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The weak points of many athletes are insufficiently developed posterior deltoid muscles, not very clear relief of the three muscle heads, etc. Fear not, in this article we’ll show you how to build wide, well-defined shoulders! Details below.
You have all heard the expressions: substitute a strong shoulder, put everything on your shoulders, and sometimes it seems that the whole world lies on your shoulders. The shoulder area is an extremely important part of the overall appearance of our body.
From any point of view, the trapezius muscles are necessary not only for a harmonious and proportional appearance, they also contribute to the fulfillment of many functions, which, taken together, give results in other parts of the body. Strong, well-defined deltoid and trapezius muscles allow the body to appear strong and harmonious.
Broad shoulders make you look more masculine and stronger. Any athlete who wants to build a perfect body should devote all their strength to training proportional deltoid and trapezius muscles.
Often, the shoulders are considered as an integral part of the notorious X-shaped figure. If you draw imaginary lines from the deltoid muscles to the calves, then you just get that very desired “X”.
The entire shoulder girdle plays a huge role in most (if not all) postures in bodybuilding contests. The deltoid muscles should be evenly developed on all sides, so that, along with the developed trapezius muscles, give the body an overall complete and harmonious look.
The weak points of many athletes are underdeveloped posterior deltoid muscles, pumped anterior deltoid muscles and not very clear relief of the three muscle heads. Fear not, in this article we’ll show you how to build wide, well-defined shoulders!
Obere mmebe
If we consider the deltoid muscles in a complex, it may not be clear which head is responsible for what. Let’s take a look at each muscle separately.
Anterior deltoid muscle. It starts from the collarbone and attaches to the humerus. The anterior head of the deltoid muscle is responsible for leading the arm forward. She actively works during the bench press.
Middle deltoid muscle. It also starts from the collarbone and attaches to the humerus. The middle head of the deltoid muscle is responsible for abducting the arm laterally away from the body. It is thanks to this head that the upper body looks wide and well developed.
Posterior deltoid muscle. It starts from the scapula and attaches to the humerus. The back head of the deltoid muscle is responsible for abducting the arm to the side and back. She actively works during back exercises such as pull-ups and deadlifts.
Trapezius muscle. The trapezius muscle is slightly different anatomically from the deltoid. This seemingly simple muscle group performs a huge number of functions.
The trapezius muscle is a long, trapezoidal muscle that starts at the base of the skull, runs along the upper spine, and ends in the middle of the lower back. The trapezius muscles raise (shoulder elevation) the shoulder blades, bring the shoulder blades closer to the spinal column (bringing the shoulder blades together), and lower the shoulder blades.
We pump up broad shoulders!
Now that you know about the anatomy and mechanisms of movement, let’s figure out how to build broad shoulders. The movements and exercises presented are designed to maximize your performance every time you go to the gym. Remember to always use the correct technique and not lift too much weight so as not to jeopardize your safety.
Bench press and dumbbells from the shoulders while standing
No exercise can beat the bench press when training the front and middle heads. Grasp the barbell more than shoulder-width apart. Begin with a barbell under the chin and press up without fully straightening your elbows. Return to starting position. All movements should be performed smoothly without pause at the top point.
When doing a dumbbell press, place them on either side of your head with your elbows facing out. Make sure you don’t start at a point that is too high, the dumbbells should almost touch your shoulders. Squeeze the dumbbells up at the same time, bringing them together at the top point. Do not fully straighten your elbows.
The dumbbells should not touch at the top point, otherwise the load on the shoulders will be too great. Return to starting position and repeat.
Ọgbakọ. A great alternative to this exercise, which does not require as much effort to maintain balance, is the Smith Machine Seated Press. It allows you to use more resistance by reducing the number of accessory muscles required to perform this exercise. In addition, it is very easy to remove weights from the rack and put it back on this machine.
Raising arms to the sides with dumbbells and on blocks
For the development of the lateral head of the deltoid muscles, it is best to extend the arms to the sides (lifting the dumbbells to the sides while standing). To perform lateral extensions with dumbbells (sitting or standing), bend your arms slightly at the elbows and place them slightly in front of the hips.
The secret is this: you will not perform this exercise the way you are used to (according to the good old technique “pour a jug of water”). You will need to move the dumbbells in such a way that the little finger is always at the top point.
This is the technique of Charles Glass. The thumb should constantly look down without changing its position. This isolates the lateral head as much as possible, so use light weights to perform the exercise correctly. Return to starting position in the same way and repeat.
To perform lateral extensions on the blocks, stand near the machine and grasp the D-handle with the hand farther away from the machine. Place the handle in front of you so that the arm with it crosses the body and is slightly bent at the elbow, then lift the weight up and to the side until the arm is parallel to the floor. Hold at the top and squeeze the muscles, then slowly lower the load in the same way. One exercise for each side counts as a set.
Ọgbakọ. One-handed dumbbell lift to the side will help you add some variety. Hold a dumbbell in one hand, and grab a fixed vertical stand with the other. Standing next to the counter, begin to tilt your body to the side until your non-working arm is completely straight. The dumbbell is now angled away from your body. Raise your arm, as if you were doing standard two-handed dilutions, until it is parallel to the floor.
You will notice that the arm rises above shoulder level. This will develop the muscle fibers more intensely and isolate one side, allowing you to use a little more weight.
Raising hands with dumbbells in support
To inflate the rear heads, you can perform a dumbbell extension while standing. For this exercise, bend over at the hip joints to be parallel to the floor (as if you were doing the Romanian deadlift) rather than at the waist.
Take two dumbbells of moderate weight, bend your elbows slightly and lift the dumbbells in arcs up to the sides until they are parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position, but do not touch each other with dumbbells. Try not to lift the dumbbells too high, as this will put the load on your back muscles.
Ọgbakọ. To diversify your program a bit and add intensity to your dorsal deltoid workout, try cross-pulling in a cable machine. Stand in the center of the machine, grasp the handles (which should be at shoulder level) in a criss-cross pattern – the right handle with your left hand, and the left with your right.
In this position, your arms should be crossed over your chest. Take a step back so that your hands with the cables do not touch your body. Bend your elbows slightly and pull the weight as you would for this bent over exercise, spreading your arms. Contract your deltoids and slowly return the handles to their original position.
Vertical Rows To The Chest With A Barbell Or On Blocks
Wide-grip vertical rows are ideal for rounding the deltoids (especially the mid-heads).
Grab the barbell in front of your thighs with an overhead grip a little more than shoulder width apart. Lift it up along the body, spreading your elbows to the sides, until the upper arms are parallel to the floor. Contract the deltoids at the top and return to the starting position.
To perform a vertical pulley to the chest on a block, simply attach a long bar to a low pulley, place your arms and do the exercise as described above. When using blocks, constant muscle tension is achieved, especially if the muscles are squeezed at the top point to achieve maximum contraction.
Ọgbakọ. If you have shoulder problems or are uncomfortable doing vertical rows on the block, but want to experience the benefits of this exercise, you can try the vertical rows with dumbbells. Hold dumbbells in front of your thighs and lift them as you would when doing barbell rows. The difference will be in the freedom of movement of the arms, which will take some of the load off the shoulder girdle.
Front barbell or dumbbell raises
Front lifts are often used as a finishing exercise for the front and middle heads of the deltoid muscles. Hold the barbell with an overhead grip a little more than shoulder-width apart in front of your hips.
With your elbows slightly bent, lift the bar in front of you to approximately eye level using your shoulder joints. Slowly lower the barbell to its original position.
When doing front dumbbell lifts, hold them near your thighs with your thumbs facing forward (as if you were going to do a curl). Raise the dumbbells in front of you, bending your arms at the shoulder joints, without turning your wrists. When you reach eye level, return to the starting position.
Ọgbakọ. If there are always a lot of people in your gym and the barbells / dumbbells are constantly busy, you can perform front lifts using pancakes. Lifting pancakes is a great alternative to barbells and dumbbells.
Pick up a weight with which you can complete the required number of reps, as if you were holding the steering wheel. Make sure your grip on the pancake is slightly closer to the underside so that you can tilt it slightly when lifting. Lower and raise the pancake as you would when doing front lifts with dumbbells.
Barbell and dumbbell shrugs
The ancestor of all trapezius exercises is the barbell shrug. Grab the barbell at your thighs with an overhand grip, shoulder-width apart. Lift your entire shoulder girdle up, touch your shoulders to your ears, squeeze your muscles, then slowly lower the barbell down.
Mkpa. Do not roll your shoulders during this exercise. Raise them straight up and lower them down. Do not make circular motions forward or backward, or injury may result.
Some athletes find dumbbell shrugs more comfortable and more effective. While the bar is in front of you and can pull you forward, the dumbbells are always positioned on your sides to promote balance. Grab a pair of dumbbells as if you were going to do a curl, lift your shoulders up and contract the muscles. Lower your shoulders to the starting position and repeat.
Ọgbakọ. If you have problems with shoulder mobility, you can use barbell shrugs from behind, which are a great alternative to traditional variations of this exercise.
In a standing position, grab the barbell with an overhand grip behind the buttocks. Raise your shoulders up as you would with regular barbell shrugs and contract the muscles. The range of motion can be a little limited, so be careful and strictly follow the exercise technique.