Invisible Exercise 5: Neck Retractions (Chin Tucks)¶

Purpose: Correct forward head posture, strengthen deep neck flexors, reduce neck pain and headaches

Duration: 3 × 10-second holds (60 seconds total including rest)

The Biomechanics¶

Forward head posture (FHP) is epidemic in modern life. For every inch your head moves forward:

Effective weight on your cervical spine increases by 10 pounds
A 12-pound head at 2 inches forward = 32 pounds of force on your neck

This creates a cascade of problems:

Forward Head Effect	Result
Neck extensors constantly working	Trigger points, tension headaches
Base of skull compression	Chronic headaches
Thoracic spine compensates	Upper back rounding
Shoulders round forward	Shoulder impingement
Breathing compromised	Reduced lung capacity

Neck retractions strengthen the deep neck flexors (longus colli, longus capitis) that should stabilize your head position, while lengthening the tight posterior neck muscles.

Why This Matters for Contractors¶

Trade work creates constant forward head position:

Looking down at tools, materials, work surfaces
Driving with head forward toward windshield
Checking phone during breaks
Looking up for overhead work (then snapping back down)

By end of day: neck pain, reduced range of motion, tension headaches.

How to Do It¶

Setup¶

Stand or sit with upright posture. Look straight ahead (not up or down).

The Movement¶

Keep jaw relaxed, teeth slightly apart
Pull chin straight back—horizontal translation
Think: "Make a double chin" or "Pull head back like it's on a rail"
NOT: Looking down (flexion) or up (extension)
NOT: Tilting head—pure horizontal movement backward
Feel stretch at base of skull, engagement at front of neck
Back of neck lengthens, crown of head lifts slightly
Hold 10 seconds
Release to neutral (don't let head drift forward)
Rest 10-15 seconds
Repeat 2-3 times

The Key Concept¶

Railroad Track Cue

Imagine your head is on a horizontal railroad track. It can only slide backward—no tilting, no nodding, no rotating. Pure horizontal translation.

Form Critical Points¶

Horizontal movement only: Head stays level, moves backward
Exaggerate initially: Make very obvious double chin to learn movement
Breathe normally: Don't hold breath
Jaw relaxed: Tension in jaw means trying too hard
Eyes stay level: Gaze at horizon throughout
Shoulders stay down: Don't shrug or tense shoulders

What It Should Feel Like¶

Stretch at base of skull (where head meets neck)
Lengthening of posterior neck
Deep, subtle engagement at front of neck
Double chin appearance (this means you're doing it right)
Slight fatigue after hold if deep neck flexors are weak

Should NOT feel:

Jaw clenching
Pain
Difficulty breathing
Shoulder tension

Variations¶

Seated Version (For Truck/Office)¶

Sit upright, back against seat
Same retraction movement
Use headrest as feedback—pull head into headrest
Excellent for reversing driving posture

Lying Version (Bedtime)¶

Lie on back without pillow (or very flat pillow)
Press back of head into surface
Creates same chin tuck position
Can hold longer (20-30 seconds)
Great for pre-sleep routine

Resisted Version (Advanced)¶

Place hand on forehead
Push head into hand while maintaining position
Creates isometric resistance
Hold 10 seconds
Significantly increases deep neck flexor strength

When to Do It¶

Neck retractions are the most invisible of the Invisible 8—slight chin movement that could be thoughtful nodding or normal head adjustment.

Best times:

After looking down for extended periods
After overhead work (looking up strains neck differently)
During truck drives at stoplights
While standing and planning
Before/after phone use
Multiple times per hour as needed

Troubleshooting¶

Don't feel anything

Cause: Not moving far enough, or already have good posture (rare)
Solution: Exaggerate significantly—make very obvious double chin
Check: Have someone watch from side—is head actually moving back?
Measure: Stand against wall, see if you can press head to wall

Looking down instead of pulling straight back

Cause: Confusing neck flexion (nodding) with retraction (translation)
Solution: Keep eyes on horizon—they shouldn't look down
Cue: "Slide head back on horizontal rail, don't nod"
Practice: Do against wall—back of head should press into wall without tilting

Jaw pain or TMJ discomfort

Cause: Clenching jaw during exercise
Solution: Keep jaw completely relaxed, teeth apart, tongue on roof of mouth
If persists: You may have existing TMJ issues

Headache or dizziness

Cause: Possible vertebral artery issue or inner ear problem
Action: Stop immediately, don't repeat
Medical: See healthcare provider before attempting again

Neck muscles shake/tremble during hold

Cause: Deep neck flexors very weak (common with chronic FHP)
Reality: This is good—means you're activating right muscles
Solution: Reduce hold to 5 seconds, build gradually
Timeline: Trembling reduces in 2-3 weeks

Bram's Experience¶

Week 1: Couldn't believe how far forward his head was. When he pulled it back to proper position, it felt "weird and wrong." Deep neck flexors were so weak they trembled after 5 seconds. Looking in mirror: "I look like a turtle pulling into its shell." But also: immediate relief of pressure at base of skull.

Week 2: Could hold 10 seconds without trembling. Started doing these religiously after any forward work. Noticed he'd been having low-grade headaches constantly that he'd normalized—they started reducing.

Week 4: The corrected position started feeling more normal. Caught himself in forward head multiple times per day and corrected it. The retractions were building a new default posture.

Week 8: Automatic position awareness. When head drifted forward, he noticed immediately and corrected. Could do resisted version for 15 seconds. Neck felt stronger, more stable.

Month 3: New default head position established. Still did retractions several times daily, but more for maintenance than correction. Coworkers commented: "Your posture looks better."

Month 6: Complete transformation. Old photos looked wrong—could see how far forward his head used to be. Tension headaches essentially gone. Neck pain that had been constant background noise for years: eliminated.

Real-World Impact¶

"I had tension headaches 3-4 times per week for years. Thought it was just part of getting older, part of physical work. After three months of neck retractions, I went six weeks without a single headache. Then realized: it wasn't age or work—it was my head position."

Specific improvements:

Driving: "Used to arrive at job sites with stiff neck. Started doing chin tucks at every stop light. Neck stayed loose all day."
Overhead work: "Looking up used to give me immediate neck strain. After strengthening deep flexors, I could work overhead for hours with minimal discomfort."
Sleep: "Woke up with stiff neck less often. Better neck strength = better sleep position."
Concentration: "Didn't realize brain fog was partly from chronic neck tension. Clearer head when neck wasn't fighting itself all day."

The Invisible Factor¶

Standing and thinking, looking straight ahead, slight chin movement. Could be interpreted as thoughtful nodding or just normal head adjustment.

In truck: Sitting at a light, appearing to check mirrors or just relaxing. The movement is so subtle even passengers rarely notice.

You can do this mid-conversation. During meetings. On phone calls. The most invisible exercise there is.

Integration¶

Neck Retractions are the fifth of the Invisible 8 because:

Address the signature dysfunction of modern workers (forward head)
Prevent tension headaches
Can be done constantly throughout the day
Completely invisible to others

Recommendation: Multiple times per hour. After every forward-work session. At every stoplight. This should become automatic.

Next: Shoulder Blade Squeezes →

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