Chin Tuck
cervical exercises Deep Neck Flexors (DNF)
Primary activation drill for the deep neck flexors. Create a gentle chin retraction as if making a double chin without flexing or extending the neck.
Execution
- Position: supine, then progress to seated and standing
- Glide the chin straight back (no head tilt)
- Hold 10 seconds, relax 5 seconds
- 2-3 sets x 10 reps
Cues
- Think "head slides back" not "head tips down"
- Keep the throat and jaw relaxed
Common Errors
- Cervical flexion instead of retraction
- Excess upper trap tension
Progressions
- Supine -> Seated -> Standing -> Light manual resistance
Related Patterns
- forward head posture
- cervical rotation restriction
- upper crossed syndrome
- cervical sidebending restriction