# Advice for losing double chin



## Comeback_kid7 (Sep 5, 2019)

Been slim all my life, however this double chin of mine has been bothering me. 

Does anyone have any advice as to how to lose this unwanted  double chin thing?


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## drop bear (Sep 6, 2019)

Look up more.


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## MetalBoar (Sep 22, 2019)

I've found that neck flexion exercises on something like the Nautilus XPload 4 way neck or the MedX 4 way neck can substantially reduce a double chin for some people and for others it has little to no impact. I assume it's all dependent on what's causing the double chin in the first place, so no guarantees. Regardless, if you're doing martial arts a stronger neck can only be helpful so if you've got access to one of these machines I'd add neck flexion and extension (and maybe lateral too depending on your needs) to my workout routine. The machines are expensive and kind of specialized so most gyms don't seem to have them but they're great if you do have access. There are ways to achieve the same results with manual resistance or other accessories but I wouldn't want to try to advise anyone on how to train the neck remotely.


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## pdg (Sep 22, 2019)

Neck exercises to get rid of a double chin are like trying sit-ups to get rid of a beer gut.

You might get better muscles, but they'll still be covered with flab and loose skin...


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## MetalBoar (Sep 22, 2019)

pdg said:


> Neck exercises to get rid of a double chin are like trying sit-ups to get rid of a beer gut.
> 
> You might get better muscles, but they'll still be covered with flab and loose skin...


I've found that some people are simply lacking muscle tone in the muscles of the front of the neck and under the jaw and that when they strengthen them it will cause them to be significantly less saggy and reduce the appearance of a double chin. This is different than the false concept of spot reducing. In the case of someone who's lean and still has a double chin some good portion of the time it's loose muscles rather than loose skin that's responsible . The goal isn't to reduce fat but to firm up those slack muscles. Since the OP stated that they were slim and had always had a double chin I think there's a decent chance it might make a noticeable difference.


MasterKernel said:


> Considering a muscular neck will pull your skin and tighten your skin, it might do work against a double chin...but you will need a sick neck for that.
> 
> 
> Feel free to provide a better idea for the OP though.


You don't have to put on huge amounts of muscle, you just have to do enough work to strengthen muscles that are in a state of disuse atrophy so that they can do their job. I've never used neck exercises with a client with a goal of changing their appearance but it has had the effect more than once. I've been surprised that even a number of rather over fat individuals have had a substantial reduction in the appearance of a double chin after making only modest strength gains.


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## MetalBoar (Sep 22, 2019)

MasterKernel said:


> So what is wrong about my advise about exercising your neck ?
> 
> Yes, although training is needed.


Oh, I think I misunderstood your use of the word "sick". The generation younger than me uses "sick" as a slang term to mean really great, or impressive. I had assumed (I'm now guessing incorrectly) that you were saying someone would need to develop a very impressive set of neck muscles to have an impact. If on the other hand you meant that they would need to have some dysfunction in their neck muscles for exercise to have an impact on a double chin we're on the same page.

EDIT: The portion above where I quoted you was directed at PDG. Unlike Gerry I'm going for efficiency rather than post count so I combined my response to the two of you...


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## JowGaWolf (Sep 22, 2019)

drop bear said:


> Look up more.


Awesome... I needed that one.


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## dvcochran (May 20, 2021)

drop bear said:


> Look up more.


Beat me to it.


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## dvcochran (May 20, 2021)

Comeback_kid7 said:


> Been slim all my life, however this double chin of mine has been bothering me.
> 
> Does anyone have any advice as to how to lose this unwanted  double chin thing?


If you are truly slim, the condition doesn't run in your family, and you have tried exercise then I suggest you see your doctor to rule out any potential anomalies. If all the former boxes have been checked the decision making process should be clearer and easier. 
That said, is it really a big deal or is is something only You think is an issue? That is a whole different conversation; either course could benefit by talking to a professional about it.


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## Gyakuto (Jun 18, 2022)

MetalBoar said:


> I've found that some people are simply lacking muscle tone in the muscles of the front of the neck and under the jaw and that when they strengthen them it will cause them to be significantly less saggy and reduce the appearance of a double chin. This is different than the false concept of spot reducing. In the case of someone who's lean and still has a double chin some good portion of the time it's loose muscles rather than loose skin that's responsible . The goal isn't to reduce fat but to firm up those slack muscles. Since the OP stated that they were slim and had always had a double chin I think there's a decent chance it might make a noticeable difference.
> 
> You don't have to put on huge amounts of muscle, you just have to do enough work to strengthen muscles that are in a state of disuse atrophy so that they can do their job. I've never used neck exercises with a client with a goal of changing their appearance but it has had the effect more than once. I've been surprised that even a number of rather over fat individuals have had a substantial reduction in the appearance of a double chin after making only modest strength gains.


Sorry to contradict you but muscles cannot ‘sag’ or lose their tone unless you have a serous pathology. The length of a muscle is kept optimal (minimal) for the joint position by muscle spindles and specifically by the action of the gamma motonuerones (this was the area of my PhD research!). Thus there’s no ‘reeling in of slack’ when a muscle is contracted because there isn’t any. Age-related loss of elastin and collagen can make the surrounding tissues sag, however.

The muscles inferior to the mandible are (from superficial to deep), platysma (the ‘shaver’s muscle’), anterior belly of digastric (Natalie Portman has very visible A.B of digastrics in ‘Black Swan’. It was very distracting for me as I couldn’t think about anything else 😳) and mylohyoid, the sling forming the floor of the mouth (I used to teach anatomy of the head and neck🤓). 

It’s far more likely that the deposition of  excessive fat in a genetically-determined pattern is the cause of this. Some people put fat on their belly, hips, waist or bum depending upon their sex and genetic predispositions. My girlfriend tells me mine goes on my head. Dieting or liposuction are the only solutions…🤔…or grow a beard 🧔🏻‍♂️


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## Wing Woo Gar (Jun 18, 2022)

Gyakuto said:


> Sorry to contradict you but muscles cannot ‘sag’ or lose their tone unless you have a serous pathology. The length of a muscle is kept optimal (minimal) for the joint position by muscle spindles and specifically by the action of the gamma motonuerones (this was the area of my PhD research!). Thus there’s no ‘reeling in of slack’ when a muscle is contracted because there isn’t any. Age-related loss of elastin and collagen can make the surrounding tissues sag, however.
> 
> The muscles inferior to the mandible are (from superficial to deep), platysma (the ‘shaver’s muscle’), anterior belly of digastric (Natalie Portman has very visible A.B of digastrics in ‘Black Swan’. It was very distracting for me as I couldn’t think about anything else 😳) and mylohyoid, the sling forming the floor of the mouth (I used to teach anatomy of the head and neck🤓).
> 
> It’s far more likely that the deposition of  excessive fat in a genetically-determined pattern is the cause of this. Some people put fat on their belly, hips, waist or bum depending upon their sex and genetic predispositions. My girlfriend tells me mine goes on my head. Dieting or liposuction are the only solutions…🤔…or grow a beard 🧔🏻‍♂️


Very well articulated post! However, digastrics were not what distracted me in that movie…


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## Gyakuto (Jun 18, 2022)

Wing Woo Gar said:


> Very well articulated post! However, digastrics were not what distracted me in that movie…


Ah yes…the spectacular dancing…💃🏻🕺🏻


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## Wing Woo Gar (Jun 18, 2022)

Gyakuto said:


> Ah yes…the spectacular dancing…💃🏻🕺🏻


There was dancing? Hmm…


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## Wing Woo Gar (Jun 18, 2022)

Gyakuto said:


> Ah yes…the spectacular dancing…💃🏻🕺🏻


Is that a euphemism?


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## Gyakuto (Jun 18, 2022)

Gyakuto said:


> Ah yes…the spectacular dancing…💃🏻🕺🏻


I don’t know, I was entranced by Portman’s prominent anterior belly of digastric!


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## Wing Woo Gar (Jun 18, 2022)

Gyakuto said:


> Ah yes…the spectacular dancing…💃🏻🕺🏻


I’m maybe backing myself into a corner, nobody puts baby in a corner…


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## Gyakuto (Jun 18, 2022)

Wing Woo Gar said:


> I’m maybe backing myself into a corner, nobody puts baby in a corner…


I think you’re getting a bit Footloose with your posts…


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## MetalBoar (Jun 18, 2022)

Gyakuto said:


> Sorry to contradict you but muscles cannot ‘sag’ or lose their tone unless you have a serous pathology. The length of a muscle is kept optimal (minimal) for the joint position by muscle spindles and specifically by the action of the gamma motonuerones (this was the area of my PhD research!). Thus there’s no ‘reeling in of slack’ when a muscle is contracted because there isn’t any. Age-related loss of elastin and collagen can make the surrounding tissues sag, however.
> 
> The muscles inferior to the mandible are (from superficial to deep), platysma (the ‘shaver’s muscle’), anterior belly of digastric (Natalie Portman has very visible A.B of digastrics in ‘Black Swan’. It was very distracting for me as I couldn’t think about anything else 😳) and mylohyoid, the sling forming the floor of the mouth (I used to teach anatomy of the head and neck🤓).
> 
> It’s far more likely that the deposition of  excessive fat in a genetically-determined pattern is the cause of this. Some people put fat on their belly, hips, waist or bum depending upon their sex and genetic predispositions. My girlfriend tells me mine goes on my head. Dieting or liposuction are the only solutions…🤔…or grow a beard 🧔🏻‍♂️


Perhaps it's a change in posture then.  I've never instructed anyone to train just the anterior muscles in the neck, so if I'm doing neck work with a client I am also working the posterior muscles, etc.  Many of my clients had very head forward posture related to computer work.  I may very well have spoken hastily as my goals in training others are primarily functional, rather than aesthetic, and I've never set out to correct someone's sagging chin.  I have seen it improve with increased neck strength.  Perhaps it is because they achieve a more natural, less head forward, posture the appearance of a double chin is reduced or becomes less noticeable.   

Since the change in appearance wasn't my goal I had not considered the mechanism and tossed off an answer based on my observations without really giving it any thought.  In hindsight, I completely agree with you that I was off base in my statement that muscles sag and am a little embarrassed by the lack of integration of my knowledge and my (previously) unconscious and unconsidered beliefs.


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## Gyakuto (Jun 18, 2022)

MetalBoar said:


> Perhaps it's a change in posture then.  I've never instructed anyone to train just the anterior muscles in the neck, so if I'm doing neck work with a client I am also working the posterior muscles, etc.  Many of my clients had very head forward posture related to computer work.  I may very well have spoken hastily as my goals in training others are primarily functional, rather than aesthetic, and I've never set out to correct someone's sagging chin.  I have seen it improve with increased neck strength.  Perhaps it is because they achieve a more natural, less head forward, posture the appearance of a double chin is reduced or becomes less noticeable.
> 
> Since the change in appearance wasn't my goal I had not considered the mechanism and tossed off an answer based on my observations without really giving it any thought.  In hindsight, I completely agree with you that I was off base in my statement that muscles sag and am a little embarrassed by the lack of integration of my knowledge and my (previously) unconscious and unconsidered beliefs.


Think nothing of it! This forum is all about ideas, solutions, thoughts and opinions and your’s was very interesting.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Jun 18, 2022)

MetalBoar said:


> Perhaps it's a change in posture then.  I've never instructed anyone to train just the anterior muscles in the neck, so if I'm doing neck work with a client I am also working the posterior muscles, etc.  Many of my clients had very head forward posture related to computer work.  I may very well have spoken hastily as my goals in training others are primarily functional, rather than aesthetic, and I've never set out to correct someone's sagging chin.  I have seen it improve with increased neck strength.  Perhaps it is because they achieve a more natural, less head forward, posture the appearance of a double chin is reduced or becomes less noticeable.
> 
> Since the change in appearance wasn't my goal I had not considered the mechanism and tossed off an answer based on my observations without really giving it any thought.  In hindsight, I completely agree with you that I was off base in my statement that muscles sag and am a little embarrassed by the lack of integration of my knowledge and my (previously) unconscious and unconsidered beliefs.


That's the beauty of forums like this. Even if it's not the stated goal for your clients, I would be surprised if those with double-chins didn't want to get rid of them, so it's a nice thing to think/learn about.


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## Gyakuto (Jun 18, 2022)

I have a double chin😔


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