Lopper shears , designed for branches that are too thick for the hand shears. They only cut branches up to 1-1 and a half inches thick in diameter. Give yourself at least ten minutes per bush per session. Before you know it, you and Mother Nature will be skipping down the garden path hand in hand. When a plant's branches are too compact, those branches don't receive the air and light they need, and disease starts to appear.
Moisture starts sitting on the leaves and bark, and fungus and bacteria take hold.
That's why you need to prune. You need to get rid of dead things, sickly stuff and thin out the bushes. You want to ensure that heavy snow or rain can pass through the spaces and not land on the branches. Don't make the same mistake. Be conscientious and study your plant before you even pick up the shears.