The Insurance Policy
Nobody Notices
Seven years in, the rep that quietly built my structural integrity from the top down. This is the neck curl review — and the start of a head-to-toe archive.
I started my journey at Goodlife Healthclubs Chermside, jumping into the deep end with group fitness before eventually claiming the gym floor as my own. In 2019 I won the 8-Week Challenge, transforming from 47kg to 61kg. The year after, I completed my Certificate III & IV in Fitness at the Australian Institute of Fitness — surrounded by young-blood athletes and seasoned oldies. I felt I was the least experienced of the bunch. At least I could pistol squat.
It felt lame because I didn't know how to socialise (still don't). I'd run through the same generic questions — "how many pull-ups can you do?" — instead of going deep into someone's why and how. That shallow approach is part of why I twice failed at building a PT business across Fitness First, Goodlife, and most recently Fitness Cartel.
Seven years later, I've traded noobie bullshit for calculated movements and deep mind-muscle connection. This is my archive — a head-to-toe index of every rep, set, and lesson learned along the way.
Where it started
I started neck curls roughly four years ago, just as I was transitioning from a Hungry Jack's crew member to an aspiring PT. My education came from the Natural Titans of YouTube — Alex Leonidas and Geoffrey Verity Schofield.
They opened my eyes to the Bronze Era lifters of the 1800s and early 1900s. Those legends didn't have fancy machines. They focused on overhead strength and superhuman feats. A standout trait of that era was massive neck and trap development — a byproduct of lifting heavy weight by any means necessary.
They lacked the chest development we see today (the bench press wasn't yet king), but their yoke was undeniable. I wanted that same rugged, functional density.
The movement
Lie back on a flat or slight incline bench with your head hanging off the edge. Place a weight plate on your forehead — use a towel for comfort. Slowly lower your head to full extension, then curl your chin toward your chest.
The result is thickness and density at the base of the head — the "mountainous" look where the head meets the shoulders. Essential for a powerful silhouette.
Seven-year wisdom
Interestingly, my neck hasn't ballooned in size. I've pivoted to treating this as a mobility and posture tool. Training the neck has eliminated the desk-job ache. It's given me the structural integrity to perform wrestler-style neck bridges and the subconscious confidence that my cervical spine is protected.
Whether it's daily life or a random impact, I know my "block" isn't falling off — it's going to rebound with perfect alignment. In the rare circumstance I had to deal with environmental impact or the anime-tier confrontations of the YNs, I'd adapt quickly. This underrated neck I've built is ready for the world I walk through daily.
Jumping the gun. If you grab a 20kg plate because it looks alpha, your neck will quickly inform you of your mistake. This isn't the place for ego.
Start with 2.5kg. Seriously. Perfect movement outweighs boomer reps. Master the control, then slowly add mass to these hidden areas. Build a body that is strong from the inside out.