# Reshaping Shoulders



## Biomech (Feb 20, 2011)

Hello, I was wondering if you could give me some advice.

I'm over weight and not into body building, but I reckon you guys would be the best to ask.

I'm quite broad, my back is like a slab. The trouble is that my shoulders are rounded forward.

What excercises/weights can I do to pull my shoulders back?

I'm not sure if working on building back muscles would tighten up and pull them back, or grow and push them forward even more.

Any tips would be great! TIA


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

Anything that builds the rear delts and upper back mate. So rows with a wide grip and the elbows out, reverse flyes, face pulls, things of that nature.


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## ah24 (Jun 25, 2006)

Try to release pec minor and any muscles pulling you into protraction / internal rotation.

Then, strengthen the opposites


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## bogbrush (Sep 19, 2013)

Deadlifts really helping my posture, same with rounded shoulders and also head bent forward


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## Snake (Sep 30, 2014)

A sh!t load of band pull aparts won't hurt either...


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## Biomech (Feb 20, 2011)

Cheers all, I'll look into those  So anything that's actively developing the muscle then. I wasn't sure if maybe the muscle would grow and push the shoulders forward more.

While we're here  Any recommended lower back exercises, specifically, I have 2 herniated discs and sit/lay around a lot, I need to strength the muscle up my lower back so they help to keep my spine in place


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## Biomech (Feb 20, 2011)

A lot of the videos I'm looking at say when lifting a dead lift "keep your back arched" - but they don't say which way.

Is it arched, chest out, leaning back or arched hunched forward? I'm assuming the former


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## 2004mark (Oct 26, 2013)

Biomech said:


> A lot of the videos I'm looking at say when lifting a dead lift "keep your back arched" - but they don't say which way.
> 
> Is it arched, chest out, leaning back or arched hunched forward? I'm assuming the former


I wouldn't say it should be arched at all... a neutral spine is what you want. Too much either way can lead to dodgy discs.

Chest out, shoulders back, neutral spine, take up the slack and lock it into position before you lift.


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## Biomech (Feb 20, 2011)

Awesome, cheers


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## 2004mark (Oct 26, 2013)

It's also worth remembering that there is only so much you can do when 'reshaping' anything. You can work on posture correction, but your skeleton and muscle insertion points are fixed. I'd love broader shoulders, longer calf muscles and thicker ankles but it's not gunna happen.


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## Biomech (Feb 20, 2011)

OK one more question ref the back 

I just tried some hyperextensions on the coffee table. The trouble I'm having is that apart from my back being too weak, my upper body is too heavy, I can't counter balance with my lower body on the table. I'm going to aim to do these in the gym where I'm assuming there's somewhere to hook my feet in, but I would like to do them at home as well - any ideas?


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## pistol99 (Jun 1, 2015)

> A sh!t load of band pull aparts won't hurt either...


Came in to say this. My shoulders went from zero to hero with band pulls. They are an absolute must if you work at a computer.


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## Biomech (Feb 20, 2011)

Cheers, I guess any resistance bands will do? I lost mine from before but believe you can get them in packs of 3 strengths(?)

Did you go for high reps or higher resistance?


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## ausmaz (Jul 14, 2014)

Three pronged attack mate: 1) stretch your chest and anterior delts

2) train your back top to bottom, deadlifts, rows and pulldowns

3) get off your coffee table and down the gym

Good luck mate


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