A. Having an impressive set of shoulders and arms usually gives the impression of power. However, not everyone is genetically gifted to have wide shoulders and narrow a waist (Thanks mom and dad! grrrr!) If you tend to have wide hips or store body fat around your waist, your shoulders may appear narrow. Most women desire an "hour glass" figure and men tend to work for the "V" shaped upper body. This can be accomplished by losing body fat around the midsection and building the back and shoulders.
Being a former bodybuilder, I've learned the importance of having a symmetrical body. Having a symmetrical body not only allows for proper alignment and posture but is also more aesthetically pleasing.
To build a pair of shoulders that look impressive and make your waist look smaller, stick with basic compound exercises to add muscle tissue such as military presses, dumbbell presses and upright rows. These exercises will not only add depth to your shoulder area but will increase power as well.
The deltoids (shoulders) are made up of three heads; the anterior (front), lateral (side) and posterior (rear). To focus directly on the lateral deltoid, perform either the standing or seated dumbbell lateral raise. This will add width to the shoulders while giving the shoulders a more rounded, defined look.
As I mentioned earlier, it's important to have a symmetrical body. You will also need to perform some back exercises as well to support the shoulder development and add width. I recommend incorporating exercises such as pull ups, pull downs and rows. *Feel free to contact me to set up a FREE appointment to review your specific training needs and to develop a workout plan to meet your specific goals!