stronger muscle is less likely to get injured, and that strength training is an important part of recovery. When people get injured, physical therapy is one of the first things the doctor recommends. Neck pain, in fact, is quite common and can be debilitating. According to this source, “In the course of 3 months, about 15% of U.S. adults have neck pain that lasts at least one full day.” The expression, “pain in the neck” is a common idiom to represent a very annoying or cumbersome situation. The human muscular system is highly connected, and so a strong neck can also support other muscle groups, like the shoulders and back.

In one study, “Neck muscle training in the treatment of chronic neck pain: a three-year follow-up study,” 118 women with “nonspecific chronic neck pain” undertook a successful one-year strength-training regiment. The study revealed that after a three-year follow-up, improvements in pain and range of motion were largely maintained, despite the fact that adherence to the program faltered. The researchers concluded, “Since a 12-month exercise programme shows a long-term effect, exercise may not need to be performed regularly for the remainder of the subject’s life.”

2. To Reduce The Risk Of Concussions / Brain Injury

The potential here is extremely important for people who play contact sports, like football, wrestling, and mixed martial arts (and even soccer, where heading the ball is quite common). Approximately 4 million concussions occur in the US alone ever year (source). Repeat brain injury has been linked to a host of medical issues, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) (See NFL safety changes). A number of studies have identified a relationship between neck strength and the incidence of concussions.

This study, for example, found that “overall neck strength” was a significant predictor of concussions. For every 1 pound increase in neck strength, the odds of a concussion decreased by 5%. The researchers concluded that “identifying differences in overall neck strength may be useful in developing a screening tool to determine which high school athletes are at higher risk of concussion. Once identified, these athletes could be targeted for concussion prevention programs.”

One literature review, published in October of 2018, concluded that the results were “inconclusive on whether neck musculature strength prevents concussions,” and that more research was needed. However, researchers at the Rutgers School of Health Professionals wrote in a paper published in February of 2019, “We have identified neck strength, size and posture as potential factors that reduce risk [of concussions] by lessening the magnitude of force upon impact. Thus, increasing neck strength and possibly size could substantially reduce risk or severity of injury or outcomes” (source).

Another team of researchers in the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health at the University of Illinois wrote in a March, 2019, perspective article that “The sports medicine literature has shown that decreased neck strength and slower neck muscle activation are significant predictors for sports-related concussion.” (source).

Overall, the evidence seems to be mounting that neck strength is, in fact, a risk factor for concussions in sports, and all their associated ills. Neck strength may also provide extra support if someone, God forbid, experienced a fall or were in a car accident.

3. Because Bigger Necks Are More Attractive

The tremendous strength in Leviathan’s neck strikes terror wherever it goes.

Job 41:22, NLT

The neck is one of the most visible muscles in the body. Unlike arms, legs, etc., the neck is exposed nearly all of the time. A thicker neck is typically associated with overall physical strength and dominance. People who bodybuild for aesthetics may want to take a look at these before and afters.

4. To Strengthen The Voice

The neck muscles are heavily involved in eating, drinking, speaking, singing, and so on. Pain/tension in the neck area can impair any of the aforementioned activities. I’ve read articles on neck exercises recommended for singers and heavy voice users. Stronger neck muscles mean greater control, and they can ease the daily burden of supporting the head and speaking apparatus. It stands to reason that a stronger, healthier neck is in the interest of people who use their voice a lot.

My One-Year Update

About a year ago, I started training my neck. I used to suffer from chronic neck pain, and so this was my way of taking action against that. I focused primarily on neck curls, while lying down on my bed, head extended off the edge, or on the floor as pictured in Figure 1. (You can watch a YouTube video on proper form). I also bought a harness, which I would use from time to time, but I found that I could increase resistance simply by pressing on my forehead. A harness can be especially helpful for training the back of the neck, since after a certain point it’s hard to get enough pressure with your hands to really give those muscles a good workout. I also did a lot of isometric movements where I would hold my neck in a pressure position for a few minutes at a time (see Figure 1).

In sum, I did a combination of neck curls / isometric movements on my back, and sometimes neck extensions while on my stomach (to work the back of the neck), for an average of maybe 4-5 times a week for around 20 minutes each session. My average rep range was anywhere from 20 to 100+, depending on the level of resistance. The first time I experienced soreness in my neck, it felt weird. I even wondered if I had hurt myself. They say this is common since we aren’t accustomed to that feeling in the neck, and it is a very sensitive area. Fortunately, the pain went away within a couple days and I didn’t have any real issues after that.

Here are some short clips / images I took at different points in the process. Note that I weighed anywhere from 145-150 lbs. This year I focused on cardio, and my overall weight was at an all-time low. Overall weight is probably the biggest thing that affects neck thickness. However, training neck makes the neck stronger and thicker and more shredded at any level. I also did not take any supplements aside from an occasional protein shake because this experiment was more of a peripheral thing for me.

3 Month Mark (02.2021)

Most people cannot flex their neck, even some people who been strength training for a long time. As you can see in the videos, by the three-month mark I was slowly gaining the ability to flex my neck. That’s a lot of work for a very subtle effect.

7 Month Mark (06.2021)

Here you can see the muscle start to coalesce. Flexing is a lot easier at this point.

10 Month Mark (09.2021)

Now I have enough muscle mass where I can flex either side of my neck with relative ease. After the 10-month mark, I have continued to work the neck, but I have not noticed any real improvement. I imagine I would need to increase volume/resistance, maybe go up in weight, or start taking supplements to see much progress after this. I was really consistent with few exceptions for 10 months, which is a long time to focus on a single muscle group. Gains after that point are a lot harder to come by.

The reward of yesterday’s discipline is the fuel for today’s discipline.

[You can follow me on Twitter @creatorvilla.] Today I want to share the results of a study conducted several decades ago that has forever changed the way we view the relationship between sunlight, testosterone, and athletic performance. In the study, Doctors Abraham Myerson and Rudolph Neustadt exposed men to UV light and measured the excretion of various sex hormones. The study revealed that exposure to UV light triggered huge increases in testosterone levels which did not return to baseline levels for over a week. This increase was dependent on the location of the body and the amount of skin exposed to the UV light. The researchers found that men’s baseline testosterone increased by 120% (more than double!) when the participants’ chest and back were exposed to UV light. However, the biggest increase in testosterone came when the participants’ testicles were exposed to UV light. The latter resulted in a massive 200% increase (triple) in baseline testosterone levels. This study has enormous implications for guys attempting to optimize testosterone levels and for athletes who want to maximize performance naturally and legally. It is a wonder why the sporting and fitness industries haven’t gone mainstream with this knowledge. Then again, there is little money to be made by advising people to get more sunlight. Companies would rather sell you expensive supplements. Athletes who have this knowledge may also wish to maintain a competitive advantage over their rivals.

The main takeaway of the study is that exposure to UV light anywhere on the body drives a huge increase in testosterone levels. I, however, wanted to test out the particulars of the study. Bluntly put, I wanted to see what would happen when I directly exposed the balls to UV light. I did this through an open window during the heat of day when the UV Index was high. I noticed they immediately began to grow upon first exposure. I knew this is the area where the body produces the vast majority of testosterone, so it made sense that local exposure to sunlight would trigger a disproportionate increase. The physical changes I observed coupled with the increases in energy and motivation to work out convinced me not only that the study was accurate, but that it was a major game-changer for the sports and fitness industries.

Exposing one’s nether parts to sunlight is neither practical nor desirable for obvious reasons. This has led some guys aware of the benefits to use UV red light therapy to achieve the same outcome in the privacy of their own home (link). I don’t doubt this works, but since it’s not something I’ve personally experimented with, I won’t say much about it. What I do know is that red light technology can be quiet pricey. However, I did discover a cheap and natural method that arguably worked even better for me than expensive alternatives.

Disclaimer: Don’t try this at home. You should consult your doctor about Vitamin D and testosterone optimization given that they are very powerful hormones and a lot could go wrong.

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin for good reason. The human body has a Vitamin D receptor in nearly ever cell of the body and is highly evolved to generate Vitamin D upon exposure to the sun. After I first read the study a few years ago, I wondered whether the increase in testosterone was triggered by the local production of Vitamin D directly on the skin in response to the UV light exposure. That in mind, I experimented with different doses of Vitamin D topical applied directly to the balls. Lo and behold, I noticed the same enlarging effect as when I had gotten direct UV light exposure. In this process of trial and error, I came to the conclusion that less is more. When the skin is exposed to UV light, it naturally generates Vitamin D in a uniform fashion. Small exposed areas of skin naturally produce small amounts of Vitamin D, and applying to much Vitamin D to any one region can interfere with its natural synthesis by the body. I found that less than 1,000 IU was enough for me to achieve the desired effect and that higher doses were wholly ineffective. Whenever I apply Vitamin D anywhere directly to my skin I prefer to crack open the Vitamin D softgels rather than purchase a topical product. My method is cheaper and it enables me to control the dosing better than prepared formulations. I would apply about half of a 1000 IU softgel every few days and could notice a major difference within a few hours.

Today I make sure I get adequate sun exposure as part of a healthy lifestyle, but I have not experimented with UV light or Vitamin D in this fashion in years. Currently, I have no reason to maintain peak testosterone levels. However, if I ever found myself training for an athletic competition or was experiencing symptoms of low testosterone, the power of the sun would be my first recourse. Nowadays people are quick to take supplements, inject steroids, or go on testosterone replacement therapy, giving up on their body’s natural ability to produce what they need. Meanwhile, nature offers a cheaper (if not free) solution that is arguably more effective than artificial alternatives.

See my article on the The Most Natural Way To Optimize Vitamin D Levels for more pro tips on harnessing the power of the sun.

Today I made the world a better place by working out and eating my greens.

[You can follow me on Twitter @creatorvilla.] Today I want to share a short clip I transcribed in which navy seal and motivational speaker David Goggins discusses his relationship to drugs and alcohol. Goggins knows a lot about sobriety as someone who went through hell week training three times and routinely competes in ultramarathons and other excruciating athletic events. For Goggins, sobriety is about staying in control of his mind and living authentically. To be sure, this is not a knock on anyone or any lifestyle, just one man’s perspective that I found thought-provoking.

I want to make sure that every single thing I feel is real. I want no masking. I want nothing to mask my ability to feel fear and to overcome fear, whatever it may be.

David Goggins

Transcript:

Interviewer: And I know one thing that, —we spoke about it before [we were on] camera. To most of the world, you’re super clean. You’ve never done drugs. You’ve never had alcohol. You don’t drink alcohol.

Goggins: I’ve tasted alcohol, but no, I’m not a drinker.

Interviewer: Do you think that has to do with your father who used to drink a lot?

Goggins: It’s probably due to him, but it’s also due to—at a young age, I realized that I had a very weak mind, a very weak mind. And I want nothing to interfere with my own thought process. A lot of people before they go on stage, they get a little bit tipsy, get a little buzz. Maybe smoke a little something, do a little something.

I want to make sure that every single thing I feel is real. I want no masking. I want nothing to mask my ability to feel fear and to overcome fear, whatever it may be.

I’m not saying people who drink or do these different things are trying to hide. Some people just do it. For me, I think it’s almost a masking agent, so then your mind doesn’t have to work as hard. That means I’m losing.

The reward for mental activity is knowledge. The reward for physical activity is peace.

Hungry dogs run faster.

If we assigned each month a theme, January’s would be personal growth. For many, the new year represents an opportunity to make lifestyle changes in line with their goals and aspirations. To be sure, there is nothing wrong with new year’s resolutions. People should utilize whatever edge they can gain to move forward in life. The challenge, however, is to sustain progress year-round when change is no longer fashionable and the world around us is business as usual.

This week I sat down with my good friend, Devin Brown, to get his two cents on the theme. Devin is a Realtor and Student at The Ohio State University planning to major in Real Estate and Urban Analysis. You may remember him from our prior convo on How To Connect With People: Inspiring Advice From a College Student Ambassador. Devin is an ideal candidate for this interview because he is as committed to personal growth as anyone I know, and has made massive strides in recent years, both personally and professionally. He is the one I call when I need a partner to cold train in the snow, lift weights, dry fast, or simply exchange ideas on the topic. I hope you find his answers below as practical and refreshing as I did. FYI, you can find Devin on Instagram @DevinTheReal1

What is growth mindset and why should people care?

Growth mindset to me is essentially the drive to get better in every area of life. You often hear people say, “I want to change the world. I want to make the world a better place.” These are good thoughts to be having. When you’re young, you may think the way to go about it is by becoming rich and famous or having influence. But I’ve come to realize the power to better the lives of others is a result of personal growth. The further along I am in the process, the more I can meaningfully impact their lives. Personal growth, in sum, is about achieving a better quality of life. It starts with me and ends with those around me.

I would add that growth mindset is an alternative to the way most people think. A lot of people walk around with a victim mentality—they blame others for their negative life experiences and outcomes. Growth mindset is about taking the power back. Instead of being a passive player, it enables us to find ways to get better regardless of the situation. And it has to do with focusing on the things we can control, like our attitude, effort, and responses. When you react to situations, you lose power because outside forces are controlling your behavior. When you respond to situations, after slowing down and processing them on your own terms, you gain control. And we all want more control over our lives.

Growth mindset doesn’t mean you won’t experience challenges and setbacks, but it’s about making them work for you rather than against you. And it helps you to cherish the good that is already present. To enjoy life, you have to be present in the moment, and that means accepting the good with the bad. This is a kind of emotional maturity.

I’ve known you for a long time and you didn’t always think in these terms. When did the journey of personal growth begin for you?

I had a few epiphanies in high school where I realized I was far from who and where I wanted to be. But I would say it wasn’t until the spring of 2018 that it became a daily priority and core life value. A long story short, my dream to play professional fútbol, which I had trained toward for years, was in serious doubt. I had recently suffered a serious hip injury that made it difficult to compete at a high level and prompted me to think long and hard about my future. Up until that time, I had tied a lot of my happiness and fulfillment to the game. During that season, I realized, through personal reflection and some of the conversations we were having, that I could achieve many of these same goals simply by changing the way I thought. Just like that, regardless of what happened with my career and anything else outside of me. I remember days we would sit in the basement and talk about everything going on—personal challenges, life events, political affairs—and the takeaway was that we should put our energy into things we can control. That is what I decided to do.

I also looked around me at the people I cared about, and it hurt me to see them falling into the victim trap. I remember a quote from my high school basketball program, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” I may have been going through a hard time, but I was determined to create something positive out of it. So it was a combination of factors, both personal and philosophical, that led me down this path.

You recently made your first big sale in real estate, and listed another property for sale, all the while managing your various other obligations as a student. How has growth mindset factored into your growing success in the business world?

Real estate is a competitive industry, and the hardest part is obtaining clients. Every client wants the very best to represent them, and they often go with the established professionals who have a large number of positive reviews. This creates a situation where a small percentage of agents account for the great majority of business. Real estate requires hustle, especially starting out, if you want any chance to be successful. That’s what growth mindset is all about. You either consistently work to grow your knowledge base, brand, and network, or you don’t make it.

Today what are the biggest areas you are trying to grow in?

Because people are so important to me, I am always working on cultivating and developing meaningful connections with others. A big part of that is working on my communication skills, both written and verbal. That’s an area that can always use improvement. I’m also taking care of my mental and emotional health, staying self-aware while trying to reduce stress. Physical health is another one. Recently, I found out that my family has a history of autoimmune issues. That’s been extra motivation for me to get in the gym, eat right, stretch, sleep, and drink plenty of water.

What have you found to be some of the biggest challenges to personal growth?

Comfortability. People naturally love comfort, and we tend to get complacent when we achieve some of the goals we have set for ourselves. There are days when you don’t want to wake up early or take a cold shower or do the 50 push-ups or read the article or do the assignment or have that hard conversation. Sometimes growth is like breathing–easy, natural, effortless. Other times there is discomfort, but the choice is always ours to do what needs to be done. I have found the times I choose to make myself the most uncomfortable, when I can think of every excuse in the book not to do it, to be the most rewarding of all.

Not everyone is seeking to grow and evolve, certainly not in the same way or at the same rate. Some people are more or less content with who they are and where they are at in life. Others for whatever reason are not of the same mindset. What would you say to these people?

If you’re content and happy in life, keep doing what you’re doing. Congratulations. I have nothing to add. To the second group, I would say that life is short. One motto that I have lived by—I don’t want to spend my life wondering what if? If you want to do better and know that you are not putting your full effort in achieving it, I promise you will regret it later in life. You need to find a why, a purpose behind your life and the goals you have set for yourself. Is it financial freedom? Is it better emotional health? Is it a better life for your loved ones? Is it a legacy for future generations? If your why is strong enough, it will get you through those tough moments where you want to do better but can’t find the motivation.

Another thing is I would surround yourself with growth-minded people. They say you are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with, and I think there is a lot of truth to that. Having the right people around you is crucial. The right people can motivate you, hold you accountable, and help bring you closer to where you want to be.  

Any parting thoughts or words of wisdom for the people?

Goals are important, but growth mindset is about process. It’s as much about who you are becoming as it is where you are going. Progress over perfection.

Last week, I was in Texas visiting one of my mentors and business partners. We were driving back from Houston to Austin, and on our way, the car overheated in the middle of the night, and we had to stop on the side of the road in the literal middle of nowhere. We had already driven about five hours that day, and I was exhausted and eager to get home. I was also a little nervous. There was no nearby city or moonlight and Texas has a reputation for predators–scorpions, snakes, spiders, mountain lions, you name it. Instead of focusing on that while the car was cooling down, I got out of the car and took the opportunity to gaze up. I saw the most beautiful symphony of stars I had ever witnessed. I was mesmerized by the experience and thankful for the gift of life. It felt like a big part of my journey during the last few years had come full circle.

I’m a strong believer that exercise is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle, especially for those of us who live sedentary lives. Exercise gets blood flowing, releases happy chemicals, enhances emotional processing, conveys a sense of achievement, and makes us feel better about life. I haven’t always been a big fan of cardio. I played soccer in high school but running isn’t something I do for fun. I also prefer a muscular physique, so most of my time in the gym is spent lifting weights. However, I also know from experience and research that cardio is healthy for the mind and body. As a result, I incorporated a simple, intense exercise into my routine that let’s me have my cake and eat it too. I’ve termed it the gorilla walk. The gorilla walk is both aerobic (cardio) and anaerobic/anabolic (muscle-building)–the perfect marriage of cardio and resistance exercise.

Disclaimer: The gorilla walk is potentially dangerous, especially if you do it on a treadmill. Do not try this at home.

What I need for the gorilla walk is a space to walk fast/jog lightly, a backpack, and weights (plates and dumbbells). Inside, I like to use a treadmill and an old sturdy backpack. I started out with a 25 LB plate in the backpack and two 2-3 LB dumbbells in each hand. With a dumbbell in each hand, I like to jog as usual, with my hands moving up and down rhythmically. I want the backpack and dumbbells to be heavy enough that I can move 4-4.5 MPH for no more than 10-20 minutes. More weight=greater intensity=bigger gains. I can experiment by going up and down in weight and altering hand positions. For example, I sometimes take a break from the backpack, increase the weight of the dumbbells, and place them overhead or in a curling position. The goal is to get my whole body moving and building muscle at the same time.

The genius of the gorilla walk lies in its ability to activate the entire body. The backpack builds up the lats and shoulders, and the dumbbells work on arms, chest, and overall upper body definition depending on where you hold them. The legs and core work hard moving and balancing the weight. The gorilla walk is a cross-fit style work-out. It’s extremely stress-relieving and mindfulness-promoting, and efficiently consolidates many exercises into one. It can be good for losing weight, putting on muscle, and experiencing the therapeutic benefits of exercise.

Below are links to the treadmill and adjustable dumbbells I use, and a weighted military-style vest that’s perfect for this exercise. With a proper vest, I can do the gorilla walk with more weight than a backpack and look a little less ridiculous in a public gym.

Are you a fan of the gorilla walk? You can’t knock it it until you try it.

Treadmill: https://amzn.to/2PQTFtZ

Weighted Military-Style Vest: https://amzn.to/2PTn6vy

Adjustable Dumbbells: https://amzn.to/2N1yenA

25-LB Plate: https://amzn.to/2PQL5LI

There’s a famous segment on SportsCenter entitled “Why We Love Sports.” It consists of inspiring and memorable highlights like an incredible catch, a big come-from-behind victory, or an athlete making the wish of his #1 fan come true. Today I want to address the same question–why we love sports–but from a different angle. In this post I address a reason behind the popularity of sports that may surprise you.

Over the years, I’ve cut out many activities in the interest of becoming the best version of myself, but sports is not one of them. Sometimes I’ll watch sports with my friends or in a foreign language for added benefit, but I’m not against watching sports by myself. People say that watching sports or other repetitive TV adds little measurable value to one’s life. After all, the inventory of sports is infinite–you can never “catch up” or “be ahead of the game.” It’s easy to spend an entire today absorbed in matches that quickly become irrelevant. And if you were raised around sports, you can already converse about them with little time spent actually watching the game. However, there’s a benefit to watching sports that transcends the highlight reel and the pop culture savvy, and it is has to do with human psychology.

Life is a delicate balance between order and chaos. Chaos is the natural state that everyone is born into and that exists apart from human institutions. It’s a state of discomfort, insecurity, and fear. Chaos is the absence of order. Bringing order to the world is the goal of every progressive activity. Order creates comfort, security, and confidence–order is ultimately what people are after.

Let me illustrate the difference. Chaos is sleeping outside in a tent in a predator-rich environment not knowing what your next meal is. Order is having a roof over your head with AC and a pantry full of delicious food. Chaos is the first day of a new job in a new city with unfamiliar people and technology. Order is day 250 of that same job. Order is going out with friends and family. Chaos is going out with total strangers. Order is being married to someone for 10 years. Chaos is when that someone passes away or the relationship stops working. You get the point.

Not all chaos is bad. We need a measure or chaos to progress. Too much order and you may get complacent. When someone tells you “get out of your comfort zone,” what they mean is you need a little more chaos in your life. Chaos that can stretch you and grow you into a better person. The problem is that some of us are way beyond the chaos threshold for growth. Too much chaos has become an obstacle to growth and leaves us feeling uncomfortable and insecure. What we need in life is more order.

What does any of this have to do with sports? Sports, simply, are a source of order in the world (in other cultures, family, society, and religion play an outsized role). Sports are highly predictable despite some uncertainty over the outcome. We know how much time each game lasts; we know how many players are on each team; we know how the mechanics of the game work; we know the rules and violations; we know how players are expected to perform; and we know how players and spectators are expected to behave. “Why We Love Sports” is all about chaos. But the majority of games ending in chaos, and the entirety of games ending predictably, are defined by the order of the sport itself. There is no room for chaos in sports outside the confines of the game.

Sports add order to people’s lives. Sports give people a space where their expectations about what is going to happen can be met. And the more professional the competition, the more this is so. To be sure, order isn’t the only reason people love sports. There’s community and connection; there’s the fond memories of playing the game recreationally or as a child; there’s the knowledge that “anything can happen”; there’s the big money and real life drama; and there’s the sheer amazement of seeing the product of talent and countless hours of hard work on display.

Order, however, is the one benefit that people experience but do not rationalize. And that’s the gap I’ve hoped to bridge in this article.