Pulling exercises such as the lat pulldown (above) help our shoulders look broader and waste look thinner.
Quick note: Needed 25 comments on the last blog to get you guys the 10-Minute Abs-Shredding workout. Didn’t quite get there, I’ll give it another shot in a week or so. Thanks for all the comments!
The ideal body for a guy looks something like a “V“, or better yet an “X” if you count the lower body as well.
Each “letter” starts out broad, which would be the shoulders, then tapers down through thick and muscular lat and chest muscles into a relatively thin waste. From the waste the body tapers out again to muscular and athletic-looking quads, and decent enough calves.
Here are a number of tips that’ll help you build this “ideal” physique.
1. Focus on the FULL muscle.
A lot of guys just focus on building the upper lat by doing all wide grip stuff, or the anterior (front) deltoid by doing all press-like exercise. But if you want your lats to have a solid based, don’t neglect the close grip exercises. And if you want to have broad, and athletic shoulders, build the lateral and posterior aspects of the muscle as well.
2. Focus on performance.
I’ve always thought a physique that’s only purpose is to look good is pretty useless. But even if that is your only focus, add in some performance or athletically motivated exercises in there as well.
a) You’ll have a body that’ll perform better and b) You’ll have a body that’ll look leaner, and more athletic as well.
Some great performance-focused exercises that build broad shoulders include Olympic lifts like the snatch and cleans. Start with a light weight for each exercise, but continue adding weight as your form progresses.
Plyometrics are also great exercises for improving athleticism, but will also help add weight to lifts like deadlifts or squats.
3. Don’t cut out cardio.
Don’t completely cut out cardio from your routine when you’re focusing on building muscle. Yes, it’s possible to build lean muscle, and if your goal is to get that “V” shaped physique, building a puffy, bloated look isn’t going to cut it.
You also may have a nice set of abs under an inch of fat that need to begin making an appearance. An effective, short, and intense cardio routine will help this happen. Focus on short, explosive bursts that are followed by “rest” periods or cool down periods. The short, explosive sprints not only boost your metabolism, but release Human Growth Hormone and Testosterone in our bodies, two powerful hormones in the fight to build muscle and lose fat.
4. Free-weights over machines.
Machines aren’t the devil, they’re not completely useless, but free-weights are just more effective than machines. Using a guided plane of movement like you’ll find with most machines limited the stress placed on a muscle, it also creates imbalances. Mix things up between barbells, dumbbells and cables in your training to achieve the best and most functional results possible.
5. Pull.
Developing a muscular back is one of the most important things to focus on when building the V-Shaped physique. Thick lats make your shoulders broader, and waste appear thinner. A more developed back also pulls your shoulders and chest back, correcting posture which is something that holds a lot of us back from attaining this ideal body.
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What aspect of training do you need most to obtain this ideal physique?
Fat loss? Building lean muscle mass? A combination of both?
Any training questions I can help you with?
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