As we grow older, it’s common to observe changes around the neck—skin may start to droop, the area might lose its sharp contours, or you might find yourself with a forward-leaning head, seemingly overnight. The encouraging news is that, with a dedicated regimen of exercises, you can tone and strengthen this often-overlooked part of the body in just a month. From my experience as a stretching and flexibility coach, I have witnessed firsthand how specific neck exercises can dramatically enhance posture and alleviate tension.

Targeted Benefits: These exercises are designed to enhance neck mobility and activate the nervous tissue along the neck and spine.

Start Your Day With This Neck Warm-Up

Instructions:

Repetitions: Perform the exercises for 10 to 15 repetitions.

• Start standing with your feet hip-width apart to give yourself a stable base
• Clasp your hands behind your back and stand up nice and tall
• Start with your neck in a neutral position and keep your core tight, then slowly drop your chin all the way to your chest
• Hold for about one second, and then look all the way up at the ceiling, pulling your shoulder blades together
• Avoid arching through the spine and work to keep your core engaged and hips in a neutral position

Reps: Repeat for 10-15 reps.

Try These Gentle Neck Circles

What it targets: Improves range of motion in the neck and warms up the nervous tissue in the neck and spine.

How to do it:

• Continue standing with your feet hip-width apart
• Drop your arms to your sides and relax your shoulders away from your ears
• Slowly rotate your head, bringing your right ear to your right shoulder
• Continue moving your head in a circle, gazing up, then left ear to left shoulder, gazing down, and returning to a neutral position
• Try to make sure these movements are slow and controlled, and work through your full range of motion with every circle

Reps: Repeat 4 times, and then reverse the circle.

Add Shoulder Shrugs to Your Routine

What it targets: Engages muscles around the neck and shoulder area to strengthen the area and relieve tightness.

How to do it:

• Stay standing and keep your feet hip-width apart
• Leave your arms by your side and start with your shoulders relaxed and away from your ears
• Slowly engage your shoulder muscles and pull both shoulders toward your ears at the same time
• Hold for up to five seconds, and then release the hold, dropping your shoulders back down

Reps: Repeat for 10-15 reps.

Finish With This Side Stretch and Hold

What it targets: Engages the muscle between the shoulder blades (levator scapulae) to provide a stretch and tension relief. This improves the range of motion and strengthens the upper back between the shoulders.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

How to do it:

• Continue standing with your feet hip-width apart and parallel
• Arms will stay at your sides, and you will start with your neck in a neutral position
• Slowly bring your right hand behind your head
• Turn your gaze slightly over to the right diagonal and then add gentle pressure downward, gazing down and trying to bring your head to your armpit
• Be sure you are working within your range of motion. This should feel like a gentle stretch with no pain

Hold: Hold for 20-30 seconds and then repeat on the other side. Repeat side-to-side 3-5 times as needed.

What Results Can You Expect?

I recommend repeating these exercises daily, and it is a great way to start your day. You will be warming up the upper spine and nervous system for your day ahead.

With consistent practice, this routine will add mobility to the neck and upper back, decrease pain and tension in the muscles around the neck, upper back, and shoulders, and build strength in these muscles to better support the head and spine. Participants should also see improved posture through better engagement of these muscles.