The shoulder is the hallmark of your self-confidence.
It’s not just the silent hero of the upper part of your body, it is also the foundation that gives your body an image of strength, symmetry, and dominance. 50-60% of the formation of a picture-perfect V-shaped body depends on the width of the shoulders. When your shoulders are wider, it affects the structure of your entire body – your arms look bigger, clothes fit better, and you look stronger.
Many people especially beginners, often focus more on biceps, but if your shoulders do not improve, you will never get a full and balanced muscular body. If you want to look muscular, attractive, and strong, then there is no chance to ignore your shoulders.
In this article, you will learn:
What are the best exercises, and how to train every part of the shoulder effectively? What are the common mistakes that are hindering improvement? Some advanced and effective tips to make the shoulders look wider.
Are you ready? It’s time to take yourself to new heights!
Understanding Shoulder Width & Muscle Structure
The shoulder structure is a very important and complex part of the human body. To increase the width of the shoulder, the development of three main muscles is very important. These three muscles work together to form the structure and shape of the shoulder. Let’s take a look at these three muscles:
Front Delt (Anterior Deltoid): This muscle is located in the front of the shoulder and it works when you lift the arm up. It aids during the forward push or any pressing movement, but its role is mainly less important for increasing the width of the shoulder. But its strong structure helps the front of the shoulder to look strong and heavy.
Side Delt (Lateral Deltoid): This is the most important muscle for increasing the width of your shoulder. This muscle on the side of the shoulder works to lift the arm outwards. If it is stronger and covers around 40% of your shoulder muscle. This part is the reason for making a man’s physique wider and more attractive, which is essential for the V shape.
Rear Delt (Posterior Deltoid): This muscle is located at the back of the shoulder and provides movement towards the back of the shoulder. It works when you move the arm back. A strong posterior delt supports the shoulder balance and gives the overall shoulder a well-rounded, broad, and wider size.
Warmup Before starting
Warming up before a workout is not just a formality before starting an exercise. It prepares your body in a way that helps you to build a strong mind-muscle connection and hit the failure. Warming up is the first step which flexes the muscles and joints to reduce the risk of injury.
Our muscles and joints need to be given a little time to prepare before we start. Warm-up activates those muscles and increases blood circulation, which increases the efficiency of the muscles.
It not only helps reduce the risk of injury but also improves the results of your exercise. Some best warm-up examples are,
Arm Circles: Very effective in increasing the flexibility of the shoulder joint.
Dynamic Stretching: You can do this to keep the front and back muscles of the shoulder ready.
Exercises to activate the shoulder with a lightweight:
- Lateral raise
- Front Raise
- Bent-over reverse fly
- The overhead press
Prioritize Lateral Delts
First of all, you need to understand that the side delt is the outer part of your body, which increases the width of the shoulder. Because it is located on the outside of the shoulder, if you can improve it, the shoulder will look wider and fuller.
Lateral delts are the largest of the three main muscles of the shoulder. It is located on the side of the shoulder which is the largest muscle and contains about 40% of the shoulder muscle mass, which means it covers one-third of the shoulder. So, this being the largest muscle in your shoulder, its importance is also very high.
When you train the lateral delts well, the overall shape of your shoulder and strength in your body reach the peak level. I would suggest you prioritize 50% only for the side delt during shoulder workout, it’ll help to bring the fastest result.
Increase shoulder Training frequency (a separate Shoulder Day)
The shoulder is a muscle that is active in some way in almost every upper-body workout. However, just acting as a secondary muscle during a big lift does not give enough growth. Because the three parts of the shoulder need to be developed separately. Many people train the shoulder only once a week with another muscle group and mostly they train this part at the end. Which is not a good idea.
I would suggest to train this at least twice a week. If possible, make the second day separated only for the shoulders but if the situation is like you have to train this with another group of muscles, then make sure to start with your shoulder. When properly trained 2-3 times a week, it grows faster and becomes wider and stronger.
The biggest advantage of high training frequency is that it provides additional growth stimulus. The muscles of the shoulder are relatively small, so they recover quickly. With proper and frequent training, you can ensure putting enough pressure on each part, which increases hypertrophy and improves overall size and strength.
Another advantage of having a separate shoulder day is that each part can be focused specifically. Sometimes due to the compound lift on the chest or back day, the shoulder gets tired beforehand, which makes it difficult to do heavy workouts. However training on a different day allows for enough sets and reps for each head, which ensures balanced growth and maintains muscle balance.
Most importantly, high training frequency also helps in preventing injuries. With proper warming and planned load management, the possibility of excessive pressure on the shoulder is reduced, making it more strong and defined.
Mind Muscle connection & Proper form
The mind-muscle connection (MMC) and proper form are extremely important in muscle building. Mind-muscle connection means that when you train a particular muscle, you focus completely on that muscle and feel that it is working. As a result, when you can properly create the feel of the muscle, it becomes more active, which helps in growth and also makes your workouts more effective.
To build the mind-muscle connection, slow down each rep of the exercise and focus fully on that muscle. Try to feel how the muscle is working. This process will improve your performance and muscle engagement, which will bring better results.
Also, it is very important to maintain the correct form. Weightlifting in the right form keeps you safe from injury and allows your muscles to work properly. Exercising in the wrong form puts extra pressure on the joint, which can cause problems in the long run. But by following the right form, you can reduce the risk of injury and at the same time, your muscle mass also increases rapidly.
Since the right form and the mind-muscle connection work together, that’s why these things should be applied correctly. When you focus on the muscles during each rep and do weight training in the right form, your results will change quickly.
Train shoulder First
Shoulder is a very important part of the body, and we can get great benefits if we train it seriously. Although the shoulder muscles are of medium size, they work in various important movements of the body. Shoulder muscles are also active during exercises such as chest press, row, deadlifts. This means that if the shoulder is tired, you will not be able to give your 100% when you go to train them.
The shoulder muscle can get tired very quickly because it is medium-sized and is made up of multiple small muscles. That’s why when you do shoulder training first, more energy is stored in the other muscles of the body. It helps to train the other muscles harder, and the whole routine becomes more effective.
If the shoulder muscle is strong, it supports the other muscles of the body properly in other heavy lifting or pushing movements, thereby reducing the risk of injury. Strong shoulders, in this case, also improve your lifting performance, and whole-body training becomes more effective.
Use Progressive Overload Smartly
Progressive overload, which means gradually increasing the weight, is very important in shoulder training. It puts the right amount of pressure on our muscles to become stronger. However, if it is not done correctly, you may not improve or you might be injured.
Try not to put on too much weight at first. Remember, you have to work in small steps, it’ll be very stressful for your shoulder if you increase it too much at once, If your body can’t handle the weight of the sky, you will easily exhaust and injure yourself.
But not only the weight should be increased, but also the number of repetitions and sets. Make sure that each set is in the correct format. It is very important to keep an eye on the form in shoulder training.
A regular and structured plan is essential for progress because progressive overload means not only gaining weight but also putting the right amount of pressure at the right time. In this, the muscles are gradually strengthened and you’ll find a better result.
Shoulder Symmetry & Posture Matters
The correct alignment and posture of the shoulder is not only important for the external appearance, it is also very important for injury prevention, muscle performance, and increasing strength. Sometimes one side of the body becomes strong, while the other side remains weak, as a result, you’ll lose muscle balance. This can have a negative impact on back pain, joint stress, and performance. If there is too much pressure on one side while lifting heavy weights, the risk of injury increases.
To maintain proper shoulder balance, it is important to develop the entire shoulder muscle equally. Many people work more on the front shoulder but ignore the back, which can cause of imbalance in the structure of the shoulder. Properly balanced training and evenly weighting for both hands should be used.
Applying foam rolling or resistance band exercise before a workout increases muscle elasticity and helps reduce injury. Doing everything right, the shoulder will be strong and well-formed.
Focus on High-Quality Reps with a Full Range of Motion
When you train your shoulders, it’s not enough to just lift heavier weights or perform more reps. Performing reps in a full range of motion is much more important. You can target your muscles effectively and start muscular growth when you are in the correct position and exercising with the full range of motion.
First, working at full range puts more tension on the muscle, which is extremely effective for muscle growth and increasing strength. For example, if you’re doing an overhead press, using the full range of the hands up and down creates good stress on the shoulder muscles. But if you work in a partial range, muscle growth may be hindered and muscle groups will not be fully activated.
Another important aspect is to maintain proper form and control while performing high-quality repetitions. Repeat at a slow pace and allow the muscles to work fully. Avoid hurrying or using other parts of the body. This will reduce the injury and the muscle group will be fully functional, which is helpful in getting quick results.
If you’re a beginner then learn the correct form and technique with lightweight and then gradually increase the weight, but never compromise with the form and range. The more you work on the entire range of the shoulder, the more balanced and stronger it will be. This method will help to increase muscle mass, elasticity, mobility, and overall strength of the shoulders.
Try different angles, equipment & variations for maximum Growth
It is not enough to use only one type of exercise or a certain angle for the proper development of the shoulder muscles. The shoulder has seven different muscles that are mainly divided into three different parts and each part requires a different type of work. Therefore, it is important to use different angles, exercise variations and equipment to fully develop those muscles.
When you work the shoulder muscles at different angles, the range of motion increases. Boosts muscle mass and strength. When you’re working regularly following one type of routine, the muscle continues to work at the same speed, which can reduce its efficiency. But when you use different exercises, angles, and equipment, new pressure is created on the muscles, and their performance increases. As a result, muscle growth is accelerated.
Moreover, it is possible to change muscle tension through the use of different ways. Using different equipment such as dumbbells, barbells, cable machines, kettlebells, etc. activates different parts of the muscle, which ensures the overall development of your shoulder.
Train to Failure + Partial Reps
“Train to failure” and “partial repetition” are two very effective techniques for shoulder training. Using them, you can give your muscles new challenges.
Train to Failure:
In this technique, you do as many reps as possible, until your body can’t handle to push anymore. In simple terms, you can’t do anything else when you get to Failure. This causes your muscles to experience a lot of stress, which is necessary for them to become stronger and bigger. In shoulder training, when you reach the point of failure, it challenges your muscles even more and makes more micro tears. As a result, when it recovers it becomes bigger than before.
Partial Repetition:
This is a technique where you do it in a partial range without using the entire range of movement. For example, if you press overhead, you will do a partial repetition without going up completely. It allows the muscles to work in a new way and also helps to increase muscle size and strength. Especially when you put the load on the top part and do some more repetitions, the muscles are activated differently, which makes them even better.
Using these two techniques together, your shoulder muscle groups will grow faster and become stronger. “Train to Failure” will help you push beyond your limits, while “Partial Repetition” will target your muscles more effectively. This will give you quick results.
Posing After an Exercise (Flexing for Muscle Control & Definition)
Flexing a little while standing in front of the mirror after a workout is not a show-off, but it’s a very effective habit for muscle control and improvement. When you flex the shoulder or other muscles after exercise, it not only looks good, but your muscle definition becomes clearer and the mind-muscle connection is also strengthened.
Flexing increases blood flow, which gives a better pump to the muscles, and recovery is faster. Also, it helps you understand which muscles are overworked, and where to focus more. Suppose, you flexed the shoulder after the workout – this will show which part was more active and where there is scope for improvement.
It’s not very time-consuming, just flexing around 10-15 seconds, this will allow you to better understand the muscles and gain better control over time. So, it’s not enough to just do weight lifting, after a workout, flex a few moments in front of the mirror, feel the muscles, and track your progress – this is real smart training!
Don’t Ignore Traps & Upper Chest
If you only focus on the shoulder muscles and ignore the traps and upper chest, your shoulder’s looks will be incomplete.
The upper chest is trained on the chest day, but it is important to train it correctly targeted. When you train it properly, strong connections are made between your shoulders and chest, which increases the size and visibility of your muscles. Similarly, the development of traps makes the beauty and profile of your shoulders more complete.
Therefore, along with the shoulder muscles, the traps and upper chest should also be trained seriously so that the muscles of the entire shoulder area develop and your physical structure is balanced and strong.
Optimize Recovery & Nutrition
Nutrition is very important for shoulder recovery, but nutrition alone is not enough. Some additional activities are also required for the proper recovery of the shoulder.
Your body requires proper nutrition for quick shoulder muscle repair and strength gain. Protein and omega-3 fatty acids help to recover faster, and vitamins and minerals help to rebuild body tissues.
However, not only nutrition, physical therapy, exercise, and stretching are also very important. If your shoulder muscles and ligaments are stiff or strained, then do some stretching to increase your flexibility and strength. Especially the rotator cuff and stretching exercises are important, which help to increase the mobility of the shoulder. Also, if you feel pain that you think is not normal, use an ice pack instantly and talk to your trainer.
To ensure the shoulder’s health, along with proper diet, it also needs proper rest and recovery time,
Clothing Hacks for a Wider Shoulder Appearance
Broad shoulders make one look more confident and athletic. But what if your shoulders aren’t wide enough? Easy! Choose the right style. A few small changes can make your shoulders look bigger. Let’s take a look at the best styling techniques.
- Choose a Blazer or Jacket.
A good blazer or jacket helps not only in fashion but also helps to sharpen the structure of the shoulders. Wear a blazer or jacket that has a light padding or structured design on the shoulder area. It makes the shoulders look broad and well-formed.
- Wear horizontal stripes
Wearing a T-shirt or sweater with horizontal stripes near the shoulders makes the shoulders look wider. It visually creates an illusion of spaciousness, which makes the upper part of the body look larger.
- Avoid raglan sleeves
Raglan sleeves (whose sleeves are curved) make the shoulders look narrower. Instead, wear set-in sleeves (where the shoulder joint is clearly exposed). This will better reveal the structure of the shoulder.
- Wear light-colored pants and a Deep color shirt.
Choosing the right color combination will also change your physical appearance. Wearing light-colored pants with a dark-colored shirt or T-shirt makes the upper body look wider, which helps to make the shoulders look wider.
- Layering
When wearing a light jacket, overshirt, or cardigan, the volume of the shoulders naturally looks higher. This effect is better if you wear a light-colored shirt or T-shirt under it.
- Button Detail on the Shoulder.
Military-style shirts or jackets, where there are buttons or special designs (epaulets) on the shoulders, make the shoulders look wider.
- Use the hand-wrapping trick
Wearing the sleeves of a casual shirt makes the shoulders look big and athletic. This is a simple yet effective technique that will make you look more stylish and confident in the moment.
Best Exercises
A structured shoulder workout is very important to build strong and balanced shoulders. It targets the three main parts of the deltoid: front, side, and rear. The right combination of compound and isolation exercises helps to ensure the strength, shape, and overall development of the shoulder. Here is a list of some of the most effective shoulder exercises that will help you achieve your goals.
- Front delt
- Overhead shoulder press
- Arnold press
- Front raises (Dumbbell/ Barbell)
- Side Delt
- Incline Lateral Raises
- Dumbbell Lateral Raises
- Upright Row
- Cable Lateral Raises
- Rear Delts
- Bent over rear delt Fly
- Cable Rear Delt Fly
- Face Pulls
- Reverse Pec Deck Fly
- Traps
- Shrugs (Dumbbell/ Barbell)
- Behind the back Shrugs
- Farmer’s walk
The shoulder is a medium-sized muscle, so 15-20 sets a week is enough to train it. But if you want to train twice a week, then you have to divide 8-12 sets each time. There will be scope for muscle recovery and there will be no overtraining.
What’s a Balanced Shoulder Workout Like?
1 compound exercise (overhead press / Arnold press) 3-4 sets
1-2 Side Delt Exercises (Lateral Rises / Upright Row) 3-4 sets
1-2 Rear Delt Exercises (Face Pulls / Reverse Pec Deck Fly) 3 sets
1 Trap (Shrugs / Behind-the-back Shrugs) 3 sets
The Bottom Line
Having strong and broad shoulders is not only for physical beauty, but it also increases your confidence and physical strength. It is possible to improve the muscles of the shoulder with proper exercise and regular training. But everything is a matter of patience and time, so it is necessary to approach each exercise with attention, in the right form, and with sufficient rest. If you regularly perform exercises suitable for the shoulders, then not only the shoulders but also your whole body will become stronger.
So, let’s start now! Take the right steps forward on this journey to increase your shoulder strength and make yourself stronger, healthier, and more confident.
