Get ripped in 90 days –
Subscribe to this channel here –
If you want to build bigger delts, you likely have used the traditional exercises like shoulder presses, side lateral raises and front raises. In this video, I’m going to show you 6 new shoulder building exercises that will help you hit the front, middle and rear delts in all new ways (each backed by science) to allow you to get new results from an otherwise stale shoulder workout.
It is important to point out that the front delts are often overworked when it comes to shoulder training. Far too many exercises are performed that target the front delt over the other heads of the delts and this leads to the common imbalances we see in those that lift weights. I made sure that I showed you more options that hit the middle and rear delts here to not only help them grow but to give them the attention they are likely not getting at the moment in your current shoulder workout.
That said, we start off with one front delt exercise called the crush grip dumbbell press out. Here you are clasping both hands onto the handle of a single dumbbell with the intention of squeezing your hands as tightly together as you can. This acts to isometrically contract the chest. You might be thinking, why am I activating the chest on a shoulder exercise. The purpose of this is to isometrically occupy the chest so that it cannot contribute as much to the flexion of the arms out in front of the body. The front delts are forced to do more of the work, and when you are trying to build them up this is exactly what you want.
Next is the butterfly front raise. This initially starts as an exercise for building bigger front delts but quickly turns into one that hits the middle delts well at the top of the movement. We know that middle deltoid activation is strongest with a component of internal rotation at the shoulder. This does not mean that the shoulder needs to be internally rotated however. You can internally rotate from an externally rotated shoulder position (back towards neutral) and still get the increased activation of the area of the middle region of your delts.
We continue on with the targeting of the middle head, this time without having to use any weights at all. The bodyweight side lateral raise is one that takes advantage of the concept of relative motion at a joint. We know that shoulder abduction is the movement at the shoulder that is responsible for firing up the middle delt. Instead of having to lift the arm away from a fixed body you can alternatively rotate the body away from a fixed arm. Try this and you will feel how intense the contraction is without ever having to lift a weight.
The rear delt is one of the most overlooked heads of the shoulders. Probably this is due to it being out of sight when compared to the other two heads of the delts. Out of sight does not mean out of mind. In order to hit this area the best you need to not just perform horizontal abduction of the arm but extension of the arm in relation to the torso. Externally rotating the arm will give you the ability to get even more extension behind the body which enables one of the most intense rear delt contractions you will ever experience.
The hip hugger is one that allows you to use heavier weights to still get the the abduction necessary for getting maximal shoulder and deltoid contraction. With the arms going back behind the body as well here you still get that additional rear delt contribution that is so sorely needed.
Finally, the swimmers is an exercise you will use light weights to perform but see great benefits from doing. Don’t be fooled by the size of the dumbbell however. This exercise hits all three heads of the delts in a sequential fashion and throws in the additional benefits of eccentric front delt contraction on the descent of every rep.
As you can see, there are many ways to train your shoulders that you may not have thought about if you are stuck on the classics of shoulder exercises like presses and lateral raises. If you train like an athlete you open up many possibilities to your training that you never thought of before. If you are looking for a complete program for building massive shoulders and overall athletic muscle, head to and get the ATHLEAN-X Training System.
For more videos on how to build bigger shoulders in 14 days and the best shoulder workout for size be sure to subscribe to our channel here on youtube at
49 comments
Want to win an ATHLEAN-X program for free, no strings attached? Click the link below to find out how!
https://giveaway.athleanx.com/how-to-win.html
THANK YOU VERY MUCH
VERY HELPFUL
GREAT WORKOUTS
AMAZING MUSCLE TARGET
JAZAKALLAH KHAIR (MAY ALLAH REWARD YOU)
thanks for this great info, i really needed this zero weight workout
Can you do the Hip Hugger with a preemptive shrug?
Useless question of the day: what does those letters by his name, like MPTS mean?
FANTASTIC VIDEO!!!!!!!!!!! AS USUAL!!!!!!!
Butterfly lateral raises they are killers, by far this is wigh that otherincrease width shoulder rourine in 14 days are best to increase shouleer size, my shoulder witdh is 51 " used to be 49 and half like a month ago.
So the reverse flye machine has horizontal bars (handles), which would allow you to extend your arms beyond the normal plane of rear delt flyes, thereby hitting those rears, would it not?
Can't wait to try dumbbell swimmers. I 've done 3-way delt raises since HS but this looks so much more efficient.
ted talks
You have become a Name, literslly everoby that i know that works out, have heard of Cavalier, or is doing an excercise learned here.
when I workout deltoid, why my trap is hurt?
Jeff, you are the best. I am a 73 year old yoga /dance teacher. So I am not your typical weight lifter. And I always come to you to activate certain muscles that I feel are getting weak. I thank you so much for all that you do. I think you’re brilliant.❤️ Gia
Jeff, you are the best! Thank you so much!
im 13 and i dont want to stunt my growth for the excersize where you pull the weight up like you would your pants can i do that with a 15 pound weight or should i just stick to the body weight one
Its good, but can someone tell me when to do it in a push pull leg workout split ?!!
Great exercises Sir!!!!
Love your work Jeff could you please expand on the 5th exercise maybe bilaterally
The third and fifth exercises are very similar anatomically
First day of this circuit. My shoulders already feel the difference. Thanks Jeff!
Spot on for what I was looking for, and you are 100% correct about the medial head of the deltoids. I'm excited about starting all exercises tonight! I'm making some progress with the traditional exercises (as you mentioned) and I'm happily surprised that in by bringing up my deltoids, (especially the medial head) my biceps actually look bigger and better as well!
You talk about workouts but never best supplements or diet
EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AWESOME VALUABLE SERVICE TO MILLIONS, IF NOT BILLIONS, THANKS ATHLEAN-X. LOVE YOU A LOT FROM THE CORE OF MY HEART. I AM OLD, YOU MAKE ME YOUNG AND STRONG.
Jeff advises us to internally rotate shoulders in an exercise? I'll go jump off a building
He is my drona
I pulled my arm up and back to feel the rear felt contraction like he said and my entire back popped wtf
the swimmers excersise IS JUST PERFECT FOR BUTTERFLY TECHNIQUE (OBVIOUSLY/APPARENTLY)…..
The hip huggers are awesome! Do them!
Is s there a different approach to training with use of steroids and without?
So I did the rear delt pull with the dumb bell and my traps were so sore! I thought I had the movement right, palm up, external rotation at the top, kind of 45° angle from body, leaning forward etc & I watched the example a couple of times. What am I doing wrong? I also didn’t feel my rear delt firing and felt. 🤷🏻♀️ help please.
Excellent video
You got it bro 🙏🏻
I loved that.
I like the video actually, but please just tell us which is the best , not so many choices.
excellent
Thank you boss. I am so glad I found this video y'day. Today I found out the lateral raise variation of yours is really excellent. I am pretty fine with my delts but this one made me feel like I have found a new exercise which could help me improve my internal strength of the delts, not just the visual side….
And also the swimmers, woow I could not even complete 6 x 3 even with 1 kg dumbells. I am used to doing the raises on the bench for the rear delts, so this was like a short variation, even then it kind of shocked me,, quite a tough one and I am going to get it right and be consistent with it.. I like increasing the difficulty levels so
Thank you boss.
Have no pants now
I blew up my shoulder at about 47. I didn’t think I would be able to bench press anymore. As I didn’t want surgery I started looking for exercises that would help me rebuild it. I found a wealth of not only exercises but information. I’m 53 now and with the help of Athlean X I not only have a stronger shoulder but everything else has improved as well. I can actually bench 15 pounds more than when I got hurt.
Ok I have a total body 5000, body by Jake tower 200, Weider 8620 8 dumbbells only to 25 lbs. I am not getting bigger only stronger. I have to be careful with my right rotator. Ya I wish I could send photos I am 72 oh and a tread mill.
I am so glad you are part of my journey Jeff… Thank you for all your videos… God Bless 🌹🙂
How many reps….or reps as possible we can?
Isn't the pulling up pant one also targetting a little bit of traps?
GOAT
This is genius. Thanks, Jeff!
Lckdown pushups (u wont remember)
Hip huggers are legit
best exercises! keep it up
How many sets and reps?