Train the neck most lifters ignore.
Go very light and slow, this is a small muscle, never jerk the head.
Adding a plate over a towel to the lying neck curl turns the front-of-neck flexors into something you can actually progress, tiny load jumps over months building visible thickness and stability. The head-off-bench setup allows a gentle tip back at the bottom, so the muscles work through a stretch instead of just a nod. It is the standard step up once bodyweight neck curls stop being challenging.
Lighter than you think, 1.25 to 2.5 kg is plenty for most people to begin. The neck responds to smooth high-rep work, not load PRs, and jumping weight too fast is how people end up with a tweaked neck for a fortnight.
Comfort and control. The towel pads the plate against your forehead and stops it sliding as you curl. Fold it thick, position the plate flat, and keep both hands on it throughout, the plate never moves independently of your head.
Two or three times a week works well once you are adapted, the neck recovers fast from sensible volume. Start with one weekly session, see how it responds, and add from there. Never train it through pain or the day after a strain.
