Reset Your Neck Before You Strengthen

Ken Belveal
7 minutes ago
2 min read

When people think about improving their upper back and shoulders, they often jump straight to strengthening. But if the neck is tight, guarded, or overactive, strengthening alone can actually make discomfort worse.

Before you ask the upper back to work harder, the neck needs to settle down and regain control. That’s where this simple quadruped neck flexion and extension exercise fits perfectly into the Stand Up Str8 system.

Why the Neck Matters in Upper‑Back Strengthening

The muscles of the neck and upper back are closely connected. When the neck is tense or overworking, it often steals effort from the muscles between the shoulder blades—the very muscles Stand Up Str8 is designed to strengthen.

Common signs the neck needs attention first:

Neck tightness during or after upper‑back exercises
Tension headaches
Upper traps doing all the work
Difficulty relaxing the neck while strengthening

A brief reset can make strengthening feel better and work better.

Why the Quadruped Position Works

Quadruped (hands and knees) is an ideal position for neck work because it:

Reduces load and compression on the spine
Limits excessive range of motion
Encourages slow, controlled movement
Helps the nervous system relax

This allows the neck to move without bracing or forcing—exactly what we want before strengthening.

The Purpose of This Exercise

This is not a stretch and it’s not a strength drill.

The goal is to:

Reduce unnecessary neck tension
Restore smooth, controlled movement
Improve coordination between the neck and upper back

Think of this as preparing the system so Stand Up Str8 can do its job.

How to Perform Quadruped Neck Flexion & Extension

Starting position:

Hands under shoulders
Knees under hips
Spine in a comfortable neutral position
Eyes looking down

Movement:

Slowly nod the head, gently bringing the chin toward the chest
Keep the movement small and controlled
Pause briefly without forcing a stretch
Slowly return the head to neutral
Avoid collapsing or throwing the head back

Guidelines:

Move slowly
Keep the range comfortable
Relax the jaw and shoulders
Breathe normally

Start with 5–8 controlled repetitions.

When to Use This With Stand Up Str8

This exercise works best:

Before using Stand Up Str8
As part of a warm‑up or reset
On days when the neck feels tight or fatigued

A calm neck allows the upper‑back muscles to engage more effectively during strengthening.

Watch the Demonstration

▶ Video Demonstration: Quadruped Neck Flexion & Extension Reset

Pay attention to how small and controlled the movement is. Less is more.

Strengthen Smarter

Stand Up Str8 is designed to strengthen the muscles between the shoulder blades to reduce neck and upper‑back tension. But strength works best when the neck isn’t fighting the movement.

Reset first. Then strengthen.

Learn more about Stand Up Str8 here: https://standupstr8.com

— Ken Belveal

Creator of Stand Up Str8Virtual Exercise Physiologist