The Headbanger is a dynamic exercise that targets the upper body and core stability.

  1. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  2. Place your hands behind your head for support.
  3. Engage your core and lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the ground.
  4. Quickly nod your head forward and back, maintaining control throughout the movement.
  5. Perform for a set duration or number of repetitions.

How to perform the Headbanger

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Headbanger using your body weight.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your latissimus dorsi.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your latissimus dorsi rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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