When obtaining a sporting helmet it is important that it is certified, meeting high quality standards. Whether it be it’s outer shell, face mask, inner padding, a helmet should have a snug fit so it doesn’t slip from side to side and remain level sitting squarely upon the head not tilting during activity. To insure the attributes of this protective equipment a secure well fitting chin strap is necessary.

No matter how well a helmet is made or how well it fits and how secure the chin strap is, one thing that can never be overlooked is that a strong neck and jaw is necessary for maximizing a headgear’s protective potential in reducing trauma.

Certain collisions can cause the helmet to become a lever adding torque and angular velocity to the head and neck upon impact. The purpose of the chin strap is to adjoin the helmet to the body so the outer shell and the heads cranium become a unit. A strong jaw and neck keeps the head protector in place and minimizes the transfer of momentum, diluting the force of a collision.

To train the jaw a combination of bands and the Pendulum 4 or 5-Way Head and Neck will develop a strong muscular system. On the neck machine, place the face pad in the last hole of the Pendulum cam. The athlete performs a repetition by leading with the chin, slowly aggressively opening the mouth and protruding the jaw as the repetition is occurring. Pausing at the top of the movement returning the pad back to the starting position, slowly closing the mouth as the weight descends. The athlete will feel the jaw muscles at work during the entire movement while building a strong platform for a snug chin strap.

Training the Jaw on The Pendulum Head Neck Machine