Enhance your neck and jawline with these simple standing exercises designed to strengthen and lift.

As you reach your 50s, your body undergoes numerous transformations, and your neck and jawline are no exception. This area may start to lose its definition due to a decrease in collagen and elastin levels. Changes in bone structure and fat distribution can lead to what is often called “turkey neck,” along with jowls, wrinkles, and a sagging jawline. Aging is influenced by genetics, but there are several measures you can take to mitigate its effects, such as reducing UV exposure and adopting healthy lifestyle habits. Another effective strategy is to incorporate these standing exercises into your fitness regimen. We consulted experts to explain these exercises in detail.

“After 50, skin laxity increases due to a decline in collagen and elastin, and the muscles supporting the jaw and neck naturally weaken,” says Karen Ann Canham, CEO and founder of Karen Ann Wellness. “The platysma and deeper stabilizing muscles lose their tone, causing the neck to appear softer. Hormonal changes also affect the skin’s ability to retain moisture and maintain structure.”

Why are standing exercises an excellent solution?

What makes standing exercises a stellar solution?

Better alignment decreases sagging over time. These moves establish both “strength and lift” in a natural way.

Chad S Lipka, President of North Shore Sauna, wellness and fitness expert, backs up the benefits of standing moves to address sagging skin, noting, “When you’re standing up, the sternocleidomastoid, platysma, and deep cervical flexors must work against gravity, providing your neck and jaw with a functional, everyday strength type of challenge that you cannot provide to them on the floor.”

Below, Canham and Lipka break down five standing moves that help tighten and firm your neck and jawline.

Standing Chin Tucks

“[Standing chin tucks] activate the deep neck flexors and improve alignment,” Canham tells us. This move is especially beneficial for correcting forward head posture—a major culprit behind sagging neck skin.

1. Begin standing tall with your feet hip-distance apart, spine neutral, and shoulders relaxed.
2. Keep your gaze ahead and chin parallel to the ground.
3. Gently bring your chin straight back, like you’re about to make a double chin, without tilting your head up or down.
4. Hold the position for a moment, feeling the stretch at the bottom of your skull.
5. Release with control as you return to the start position.
6. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps of standing chin tucks.

Standing Jawline Lifts

The standing jawline lift helps strengthen the platysma and “create upward tone,” Canham points out. This simple move also boosts neck posture while helping to decrease the appearance of sagging neck skin.

1. Begin standing tall with your feet hip-distance apart, shoulders back and down, and abs activated.
2. Tilt your head up toward the sky—while keeping your neck from collapsing—ensuring the lift is elongated.
3. Then, gently push your lower jaw forward until you feel a solid stretch along your jaw and below your chin.
4. To deepen the stretch, form an “O” shape with your lips.
5. Hold for a moment in the stretch.
6. Bring your head back to a neutral position.
7. Perform 3 sets of 12 reps.

Standing Neck Rotations

Performing standing neck rotations on each side boosts both mobility and circulation. This move also lessens stiffness, alleviates “tech neck” tension, and promotes solid posture. It’s an easy exercise you can weave into your day.

1. Begin by standing tall with your feet hip-distance apart and keeping your spine neutral.
2. Ensure your chin is parallel to the floor and your abs are slightly activated.
3. Gradually turn your head to the left as you rotate from your neck rather than the shoulders.
4. Hold for a moment on the left side as you feel a solid, comfortable stretch.
5. Use control to return to the center.
6. Then, slowly turn your head to the right, rotating from the neck.
7. Continue to alternate sides, performing 2 sets of 10 reps on each side.

Standing Under-Chin Presses

This exercise requires you to gently push your tongue to the roof of your mouth. It fires up the deep muscles situated under the chin, helping to promote a solid muscle tone in the jaw and below the chin.

1. Begin standing tall with your feet hip-distance apart and your spine neutral.
2. Gently close your mouth as you bring your tongue to meet the roof of your mouth, directly behind your front teeth.
3. Then, firmly press your tongue upward (without causing any discomfort). As you do so, you’ll feel the muscles below your chin tighten.
4. Hold for a moment.
5. Release, and then move into the next rep.

Standing Chin Sweeps

The standing chin sweep exercise requires you to glide your chin forward and up to elongate and lift the neck, Canham tells us.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

1. Begin standing tall with your feet hip-distance apart and relaxed shoulders.
2. Lift your chin ever so slightly so your gaze is upward.
3. Then, slowly sweep your chin in an arc to the left—think of drawing a half circle with your chin toward your left shoulder.
4. Hold on the left before returning to the center.
5. Then, sweep your chin to the right.
6. Perform the exercise for 2 sets of 8 reps.