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What Are Broad Shoulders? And How to Get Them? (Answered and Solution!)
By bulksupplementsdirect
What are broad shoulders?
If you’re a gym fanatic, then obtaining broad shoulders may be a goal or something of interest. Needless to say, if a man or woman achieves this type of body composition, they can look remarkable to the eye. But, what are broad shoulders, and how do you determine them?
Your body composition and shape determine broad shoulders. Typically to declare broad shoulders, you must have a “V” shape look from your back. This means that your shoulders are much wider than your waist.
As you can see, understanding what broad shoulders are is relatively easy. Although some people obtain this remarkable asset naturally through genetics, most people have to workout to achieve this body type.
If you want to understand more about what broad shoulders are, how to obtain them, and various other queries based on the topic, I suggest you read the below:
What is considered broad shoulders?
Before we dive into the workout routines you can follow to develop broader shoulders, let’s discuss what they are in further detail. We’re now aware that broad shoulders are determined by body shape and composition. However, what is the actual measurements of broad shoulders?
According to Science Direct, on average, a man and women’s average shoulder width in the United States is the following:
- Man – 5 inches
- Women – 14 inches
Now, we understand this is the average shoulder width of Americans. But, what is considered broad? It’s estimated that men and women can have broad shoulders if their shoulders are 20 inches or more. This is quite a significant increase for women, but it’s more known for men to have broad shoulders because of genetics.
However, when determining broad shoulders, you need to consider two essential variables before finalizing your decision: overall shoulder width and body shape. For example, someone that naturally acquires a mesomorph body will suit the broad shoulder criteria if their shoulders are 20+ inches. This is because people that have a mesomorph body already have a wide upper body and slim waist.
Whereas someone with an endomorph body type will have wide shoulders and a wide waist, meaning they don’t suit the criteria of having broad-like shoulders.
Are broad shoulders good?
When people ask us, “what are broad shoulders”, men and women tend to have two completely different opinions about it. Typically, when men find the true meaning behind broad shoulders, they try to acquire them. This is because a wider shoulder looks more visually pleasing for a man. The triangle-like shape from the waist to the shoulders is something that can seem somewhat attractive.
Although there are other reasons why men like broad shoulders like improved posture, better visual appearance, etc, women are much different. An opinion a woman feels can widely vary depending on their overall goal. However, it’s prevalent that most women avoid shoulder exercises.
Can you change the width of your shoulders?
Don’t get us wrong, genetics play a huge role in whether or not you can obtain broad shoulders. However, don’t feel disappointed yet, as you can actually change the width of your shoulders through specific exercises.
To change the width of your shoulders, you’ll want to target the below muscles:
- Anterior deltoid – Located on the front head of your shoulder
- Lateral deltoid – This is considered the centre part of your shoulder
- Posterior deltoid – located on the back part of your shoulder
By performing exercises that target these three deltoids, you’re able to increase your overall shoulder mass and width.
So, now you understand what broad shoulders are and how you can gain them. Let’s discuss some shoulder exercises you can implement in your workout routine to acquire these dream-like shoulders.
How to get broad shoulders?
When it comes to shoulder exercises, there’s an abundance. However, some are much more effective than others, and when developing a workout routine, you should consider hitting all deltoids, the anterior, lateral, and posterior. Here are some exercises you can do to get broader shoulders:
#1 - Overhead press
When it comes to shoulder exercises, overhead presses are considered one of the best for developing shoulder mass. From doing this exercise, you won’t only develop broader shoulders but also a much larger upper frame. Here’s how you perform the overhead press:
> Setup – Hover the barbell just above your anterior deltoid while having a narrow grip, straight wrists, and around a 90-degree bend in your elbow.
> Raise your chest – Arch your upper back slightly and point your chest towards the ceiling.
> Press – Once you’ve achieved the above, you can now press the weight in a vertical line.
> Forward movement – When pressing, move your upper back forward, so it’s straight.
> Lockout – Hold the barbell above your shoulders and the center of your body before bringing it down for the next repetition.
#2 - Anterior, lateral, and posterior raises
Anterior
- Setup – Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, keep your back straight, and hold the dumbbells around your thighs facing horizontally.
- Raise – You can now begin the raise. Keep the dumbbells horizontal and raise them upwards until they’re level with your chest without bending your arms.
- Hold – Hold this position for around one to two seconds.
- Return – After return the dumbbells to your thighs while keeping your arms straight to complete a repetition.
Lateral
- Setup – Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hang the dumbbells near your thighs, facing vertically.
- Raise – Now, raise your arms simultaneously and create a 70-degree angle with your armpit. While performing this, your arms need to be locked straight.
- Hold – Again, hold for one to two seconds.
- Return – You can return the weights to your thighs to complete the repetition. Remember, always keep your arms straight.
Posterior
- Setup – Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hinge your waist, so your chest is parallel to the floor. To achieve this position, it may be easier to bend your knees slightly. Be sure to keep the dumbbells resting in front of your chest vertically.
- Raise – Once you’ve setup, you can then stiffen your torso and raise the dumbbells like you’re pulling two doors open at once.
- Hold – When performing exercises like this, always remember to hold for one to two seconds before returning.
- Return – After holding, bring the weight down to the center of your chest like you’re closing the two doors.
Here are the four main exercises I recommend you do when trying to obtain broader shoulders. The overhead press will increase your entire upper bodies mass, whereas the raises will specifically target these shoulder heads.
Needless to say, although you’ll gain broader shoulders from the above exercises, your shoulders will become stronger and less prone to injury. This is greatly important considering shoulder pain is the primary care for 14.7 per 1,000 patients yearly.
Should girls be worried about broad shoulders?
Now you understand what broad shoulders are, how to obtain them, and much more, one more question arises a lot within the gym community. This is that, should girls be worried about broad shoulders?
In all honestly, no. Whether you want them are not, some people just have them naturally. If you’re someone woman that has broad shoulders, learn to love them, not hate them. A woman with broad shoulders can appear much more powerful and prominent in a situation, so take full advantage of it.
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