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Sternocleidomastoid胸锁乳突肌

Neck · Superficial (L1) · Anterior · 4 exercises

Function

Neck flexion and contralateral rotation; stabilizes head and neck posture. Together with the trapezius it protects the cervical spine during heavy squats and deadlifts.

Best Exercises & Form Cues

• Neck Flexion (Resisted)

  Equipment

  Neck harness/manual resistance

  Sets & Reps

  2-3 sets × 15-20 reps · light

  How to do it

  Band at the forehead (flexion) or occiput (extension); chin slightly tucked; the deep neck flexors drive slow, full-range flexion-extension; no shrugging, no breath-holding.

  Common mistakes

  Too much resistance, snapping the head, leaning back with the torso

• Deadlift (Isometric Hold)

  Equipment

  Barbell/trap bar

  Sets & Reps

  3 holds × 10-20 s at lockout · rest 2 min

  How to do it

  Hold the bar in the lockout (or top) position; shoulder blades retracted, neck neutral, gaze slightly down-forward; breathing and abdominal pressure hold the whole body rigid under tension.

  Common mistakes

  Leaning way back at the top, holding the breath too long, loads far beyond your full deadlift

• Glute Bridge

  Equipment

  Bodyweight + mat

  Sets & Reps

  3 sets × 20-30 s (or 12-15 reps)

  How to do it

  Lying with knees bent and feet planted; exhale and roll up vertebra by vertebra from the tailbone; shoulders bear weight at the top, hips fully open, hamstrings and glutes tight; lower one segment at a time.

  Common mistakes

  Jamming the lower back up without rolling, knees splaying, holding your breath at the top

• Neck Lateral Flexion (Resisted)

  Equipment

  Band/manual resistance

  Sets & Reps

  2-3 sets × 12-15 reps per side

  How to do it

  Hand or band against the side of the head; bend the neck to the opposite side against resistance, slowly; the shoulder stays down; small, controlled range.

  Common mistakes

  Shrugging, whipping the head, side-bending the whole torso

Stretching & Recovery

• Assisted gentle side-neck stretch
• Slow look-up rotations

Other muscles in the Neck

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