At one point in his career, former NFL linebacker and two-time Pro Bowler Takeo Spikes was able to bench 490 pounds. He had a 21-inch neck, arguably still the most famous neck in the NFL.

If you didn’t know Spikes was retired from football, you might assume he was still in the league. It appears he continues to train his neck for girth, almost as though he’s expecting to suit up again in the fall.

Spikes performs what we’re calling a “Plate Neck Flexion,” an interesting way to strengthen the neck, with the potential to reduce the force transferred to the brain during a tackle. Lying down on a bench with his head hanging off the end, he balances a 45-pound plate near his face and tilts his head back and forth, in one slow and controlled motion.