In a Reddit thread, natural bodybuilders discussed the most important muscles to grow for looking muscular while wearing your everyday or office clothes.
The original poster asked other Redditors in the /naturalbodybuilding subreddit what they believed to be the most important muscles to emphasize in order to look more muscular with their shirt on.
“I’m a man in his mid 30s with a growing family. 99 percent of the year I’m clothed. Don’t get me wrong I still try to maximize growth but I don’t wear cut offs in the gym anymore, I don’t pose or compete,” the original poster clarified.
Reddit users largely agreed that shoulders earned their spot at the top of the list—receiving the most upvotes.
“Shoulders are absolutely key,” one user commented, receiving over 650 upvotes.
Guys gravitate towards upper body days and may have particular favorites, from biceps to chest. But, never skip shoulder day.
Broad shoulders create a wider silhouette, making you look more muscular even in a shirt. Well-developed lateral delts particularly enhance the V-taper, adding definition that stands out in fitted clothing.
There are plenty of shoulder-growing exercises, from overhead presses to flyes. But, Reddit users widely favor lateral raises as one of the best, whether using dumbbell or cable variations.
Studies have found both dumbbell and cable lateral raises to have similar effects for increasing shoulder size. But, opting for dumbbells proves difficult to progress.
“Dumbbell lateral raises were extremely challenging, but then I switched to cable and it was a lot easier to progress. Side delts blew up doing this,” another user commented.
Related: Natural Bodybuilders Say This Small Exercise Changed Their Physique the Most
