Im interested to know and see transformations of guys with very narrow clavicles. Mine are some of the narrowest i have ever seen for a guy almost 6’2 tall. To look at me from the waist up, i have a V-Taper and it would look decent if i was a short guy with narrow hips. But when viewed as a whole, i am a straight line up and down with hips and shoulders the exact same width. I know that larry scott made a big improvement on width, but honestly he wasnt as narrow before training as people make out, and obviously wasnt natural. Is there any hope of looking wide for the extremely narrow bodybuilder?
I recall your thread One Armed Row and Bench Critique - Beginners - Forums - T Nation
Your shoulders are far from narrow and they’re definitely much wider than your hips. I would go as far as to say they’re a strong point for you. Your legs need some serious work and also chest/arms to a lesser extent however.
Though considering you ignored everything said in that thread feel free to read this article regarding bringing up narrow shoulders.
There was this one guy from Colorado who went on to win a few shows. I can’t seem to recall his name maybe someone could help me out with that.
[quote]The-German wrote:
I recall your thread One Armed Row and Bench Critique - Beginners - Forums - T Nation
Your shoulders are far from narrow and they’re definitely much wider than your hips. I would go as far as to say they’re a strong point for you. Your legs need some serious work and also chest/arms to a lesser extent however.
Though considering you ignored everything said in that thread feel free to read this article regarding bringing up narrow shoulders.
[/quote]
Honestly the picture i posted is deceptive in terms of width, i have no taper whatsover. Even a non-bodybuilding friend said “if you could make your shoulders wider you would look good.” Shoulder to shoulder side delt measures approx 19.5" and hips at widest point are about 17" so without the shoulder muscle the joints are at best the same size. I’d say my clavicle width is about right for a 5’8 guy with average genetics. I kind of thought my lats would keep getting wider giving that V-taper in a shirt, but they seemed to reach the current width really fast and now just get thicker, they cant grow beyond the shoulder width right?
Thanks for the article though.
[quote]Matthaeus wrote:
There was this one guy from Colorado who went on to win a few shows. I can’t seem to recall his name maybe someone could help me out with that. [/quote]
Haha!
Also… Aaron Clark. Pwbarboy’s thread in RMP. Gold with haterade, and he legitimately had never cycled in it.
Colorado? im guessing you mean phil heath? His structure is only narrow by IFBB pro standards, way wider than the average guy.
Bwhitwell says he’s been really successful getting some width to his shoulders.
But IMO, you’re over-stressing about having average proportions.
FST7
[quote]stinger70 wrote:
Colorado? im guessing you mean phil heath? His structure is only narrow by IFBB pro standards, way wider than the average guy. [/quote]
The point is that Phil does not look too narrow anymore meaning even if he wasnt narrow for “normal” standards, he improved the way he looked
By getting bigger delts and lats
You could also try the DC hanging weighted stretch… it may or may not help and science says it does not.
Dante seems to think it does
The way I see it? It takes 2-4mins/week and it certainly cant hurt
OP: I have fairly narrow shoulders as well. The key to looking wider is lats and shoulders, as you probably know. Nail the ever loving shit out of them for a while. For me, lots of volume on the press got me pretty good front and medial delts, and lots and lots of chins got me good lats.
If you do have really narrow shoulders, you’re never really gonna look that wide, but lats and shoulders will help out a lot. Keep plugging away at them.
Edit: Looking at the picture in the thread The-German posted, getting lean will definitely help you look wider - your midsection tightens up a lot. Keep that in mind before you give up on ever looking wide.
There is hope, in 60 years u will b shorter!
With a belt and weight, and grip as wide as possible. Strapped up, let shoulders/scapulae kind of “pop” whatever… 60-2mins and move up in weight progressively
[quote]Spidey22 wrote:
Bwhitwell says he’s been really successful getting some width to his shoulders.
But IMO, you’re over-stressing about having average proportions. [/quote]
I like to superset very strict rear flys with laterals for 10-15 reps for as much as 10 sets with trying to get as much “FEEL” as possible. Use a weight that lets you do your reps without changing your tempo or form, I don’t go to failure. I don’t care that I am using 10-15 lb DBs, instead of trying to increase the weight, I try to increase the muscle contraction through the entire set, never letting the delt relax.
I also use very short rest periods,I do not use a clock, I go by instinct. My first sets have fairly short rest periods and then as I tire, the rest increases,that way I am always getting just enough rest.
After the supersets, then I will do a press or whatever. Just do delts 1st.
I avoid direct trap work, concentrate on upper chest and triceps,and think that your back width is mostly rear delts, middle traps, and rhomboids. I think bone structure will determine the width of your lats, so I really work my rear delts to death with “FEEL” movements and high reps.
I also do not do AB work. I think your abs are used as support muscles and being lean keeps them visible. Look ay gymnasts, epecially women, their abs do show hypertrophy.
[quote]bwhitwell wrote:
I avoid direct trap work, concentrate on upper chest and triceps,and think that your back width is mostly rear delts, middle traps, and rhomboids.[/quote]
now this is very interesting. I actually avoid all direct trap work too as I have a narrow shoulder structure and when my traps grew I felt it detracted from my delts. Now I see I’m not the only one.
Always good when someone more experience than you has come to the same conclusion 
[quote]bwhitwell wrote:
I avoid direct trap work, concentrate on upper chest and triceps,and think that your back width is mostly rear delts, middle traps, and rhomboids. I think bone structure will determine the width of your lats, so I really work my rear delts to death with “FEEL” movements and high reps.
[/quote]
Thanks for this, didnt really think of rear delts adding width. Like you say lats wont keep growing wider, mine seemed to grow out as far as my shoulders really fast and now just get thicker. I was under the impression that high volume delt work with low weights wouldnt stimulate much hypertrophy in a natural lifter, but i dont see any other way to develop the delts as if you use heavier weight then its so hard to hit the delt instead of the traps. I would need to go on a split routine to use this type of training.
I’m pretty sure arm size gives the illusion of width as well. Big thick arms just add weight and width to your upper body. Unfortunatley 16" + arms are years away as im at just 14.25" and growth is painfully slow now.
- Huge volume for rear delts
- Of course side delt work BUT find the exercises that work for you. Standing laterals don’t do shit for me!
Lying laterals do as do leaning laterals. Medium grip up rows blow my shoulders up big time! - Don’t forget that TRICEPS add width too. Bodybuilding is an illusion. A large lateral head of the triceps will add to the look you want.
- Personally I got a lot out of hanging stretches, whether science agrees or not!
Hope that helps a bit!
Good luck