Back when I used to kart, this was never a problem as practice and racing always developed the neck muscles. Those days are over and the older I get the more sore the neck muscles seem to be at the end of a long weekend.

The gym I go to used to have a machine that worked out the neck where there was a, for lack of a better term, horse collar and provided resistance in every direction you desired. They no longer have that.

I spoke with a master trainer and he said that usually isn't something that's requested, I told him what I do and the only thing he could suggest is putting a pillow against a wall, leaning against it at an angle and use the neck muscles to push your body weight away from the wall.

 

Having a one year old, I find that this emoticon illustrates what I do perfectly......

 

In football (we obviously had the weight machines for the neck) but on the field in warm-ups before practice we'd put on our helmet, lay on our back and arch up with our weight on the top of our head and our feet. Then we'd "twist" from side to side to load our neck up at different angles. Just be careful when you first do it and don't overdue the twisting until you're used to it. You'll end up with a sore neck if you don't.

 

Take an old helmet and drill a hole in the top and insert an I-bolt. Then attach it to the cable (the one you use for lat pulldowns and such) on the weight machine at the gym. Put on the helmet, sit on the bench (or floor) and go to work (with the appropriate weight attached).

 

Oh the possibilities for this to go wildly off topic.

 

There are many methods, here's one from Ross Bentley:

Quote:

You will hear a lot about how our neck muscles tire, even though that is an area that we all work on. While every driver has their own approach to building strength and stamina in the neck muscles, personally I use something that I’ve been using since the days when I drove Indy cars (which generate extremely high g-forces – over 4 gs at some tracks). I have an old helmet that I’ve taped a 5-pound ankle weight to. I put this on (I look like something from Star Wars in it), lie on my side, and then raise and lower my head 100 times; flip to the other side and do the same; then on my back and lift forward; then on my stomach and lift backwards. Three sets of those. Now, kids, don’t try this at home, because the first time you do it, it seems relatively easy. But when the next morning comes around and you realize you can’t turn your head, you begin to understand just how sensitive the neck is. I’m speaking from experience here. But in doing these exercises 3 or 4 times per week, I hope that my neck muscles are up for the job of the 24 hour race. Just before sitting down to write this I was doing my neck exercises, and using some free weights. - Ross Bentley

Image courtesy Ross Bentley via livesearchracing.spaces.live.com

BTW, as a related aside, you may consider contacting a motorsport-specific trainer such as Jim Leo's PitFit or even Coach Seiji (though the latter mainly works with MX riders IIRC).

 

my exercize technique can be seen in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zlVi...eature=related

 

Technique used by Force India F1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw88JamMxFw

 

Hold a 100#(or more if you care to) barbell in front of you(arms fully extended downward) and do" shrugs".Three sets of 10 every other day.

Tom B.

 

Wait until they're a teenager

 

Exactly what I was thinking.

I was going to suggest shoulder shrugs, too, but using a barbell held straight down and raising your traps. I used to do these quite a bit, but, luckily, I'm in such great shape that I've never had a sore neck from driving.

 

Or just at the end of one day in the Radical. Then another day to recover! Hate it that I start flopping my head against the roll hoop on left handers in the afternoon........

 

Archery does a neck good:

 

Or looking at VR's pictures?

 

Neck machine at the gym twice a week