Workout Plan for Building that V-Shaped Torso

Strength and health should be the goal of any man. But once you’ve achieved that superhero ‘feeling’, you probably wouldn’t mind looking like one too.

We consider this the V-shape torso, and it is the silhouette of just about every superhero and all-around cool dude that has ever been animated. But I’ll be honest with you and admit that this look is a bit of an illusion. An average man with a slim waist and broad shoulders will appear much stronger, fitter, healthier, and more athletic than he really is just by having a v-taper. But it is true that genetics plays a role, but you have some control over how much fat is stored around your mid-section, and how much bulk is packed on your upper torso.

With that in mind, this workout is designed to give you the clean and classic look of a true He-man, provided that you are also eating clean and keeping your belly fat to a minimum.

Let’s get started:

Barbell Bench Press

Pushups are a great warmup for building a v-shape torso, but when you are looking for true mass you can’t beat the classic barbell bench press. Load up a bar with a safe weight, lie down on a flat bench, pull your shoulder blades down and together, and maintain perfect form throughout the movement. This one also works your front shoulders.

10-12 Reps, 3 Sets

Barbell Pullover

You can also use dumbells with this movement, but the basic motion is to lie flat on a bench (or a slight decline), and drop the weight behind your head (arms slightly bent) without arching your back and then raise it to where it is just hovering above your chest. As a bonus, the pullover also works your core and triceps.

Incline Dumbbell Fly

Keeping a slight bend at the elbows, raise and lower two dumbells, making sure to keep your motions strict and out to the side.

Tricep Dips

Since we’re working on giving you an overall broad appearance from the upper front, a full tricep is essential to this look and nothing builds mass and shape like the classic dip. A tip for you is to ditch the idea of hanging weights from a belt for added resistance and instead to grab a resistance band that you can wrap around the top of your neck. The best part of using a band is that the resistance will become greater the closer you come to the top of the movement, which is actually ideal for building thick triceps.

Barbell Shrug

The v-shape is no place for a ‘pencil neck’, and the barbell shrug is designed to give a man’s neck the appearance of strength and definition. Begin with a loaded barbell using a grip that is about shoulder width apart. Raise your shoulders as high as they will go and then rinse and repeat (so to speak).

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown

The bent over row is an essential move for thick lats, and the Pendlay row happens to be one of our favorite variations. But when you’re looking to focus on building that v-shape, you can’t beat the wide-grip lat pulldown. You can do this either seated or kneeling on the ground, Begin by tightening your abs to give your core stability, use a grip a little wider than your shoulders, and then pull the bar directly down to the top of your chest, hold for a brief moment and control the weight back to the start.