Left Plate Loaded Machine Neck Side Flexion
In SetGrip: Machine Neck Side Flexion (Left, Plate Loaded)
- Primary muscleLevator Scapulae
- EquipmentMachine
- DifficultyIntermediate
- TypeIsolation · Lateral flexion
- Secondary muscles
- Sternocleidomastoid, Traps, Scalenes
- Body part
- Neck
- Position
- Seated
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Strength
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Plate-loaded resistance and a fixed head pad above the ear give left-side neck flexion what a harness cannot: a seated, braced torso and a strict arc for the ear-to-shoulder movement. Small plates are the whole game - the lateral neck flexors move a short range and respond to sets of ten to fifteen, not heavy singles.
How to do the Left Plate Loaded Machine Neck Side Flexion
- Set the seat so the machine’s pivot is level with the base of your neck and load an appropriate plate.
- Position the left head pad on the bony side of your skull above the ear (not on the jaw or ear).
- Sit tall with your back against the pad, feet flat, and grip the handles to stabilize your torso.
- Start with your head neutral, chin level, shoulders relaxed—do not shrug.
- Exhale as you slowly flex your neck to the left, bringing your ear toward your shoulder without rotating the head.
- Pause briefly at a comfortable end range without pinching or pain.
- Inhale as you return to neutral under control, keeping the motion slow and the neck aligned.
Tip: Keep the opposite shoulder pulled down to get a full range without shrugging.
Muscles worked
Primary
Levator Scapulae · Back
The muscles along the side of the neck tilt the head toward the shoulder and should feel a burn on the working side.
Secondary
- Sternocleidomastoid
- Traps — The upper traps assist in tilting the head and will take over if you shrug the shoulder toward the ear.
- Scalenes
Common mistakes
- Tilting the whole torso — keep the shoulders level and only the head moving, since leaning the body cheats the movement.
- Rotating instead of tilting — the ear should move toward the shoulder in a straight line, not turn to look sideways.
- Rushing the reps — move slowly through a comfortable range and stop where the stretch starts.
- Too much weight — this is the smallest of the neck movements, so start with a very light plate.
Where it fits in a workout
Neck side flexion goes at the end of a session with the other neck work. Work both sides back to back.
How many sets, how heavy and how hard: see what the ACSM position stands support.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without machine
When to talk to someone
- Chest discomfort, feeling faint or lightheaded, or trouble breathing during or after exercise can be signs of a heart attack. In the US, call 911 right away; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
- Heart, metabolic or kidney disease, or symptoms like these when you are active: talk to your doctor before you start or step up training.
- Pregnant: ask your obstetric care provider which exercise suits you.
Track the Left Plate Loaded Machine Neck Side Flexion in SetGrip
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More exercises
Sources
- ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
- ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
- ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
- CDC: About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery (2024)
Sources checked on October 17, 2026. Full citations are in the exercise library.
Animation and exercise data: ExerciseDB, licensed to SetGrip. General information, not medical or coaching advice.