3 Best Exercises: How To Get Broader Shoulders
Written by Taisiia Dobrozorova
Taisiia Dobrozorova is a nutrition and fitness writer at Unimeal and a healthy lifestyle devotee. She has accomplished several courses on health, nutrition, dietology.
Fact checked by Davi Santana, M.Sc.
Davi Santana is a fact checker at Unimeal. He has been a personal trainer for more than 5 years. He is well-versed in strength training, HIIT, running, functional training, and CrossFit.
We will tell and show you how to grow your shoulders most effectively, how long it takes, and what factors allow you to achieve broad shoulders. In addition, you will be surprised which 3 exercises can help you get the desired result as quickly as possible. This article will be practical for both males and females. Well, let's start!
Most people who regularly work out dream about having broad and toned shoulders. Some men and women, due to genetics, have to make less effort, while others have to spend much more time training to achieve the goal of a perfect upper body line.
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How to get broader shoulders
The gym is considered to be the fastest option for building broad shoulders. But sometimes we can't attend a gym for various reasons. In this case, exercising at home is a reasonable option. You don't need of space for this kind of workout either. But be ready that home workouts can take you more time and concentration to achieve the first visible results.
What is considered broad shoulders
Generally, broad shoulders are considered if your body type is "Y" type or the accepted name "triangle." You are a Y-shaped woman if your shoulders are wider than your hips.
Btw, among famous women "triangles" are Demi Moore, Sigourney Weaver, Cher, Renee Zellweger, and Sienna Miller. They have relatively broad shoulders with narrow hips. For example, Renee Zellweger gained weight for the movie "Bridget Jones's Diary." Her figure became a “square’ type: the waist disappeared, and legs remained thin. Such changes in the body lines are specific to women with a "triangle" figure.
Is it possible to make your shoulders wider?
Yes, but this is not an easy task. The best way to make your shoulders wider is intensive training in the gym together with a trainer. If you aren't a gym person and prefer to be on your own, it's also OK. Many exercises can make the shoulders wider without weights and special equipment. The fact of the necessary sports accessories, like super heavy dumbbells or horizontal bar, will only be a plus. But it's definitely not the key point. Persistence and hard work play the most crucial role in a way to have broad and strong shoulders.
Ways to get broad shoulders
We have chosen the top 3 functional exercises for pumping the shoulder muscles. These movements are suitable for both men and women. Only set number may differ due to individual needs.
Standing dumbbell press is an essential exercise for the deltas. It mainly works the front and middle bundles of the shoulders. Many stabilizer muscles are involved in the training, and the core is actively working. It is essential to keep the buttocks and abs tense and not fully allow the arms to straighten at the elbows at the top.
Lifting of dumbbells through the sides. The most targeted exercise for the middle part of the shoulders maximally affects the shoulders' width. The hands are slightly bent at the elbows, and the little fingers "look" to the sides, a slight tilt forward. In an isolated movement, we raise the hands to the sides parallel to the floor, stop, and smoothly lower them down, not allowing the shoulders to relax at the bottom. It is crucial not to help yourself by rocking your body and not to raise your shoulders synchronously with your hands. So the load will go in the trapezium and even worse in the lower back.
Pulling dumbbells/bottles with a wide grip on an incline. It is an excellent multi-joint exercise for the back of the shoulder; it gives the shoulders a completely rounded shape.It is vital to keep the elbows out and pull them up and to the sides. At the top, the angle in the elbows is 90 °, additionally straining the rear deltoid.
You can perform two or all these three movements at least twice a week. Add also shoulder push-ups and exercises for the press and lower back.
How long does it take to get wider shoulders?
The result you get from a shoulder workout is very individual. Several factors, such as genetics, nutrition, daily routine, and training intensity, affect this. You don't need to work out 7 days a week to obtain the best results. Any strength exercises for only one muscle group performed daily can harm your muscles. You need to take rest for a day minimum. During training, the muscles work actively and receive many microtraumas. It is a normal physiological process. Only time is needed to recover muscle fibers and produce protein to form new muscle mass. Systematic overload of the pectoral muscles will not promise any good results. Training should be postponed if the muscles continue to hurt and the discomfort doesn't stop. Two training sessions per week are enough. The sets for all shoulder exercises should be from 4 to 8 per training session. Two or three workouts of 2-3 sets will be enough for beginners.
Let’s recap:
Bulking up the muscles and making your shoulders bigger in the shortest time possible can be a reality. Adherence to regular workout, a daily routine, and proper nutrition is necessary. It is worth remembering that genetics still plays a significant role, so everything is very individual. Try to stick to 3 of the most effective exercises that can be done at home for both men and women. We're sure you'll be the next lucky person whose dream of broad shoulders will come true in no time!
Unimeal does not diagnose or suggest treatments. Any description of the diet, training plan or supplement should be discussed with your current physician or nutritionist. This article does not address specific conditions and is simply meant to provide general information on healthcare topics. Following any advice is at your own initiative and does not impose any responsibility on the blog authors for your health and safety.
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