Neck Engagement in Cobra Pose

Can you tell what the difference is between these two photos?

In this blog post, we'll examine two images and explore the main difference between them. We'll also look at why engaging your deep neck flexors muscles can help improve your range of motion and even lead to better breathing in contortion poses.

The first photo shows a person throwing their head back, much like a Pez candy dispenser. This position requires no engagement of the neck muscles and therefore doesn't provide any muscular support for the head or neck. This can limit our range of motion as well as lead to poor breathing patterns and difficulty speaking.

The second photo shows a person tucking their chin before extending their neck back. This position engages both the superficial and deep neck flexor muscles, which are responsible for supporting the weight of our heads. When these muscles are engaged, it gives us more range in our necks while still providing support for our heads and necks. Additionally, engaging these muscles encourages proper breathing patterns as well as improved vocal clarity when speaking because there's less pressure on our airways due to proper alignment.

All in all, understanding how to properly engage your deep neck flexor muscles can be beneficial not only for improving range but also for better posture, breathing, and speech clarity. Next time you do any activity that requires movement from your neck area, try engaging your deep neck flexor muscles first before moving into the desired position – you might just notice an improvement!

As always, if you have any questions regarding how to properly engage these muscles, please reach out to a qualified instructor who can help guide you through proper exercises and stretches tailored specifically for you!