How I Developed Broad Shoulders (complete) - Steve Reeves

 

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                                                                      Steve Reeves and Ed Yarick 

                                                                    Steve Reeves and Alyce Yarick 

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I am writing this for the benefit of all those fellows who would like to have broad, well-developed shoulders, but whom either: 

1) have not gotten around to it; or

2) have been neglecting this particular phase of body development. 

It is, in my opinion, and I am sure that the great majority of readers will agree, that broad shoulders are most important to a fine looking and well developed physique. 

A pair of wide, fully developed shoulders is one of the most outstanding requisites of the body which is truly well built and proportioned. They portray strength, vigor and vitality, from the visual aspect, and what is even more important, mean exactly all of that from the physical viewpoint, as well. It is common knowledge that a well-developed, broad-shouldered man looks like more of a man, and in actual fact is, as a general rule, more of a man, than say an underdeveloped thin person.

Men, as well as the womens, admire a person with broad shoulders. You readers can observe this yourselves at any time you are at the beach, swimming pool, or any other place where folks are attired in swimming trunks, etc. Who is it that gets the most attention . . . the admiring glances from both sexes? Who is it that is the most popular? The fellow with the narrow, undeveloped shoulders? The fat boy with his hip measurement larger than that of his shoulders? Of course not! I know you will find that it is the fellows with the broad shoulders and trim waist line! [and, of course, plenty of cash to throw around]. 

I do not want to give the impression that only those who have been endowed by nature with big shoulders are superior to all others who have not been quite so fortunate in this department. Not at all. It is my contention that every man, regardless of his size, can so develop his body as to rate the envy of folks too lazy, or perhaps not sufficiently interested, to do something about it. 

I say that we cannot help the way we are born, but we certainly CAN improve on what we have been given and alter the body we were born with. A fellow of comparatively small stature, who has developed his physique to the fullest possible extent, rates a lot more admiration than the fellow who has been given by nature a big body, but hasn't bothered to take care of it or develop it properly. What's more, the fellow who is by nature smaller but who has properly developed his body gets a darn sight more admiration than the other fellow! 

I guess everyone would like to have broad shoulders, and if they could be acquired by pushing a button, or by stepping up to the counter in the corner store, everyone would have them. But unfortunately for those less ambitious folks, it takes a certain amount of real hard work to get them. 

Incidentally, to prove my point that broad shoulders add to the appearance of any man, regardless of his physical makeup, did you ever notice the way the shoulders of men's suits are padded? [this is pre-oil and soft-boiled delts, eh] This is true a also of men's sports coats and top coats. Of course, many times it is carried to the extreme. 

I've seen some fellows whose coat looked like it was still on a hanger! On the other hand, a broad-shouldered, well-developed fellow fills out his suit properly, and as a result looks so much better in his clothes than the fellow who needs so much artificial aid to make him look like a real man, with the masculine appearance so much desired. 

Note: before I forget . . . 

"Broad Shoulders" by Bob Hoffman, in somewhere around 15 parts:

https://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2008/10/broad-shoulders-bob-hoffman.html 

Now . . . 

To get down to specific details.

There are three basic angles from which the broadening of the shoulders can be accomplished. 

The first is the development of the deltoid or shoulder muscle, as it is commonly known. Proper exercise and effort in this direction can easily add 2 to 4 inches to your shoulder width. 

The second approach is to broaden the shoulders by developing the thoracic cage or rib-box to its fullest capacity. As most of you readers probably know, the scapula or shoulder blades are mounted on the back of the rib-box. Thus, when the rib-box is developed to its fullest possible extent, it is readily apparent that you will thus, in turn, add inches to the width of your shoulders. It is really a natural, simple consequence that must follow. 

The third, but by no means least important approach, is to stretch and enlarge the tendons and cartilages between the scapula, or shoulder blades, and the humerus (the upper arm bone). This may be accomplished by dislocating with dumbbells, dislocating on rings, and also with shoulder stretching exercises. 

By using these three methods combined, it is possible to add up to six inches to the shoulder width. This may sound a bit far-fetched [to the TRT scumbag brigade and current tren-head army of dorkness masking their inner inadequacies with added flesh], but you can take my word for it, that I have SEEN it done. And I am not referring to rare, isolated cases, either. 

Of course, those fellows that start out with a lot of enthusiasm and determination, but then get to feel that it is too much "drudgery" to keep at it regularly, will find their progress at best is slow, and hardly noticeable. But those whose determination to build their body is more than just conversation, and who stick at it religiously, will find that the figures I have mentioned are not at all exaggerated. 

In developing broad shoulders, the following muscles play an important part: the deltoids, trapezius, latissimus teres major, teres minor, and rhomboids. The deltoids are divided into three main sections: the anterior or front, the lateral or side, and the posterior or rear. When these three sections are well developed, the deltoid takes on a triangular shape from the side view [not a bunch of bananas?], and the front appears to be shaped like half a coconut [goes great with bananas!]. 

The well-developed deltoid actually makes the shoulders wider. It is not merely the appearance of being wider. On the other hand, the latissimus, teres major, teres minor, trapezius and rhomboids when properly developed play a most effective part in making the shoulders appear wider. 

All in all, proper exercise, body development, and intelligent effort will combine to make your shoulders appear wider, and your shoulders will also in actual measurements be wider. 

Shoulder Exercises for Strength, Mass and Size

I think the snatch, the press (behind the neck, and military), and cleans are some of the best exercises I know to build strength in the shoulders. 

For building size, shape and endurance, I would recommend that you do a great deal of leverage, or straight arm exercises. I would definitely include front raises with barbell or dumbbells; side raises with dumbbells; alternate front and side raises with dumbbells; crisscross at right angles to the body with dumbbells; the crucifix with dumbbells; the hold-out in front with barbell or dumbbells; the revolving crucifix; side raises bent at waist with dumbbells; as well as upright rows.

Exercises to Stretch and Widen the Shoulder Structure

Just as breathing squats and pullovers work so well after chest work, I reasoned that lat work after shoulder work could make my shoulders wider. And it worked. So for a while, I would do lat pulldowns behind the neck or chins behind the neck after working delts. My shoulders got broader.

Mind you, I was in my teens at this point so my bones were not set. And I was gifted with good genetics, wide clavicles that actually became even wider. So I grew very rapidly. However, I kept doing this even when well past 21 and still made gains in shoulder width. 

Something else I did. I created an exercise called the Reeves deadlift. This is a deadlift using a very wide grip. I actually grabbed the outside of the plates on a seven-foot Olympic bar. I would deadlift the weight this way and then do shrugs. With a grip this wide a lot of the work went to the side delts and less on the traps and worked them in such a way that could not be affected by any other exercise. My already naturally wide clavicles became wider and my side delts grew amazingly well. 

The Reeves Deadlift

The Reeves Deadlift is a very misunderstood exercise, and it is partly due to the name of the exercise itself. Although it is called a deadlift, the performance of the exercise does not resemble a deadlift at all. 

The performance of this exercise should be more like a shoulder shrug! 

I personally think it should be called the Reeves Shrug, not the Reeves Deadlift. Although it will build mass in the upper back, lats, delts, plus add strength to the fingers, wrist and forearms, most practitioners fail to realize the purpose of the exercise is to SHOULDER SHRUG the weight, and SLOWLY. 

Doing so, in Reeves' opinion, widened the shoulder structure. 

Performing the Reeves deadlift is simple. Hold a heavy barbell at the very ends with your fingers and slowly slowly do shoulder shrugs, and I mean slowly! You will immediately realize that little muscle is stimulated as it is a short range of motion exercise which works on stretching the shoulder girdle under resistance. 

Feel the scapula as you perform this exercise and you will understand why Reeves believed this exercise would enhance the width of the shoulders. I would call it a scapular retraction, as this would be even more correct than calling it a shoulder shrug. The mobility of the scapulae are worked using this exercise. Understand this, and you will understand the purpose of this exercise. 

Remember, the purpose is to widen the bone structure, not to stimulate hypertrophy of the deltoid muscles, and if you are a fully grown adult you would not expect to widen your bones per se, however, with consistent practice the tendons and ligaments surrounding the shoulder structure is supposedly affected, leading to a wider shoulder frame. This is what Reeves believed. 

  

Shoulder Dislocations 

Reeves used gymnastic rings to perform shoulder dislocations, and this was a favorite exercise of his for stretching the shoulders and increasing his scapular mobility. 

The use of rings may be too advanced at first and instead shoulder dislocations can be performed using a dowel rod or broomstick. 

 

Keeping your elbows straight, slowly raise your arms over your head until you feel a stretch in your shoulders, upper back and chest. Hold 15-30 seconds. Repeat two to four times and gradually work toward a narrower grip. 

This can also be performed with a band. 

Hanging From a Chinning Bar

Don't give up. You have so much to live for. Now put that rope away. Steve also recommended hanging from a chinning bar 

Of course, if you are up to it, use gymnastic rings. 

Hanging From a Chinning Bar

Don't do it. You have so much to live for. Now put down that rope. Steve also recommended hanging from a chinning bar, which has the same effect as hanging from the rings. 

Here the aim was to relax the body downward to stretch the shoulder girdle. By keeping the arms stiff, he would pull up with his lats only and then relax down, and with each repetition aim at relaxing further and further down each time. 

This exercise was also popularized by Larry Scott after he learned it from Lou Degni. The idea of all these exercises is to stretch the muscles, tendons and ligaments around the shoulder blades and girdle. Reeves believed these three methods would widen the skeletal shoulder structure. 

https://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2021/09/turn-your-pulldown-bar-upside-down-for.html

Programs

In order to detail the different types of programs that Steve Reeves would recommend, certain principles need to be explained prior. Firstly, exercises focusing on shoulder hypertrophy should be performed prior to any back and lat work. According to Reeves, the reason is that the exercises working the lats gave a further broadening effect to his shoulders. Therefore, exercises that also stretched the shoulder girdle should also be performed after training the back and lats. Finally, rib cage exercises such as the pullover should be performed after squats, and this work should follow your chest work.

The following programs should be followed for several months. Progress slowly using the recommended set/rep schemes. At first use the lowest set/rep scheme, and then over time increase the reps, and then increase the sets, eventually mastering the higher set/rep scheme before adding weight and going back down to the lowest set/rep scheme again. 

Do not force these movements. 

Beginners: 

 - Shoulder Hypertrophy, done before back workout - 

Clean, 4-8 sets of 3 reps. 

Overhead Press, 1-3 x 8-12 reps.

 - Shoulder Stretching Exercises, done after back workout - 

Dislocations With Dowel, 2 x 10.

 - Rib-Cage Development, after squats or chest work - 

Cross-bench Pullovers, 1-3 x 15-20.

Intermediate: 

 - Shoulder Hypertrophy, done before back workout - 

Overhead Press, 2-3 x 8-12

Upright Row, 2-3 x 8-12

Lateral Raise, 2-3 x 8-12

 - Shoulder Stretching Exercises, done after back workout - 

Dislocations with Dowel, 2 x 10

- Rib-Cage Development, after squats or chest work - 

Cross-bench Pullovers, 1-3 x 15-20.

Advanced: 

 - Shoulder Hypertrophy, done before back workout - 

Overhead Press, 2-3 x 8-12

Upright Row, 2-3 x 8-12

Lateral Raise, 2-3 x 8-12

Front Lateral Raise, 2-3 x 8-12

Real Lateral Raise, 2-3 x 8-12

 - Shoulder Stretching Exercises, done after back workout - 

Dislocations with Dowel, 2 x 10

Reeves "deadlift", 2 x 15-20

Hanging From a Chinning Bar, 10-60 seconds.

- Rib-Cage Development, after squats or chest work - 

Cross-bench Pullovers, 2-3 x 15-20.