Plan on lifting or squatting something heavy? Check your neck.
One of the most common issues I see in squats, deadlifts, planks, push-ups, and bent-over rows—even among experienced lifters—is failing to set the head and neck in a neutral position. Everything else in the setup may look right: feet planted with three points of contact, pelvic floor engaged, the core braced, diaphragms engaged, shoulders pulled down and back. Yet the neck is often neglected.
A true neutral spine includes the cervical (neck) region, not just the lower back. Too often the head is extended or the neck is tilted during an otherwise solid hip hinge. This extended neck position can be dangerous. The neck is smaller and more delicate than the lower back, and when you contract multiple muscles hard during a heavy lift, the stress can accumulate in delicate tissues, joints, and nerves.
Why do so many of us end up with this faulty position? Part of it is that our brains want to look upright. We instinctively want to see the horizon and feel like we’re standing tall, and that can make us fight cues to tuck the chin. There’s also a tendency to chase that perfect selfie angle. But a big reason is biomechanical: extending the head and neck can shorten the lever arm, which can make the lift feel more efficient.
Think of how lever arms work in movement. When you bend forward in a proper hip hinge, the hip is the fulcrum and the body forms a lever from the hip to the top of the head. The longer the lever arm, the harder the load is to move. Extending the head and neck effectively shortens the lever by about a head’s length, which can give a false sense of easier movement.
To lift safely and efficiently, tuck the chin and align the neck with the rest of your spine before you lift. Keep the hip hinge solid and the load close to your shins—don’t let the weight drift forward. And resist the urge to look up; a neutral gaze—slightly forward or downward—is safer and makes it easier to maintain a proper cervical position.
So next time you deadlift or squat, focus on both your hip hinge and your head and neck alignment. Your discs, joints, muscles, and nerves will thank you.
