Upper body strength without having huge shouders

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serenere
serenere Posts: 70 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys I need some advice for my fitness routine. I have to admit, when I first joined MFP like most of girls I thought that lifting was equal to get bulky and I was terrified by it. Now I now that this is a myth but I'm still a bit concerned.

All my life all I did was mostly general cardio, but when I was in high school I did swimming 3 times a week and developed strong shoulders...I didn't like it. My shoulders are already genetically wide so I want to avoid any activity that would give me the same results.

Can you suggest any upper body strength exercise that won't affect the appearance of my shoulders? Or building muscles without changing the appearance of your shoulders is just impossible to achieve? I would also like which are the exercises that I should avoid.

Thanks for any help :D

Replies

  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
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    Well, first off, you aren't going to be building muscle in a deficit. I also was a swimmer for years - but here's the thing - having strong broad shoulders makes your waist and hips look much smaller! Yes it's, annoying to have to buy shirts that fit the shoulders and then tailor them for the rest of the upper body, but I'll take the strong shoulders every single time.

    As for your actual question, it is pretty much impossible to work upper body without working your shoulders, and even if it were possible, actively encouraging muscle imbalance isn't a good idea, unless you like injury.
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
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    Hey guys I need some advice for my fitness routine. I have to admit, when I first joined MFP like most of girls I thought that lifting was equal to get bulky and I was terrified by it. Now I now that this is a myth but I'm still a bit concerned.

    All my life all I did was mostly general cardio, but when I was in high school I did swimming 3 times a week and developed strong shoulders...I didn't like it. My shoulders are already genetically wide so I want to avoid any activity that would give me the same results.

    Can you suggest any upper body strength exercise that won't affect the appearance of my shoulders? Or building muscles without changing the appearance of your shoulders is just impossible to achieve? I would also like which are the exercises that I should avoid.

    Thanks for any help :D

    People here always deny that women get bigger from strength training when it's obvious that many exercises will make the body part exercised bigger. Most swimmers do have big shoulders, although it could also be that the people who tend to do well in swimming have the physique to develop the bigger shoulders needed to propel them through the water.

    Other people may have better ideas, but if you're concerned about aesthetics at this point, I would suggest not doing shoulder-specific weight training, or using lighter weights, fewer reps, or not exercising to failure if that's what you're doing. Or stick to body weight exercises, which won't make you as big.

    Be prepared for many members who are going to tell you what they you should look like, whether or not that's what you want to look like.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Hey guys I need some advice for my fitness routine. I have to admit, when I first joined MFP like most of girls I thought that lifting was equal to get bulky and I was terrified by it. Now I now that this is a myth but I'm still a bit concerned.

    All my life all I did was mostly general cardio, but when I was in high school I did swimming 3 times a week and developed strong shoulders...I didn't like it. My shoulders are already genetically wide so I want to avoid any activity that would give me the same results.

    Can you suggest any upper body strength exercise that won't affect the appearance of my shoulders? Or building muscles without changing the appearance of your shoulders is just impossible to achieve? I would also like which are the exercises that I should avoid.

    Thanks for any help :D

    People here always deny that women get bigger from strength training when it's obvious that many exercises will make the body part exercised bigger. Most swimmers do have big shoulders, although it could also be that the people who tend to do well in swimming have the physique to develop the bigger shoulders needed to propel them through the water.

    Other people may have better ideas, but if you're concerned about aesthetics at this point, I would suggest not doing shoulder-specific weight training, or using lighter weights, fewer reps, or not exercising to failure if that's what you're doing. Or stick to body weight exercises, which won't make you as big.

    Be prepared for many members who are going to tell you what they you should look like, whether or not that's what you want to look like.

    Actually go get stronger without "bulking up" heavy heavy weight really low reps is best (2-4 reps/set). though in a deficit you don't have to worry about gaining any noticeable amount of muscle anyway.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    I don't have anything directly meaningful to add as I hate these types of threads... but just to come at it from a slightly different angle...

    Why not try to accept the fact that you have broad shoulders? You're never going to be able to change your bone structure. Make them strong, and work on your butt/hips/thighs so you have good proportions.

    IMO, a strong, fit chick with good proportions is pretty damn hot.
  • ShadeyC
    ShadeyC Posts: 315 Member
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    I don't have anything directly meaningful to add as I hate these types of threads... but just to come at it from a slightly different angle...

    Why not try to accept the fact that you have broad shoulders? You're never going to be able to change your bone structure. Make them strong, and work on your butt/hips/thighs so you have good proportions.

    IMO, a strong, fit chick with good proportions is pretty damn hot.

    THIS!
    Own it and make it work for you ;)
  • kirkor
    kirkor Posts: 2,530 Member
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    While I agree with what others have said on rocking what you've got (plus good shoulders on women are sexy as hell), in terms of avoiding wide shoulder-specific hypertrophy, you would want to limit lateral raises --- these work the lateral deltoid head and as those pop they make your silhouette wider.
    You can still overhead press, row, etc for shoulder strength development.
    Also keep rep ranges low and lift heavy for strength (i.e. 3x5 vs. 4x12 or whatevs).
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,266 Member
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    I think yoga and swimming are great upper body workouts. Even with free weights do kickbacks and biceps. Work those muscles slow and with enugh weights to feel the burn but you are able to do smooth movements. I like to look at youtube videos fro advice and shape magazine has good workouts too.
  • serenere
    serenere Posts: 70 Member
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    thanks for all the suggestions ^__^
  • MicheleWE
    MicheleWE Posts: 179 Member
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    I work really hard trying to build my shoulders and I still am not bulking there very much. Just don't lift as heavy weights.
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
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    I say shoulders look big and broad on a person when they have a low bodyfat percentage.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    how come these threads never have pics of the wide, strong, super muscular shoulders
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
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    how come these threads never have pics of the wide, strong, super muscular shoulders

    Right?

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