If you’re interested in bodybuilding then you know how important it is to build your muscles proportionately. Nobody wants biceps the size of a truck and a pair of chicken legs groaning under the weight of a barrel-sized torso.
That said, many people often overlook training their neck.
Building a thick trunk for your head is an art form that’s easy to get wrong, so we’re going over the mechanics of building a thicker neck, some pitfalls to avoid, and the best exercises you can add to your routine to push you closer to your goals.
Before you set out to train any area of your body its important to understand all of the intricacies of the muscles that make up the area. Your neck, in particular, is doubly important to understand because it is easy to injure.
Building a thick neck is about understanding which muscles are neglected, what they do (in terms of function), the safest way to train them, and how much you need to train them to see results.
The trapezius muscles, or "traps," are large muscles that cover most of your upper back and neck. They start at the base of your skull (called the occipital bone) and run down to the middle of your back, ending around your lower thoracic spine.
They also stretch out to your shoulders, connecting to your shoulder blades (scapula). Because of their wide, four-sided shape, they’re called the trapezius.
Your traps help move and support your shoulder blades and arms.
They are divided into three parts, each with a specific job:
Upper Traps: These muscles lift your shoulders and help turn your head. They’re working when you shrug your shoulders or carry something heavy.
Middle Traps: These muscles pull your shoulder blades backward. You use them when you squeeze your shoulder blades together, like when you're rowing or pulling something toward you.
Lower Traps: These muscles pull your shoulder blades downward and help lift your arms overhead by rotating your shoulder blades upward. They are important for movements like reaching up or lifting weights above your head.
Besides helping you move, strong traps make your neck and shoulders look bigger and more muscular. Building up your traps can give you a thicker neck and a stronger-looking upper body.
The platysma is a thin, flat muscle that stretches from your lower jaw down to your upper chest, crossing over your collarbone.
It helps pull your lower lip down and tightens the skin on your neck, which is important for facial expressions like frowning or showing surprise. While it may assist slightly in lowering the jaw, stronger muscles handle opening and closing the mouth. Without the platysma, it would be harder to show emotions through facial movements.
The sternocleidomastoid is a large, visible muscle that runs from behind the ear (mastoid process) down to the collarbone (clavicle) and breastbone (sternum).
Its primary functions include rotating the head side to side, tilting the head, and assisting in neck flexion. Strengthening this muscle adds to the thickness and definition of the front and sides of the neck.
But this is just the surface level view of your neck.
To provide a more complete understanding of neck muscle development and appearance, it's helpful to cover all the major muscles involved in building a thicker, stronger, and more defined neck. Beyond the trapezius, platysma, and sternocleidomastoid, there are several other muscles contribute to neck size, strength, and function.
This muscle runs from the upper cervical vertebrae to the top of the shoulder blade (scapula). It helps elevate the scapula and assists with neck side-bending and rotation. A well-developed levator scapulae contributes to the fullness between the neck and shoulders.
The scalenes are a group of three muscles on each side of the neck, running from the cervical spine to the first two ribs. They assist with neck flexion, lateral bending, and rib elevation during breathing. Building these muscles thickens the sides of the neck and improves neck stability.
These muscles are located at the back of the neck and upper back, running from the upper spine to the skull and cervical vertebrae. They are responsible for extending (tilting the head back) and rotating the head. Strengthening these muscles enhances the thickness and strength of the back of the neck.
This deep muscle runs along the spine and attaches to the base of the skull. It plays a key role in extending and stabilizing the head and neck. Developing this muscle helps create a stronger and more muscular upper neck.
A group of small muscles at the base of the skull, these muscles control fine movements of the head, like tilting and rotating. Though small, they contribute to neck stability and posture.
These muscles are located in the front of the neck and assist with swallowing and tongue movement. While not typically targeted for hypertrophy, strengthening them can improve neck function and stability.
Your neck muscles are just like any other muscle group. Building a thicker neck is all about building muscle mass through resistance training, burning fat so your muscles can shine through, and providing your body the time it needs to recover so you can do it all over again.
Your body builds muscle through a process called muscular hypertrophy. This happens when your muscles are challenged by resistance training. In response, your body repairs and strengthens these muscle fibers, making them bigger and stronger over time. This repair process relies on protein and other nutrients to rebuild the muscles.
By consistently challenging your muscles with heavier weights or more reps—a method called progressive overload—you stimulate growth safely and effectively.
When your body repairs stressed muscle fibers after exercise, it rebuilds them stronger than before. It also adapts by increasing the muscles' ability to store glycogen (the stored form of glucose), which serves as a key energy source during workouts.
This repair and growth process requires plenty of resources. Your body needs protein to supply amino acids for rebuilding muscle and carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores and provide energy. To support muscle growth and maintain energy during workouts, it’s important to eat enough protein and a balanced amount of carbohydrates.
Burning fat is a key aspect of building a thicker neck that isn’t often talked about.
If you want a thicker, more defined neck, building muscle and reducing body fat are both important. A lower body fat percentage helps reveal the muscles you've developed, making your neck look more muscular and well-defined.
However, you can’t target fat loss in specific areas. Fat burning must come from an overall approach which includes creating a caloric deficit through a combination of a nutrient-dense diet rich in protein and focused strength training.
Now that you understand the muscles involved, building a thicker neck becomes more straightforward.
Choose three to four of the following exercises and perform them twice a week to strengthen and grow your neck muscles.
Shoulder shrugs are a fundamental exercise for building bigger, stronger traps by directly targeting the upper trapezius muscles. By lifting heavy weights with controlled shoulder elevation, shrugs help create a thicker, more powerful upper back and neck. The key here is time under tension.
Neck flexion is a key exercise for strengthening the anterior neck muscles, including the sternocleidomastoid and deep neck flexors, which are essential for neck stability and overall neck thickness. Using a weight plate or resistance band adds controlled resistance, helping to build muscle and improve neck strength safely.
Neck extension targets the posterior neck muscles, which are crucial for building a thicker and stronger neck. Adding resistance with a weight plate or resistance band helps increase muscle mass and improve neck stability and posture.
Side neck flexion strengthens the lateral neck muscles, primarily the scalenes and sternocleidomastoid, improving neck stability and balanced muscle development. Using a weight plate or resistance band adds targeted resistance, helping to build thickness and resilience on the sides of the neck.
By consistently training with these exercises, you'll build a thicker, stronger neck that enhances both your physique and overall strength.
Neck Rotations are excellent for improving neck flexibility and reducing stiffness, but they do not directly build neck muscle. For a thicker and stronger neck, pair mobility exercises like this with strength-based movements such as neck flexion/extension, weighted shrugs, and isometric holds.
Pro Tip: Move slowly and avoid forcing the stretch. Breathe in as you turn your head, and exhale as you return to center. If you feel any sharp pain or dizziness, stop immediately.
This exercise is part stretch and part gentle exercise for the relatively weak platysma. This exercise is perfect for strengthening the front and underside of your neck.
Pro Tip: Keep your jaw relaxed and avoid tensing your shoulders. Breathe normally throughout the exercise.
Upright Rows are excellent for building the traps and shoulders when performed with proper form. To minimize the risk of shoulder impingement, keep your elbows below shoulder height and use an EZ bar or dumbbells for a safer grip.
Pro Tip: Keep your wrists straight and avoid shrugging your shoulders. Focus on a smooth, controlled movement. If you feel any shoulder discomfort, use lighter weight or switch to dumbbells for a more natural range of motion.
This is an exercise that doesn't require a gym. And although it doesn't target neck muscles directly, it can be a good thing to do throughout the day if you work at a desk.
Pro Tip: Keep your neck relaxed and avoid shrugging your shoulders during the movement. Breathe in as you squeeze, and exhale as you release.
Getting a thicker neck is about working out a wide range of muscles. In fact, most of the muscles you should be working out aren’t truly a part of your neck. The muscle that’s most widely understood to be your “neck,” the platysma is so thin and delicate you shouldn’t really be putting too much strain on it. There are a few things you should be doing to ensure that your quest for a thick neck bears fruit.
If you’re going to be spending your time and resources on building a thick neck, then the single best thing you can do for yourself in the quest is taking the time to seriously revisit the list of muscles that make up your neck so you’re not wasting your time building muscle on thin parts of your body that don’t actually add to the silhouette of your neck.
Don’t waste your time on exercises that won’t actually build up your neck if you’re going to set out with this goal in mind. It seems obvious, but if you’re working out willy-nilly up there, you’re going to be spinning your wheels for a while.
If you hurt your neck you’re going to be out of commission for a while. Even the most basic exercise is going to be an uphill battle if you can’t move your head freely. You’ll very quickly discover how interlocked with the rest of your body your neck is if you pull something. Don’t overload yourself. These muscles aren’t massive and they’re not hard to build up.
Building muscle is as much about recovery resource-intensive as it is about the actual workouts. Building muscle in your neck is no exception. In fact, since your goal here is about putting on as much muscle mass as you reasonably can, it stands to reason that you should be focused primarily on effective rest days.
Make sure you put in the work on neck days so your body has something to rebuild, but don’t push your neck and shoulders so far that you’re chipping into your progress before you even start.
Building a thick neck is one of the best ways to make yourself look as strong as you feel. As long as you're smart about your exercise selection, it’s relatively easy to build a neck that makes your shirt collars beg for mercy.
