Neck exercises

[danbo]

I have just taken my monthly profile pictures and realised that my neck looks seriously weird (no muscle in it basically). What exercises can i do to get some muscle in it (or just make it look less weird)?

Here is the picture, so you can see: http://img77.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fronttensed5ol.jpg

Thanks

 

[blut wump]

WTF are you doing to Homer????

 

[Jim Ouini]

WTF are you doing to Homer????

 

[blut wump]

Sorry, couldn't resist. I don't think your neck looks bad at all. You might want to work your traps a little in which case power shrugs are always recommended. See madcow's link in the 5x5 thread for technique.

 

[danbo]

If i workout 3 times a week how often (per week) would i work my traps, once?

 

[musketeer]

My traps (and neck) responded really well to each of the following at least once per week.

Notice there is NO direct trap or neck work:

Push presses
Cleans
Deadlift
Cheat Laterals
(heavy barbell curls, upright rows and the like require quite a bit of upper back stabalisation too)

 

[danbo]

I do all of those exercises minus the cheat laterals, my trapezius doesn't seem to be growing at the same rate as the other muscles worked by those lifts, so i think i'll add dumbbell shrugs to my training.

Here is my training routine for the day i do shoulders.

Workout #2

SHOULDERS

Barbell clean and Press
Dumbbell Lateral Raises

Power Training

Heavy Upright Row (3 sets to failure)
Push Presses (3 sets to failure)

UPPER ARMS

Standing Barbell Curls
Seated Dumbbell Curls
Standing Triceps Extensions

FOREARMS

Wrist Curls
Reverse Wrist Curls

ABDOMINALS

Reverse Crunches (5 sets of 25 reps)

Would it be wise to do dumbbell shrugs on this day, considering all the other shoulder/trapezius exercise i have on that day?

 

[musketeer]

Yeah, looks cool to me. Perhaps when you get training heavier, you will be able to drop them.

 

[blut wump]

I prefer to do shrugs with a barbell in an explosive style. Here's a link to madcow's take on the exercise:
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4712284&postcount=319

I usually just throw them in every once in a while when I feel I have a little extra energy. Mostly I get adequate stimulation from the exercises musketeer mentions.