When it comes to aesthetics, a well-shaped V-taper is a timeless status symbol. Bodybuilders, physique competitors and even your garden-variety gym rats spend a lot of time and effort trying to develop this coveted look.
Many try to achieve the aesthetically pleasing appearance through development of the lats and trimming the midsection. While these are noble goals key components of the V-taper, there’s an important element that is often overlooked; shoulder work.
Rounded shoulders, otherwise known as boulder shoulders, are essential for a proper visual impact. Without broad and full shoulder development, a small waist and thick lats lose a lot of their significance.
Suitable shaping of shoulders into boulder shoulders involves understanding their anatomy. Shoulders are a grouping of muscles that require individual attention for the desired results. These groups are anterior, medial and posterior deltoids (delts).
The anterior delts are located on the front of the shoulder and are typically engaged during chest workouts, so they are generally the least of your concerns when considering shoulder development.
Medial delts are located on the sides and are thus crucial when it comes to cultivating broad shoulders. The broader the shoulders, the more a V-taper becomes evident.
Posterior delts are located on the backside of the shoulders. As a small muscle group, it is important to develop these muscles to achieve a well-rounded look.
Unfortunately, many people make the mistake of thinking that heavy weights are required to properly develop shoulders. That leads to a lot of bouncing movements that do very little to activate prime movers and can result in injury. The goal should controlled movements, which requires lighter weights.
The following workout is designed to build shoulder size and strength. It should be done with light weights only. It’s okay if you don’t look like a gym hero while you’re lifting because it will make your delts burn and grow.
The workout consists of six exercises of 10-15 reps performed back-to-back with no rest between. Rest 30-60 seconds between sets and then get back to the burn. Perform three sets in 10-12 minutes using controlled movements.
The first exercise is lateral raises. Start with dumbbells at your sides and raise them until your arms are parallel to the floor with your palms facing down.
The next two exercises are also lateral raises and are nearly identical in operation. The only difference is hand position. First, complete the exercise with thumbs facing up, and then do the exercise again with thumbs facing down.
The fourth exercise is front raises. Start with the dumbbells at your sides and raise them in front of you with your thumb facing up until your arms are parallel to the floor.
Fifth, perform crossovers. Hold the dumbbells in the finish position of a thumbs up lateral raise (arms parallel to the floor). Raise the dumbbells over your head and cross your hands slightly as if you are doing jumping jacks.
Finally, perform the military press. Push the dumbbells from shoulder height straight over your head. When lowering the weights to begin the next rep, do not lower dumbbells beyond shoulder height.
Though it is not a long workout, it will help to develop boulder shoulders with greater efficiency than spending hours in the gym punishing your delts with heavy weights. It will also save you from dealing with the long-term injuries that can result from overloading your shoulders.
If you have questions about proper technique for any of these exercises, consult a personal trainer. The professional insight can save you from a lot of pain and keep you progressing toward your goals.
