Using the speedbrakes is no shame at all in itself, shame is using them excessively, when other subtler means are still available to adjust your profile: increasing speed, or accepting a slightly higher profile till the right moment to extend the rubber brakes earlier than normal.
Rubber brakes are more confortable to the pax than speedbrakes.
Also, in a 737 classic, my personal slowest speed for using the airbrakes is 230kts: at slower speeds you only vibrate the airplane for nothing, basically. Remain clean, and at the right moment drop the gear.
Also, the way you extend or retract them is important: SLOWLY, PLEASE!