The #1 Workout That BLEW UP My Shoulders (3 Exercises)

Jeremy Ethier
Jeremy Ethier
4,490,619
0
Published 2023-11-19
Wondering how to grow your shoulders? Today I want to share the #1 shoulder workout that absolutely blew up my delts. My Filipino genetics blessed me with a 1:1 shoulder-to-waist ratio and narrow clavicles that made me look frail and weak. But I refused to let my genetics define me. This past year, my shoulders are wider, broader, and fuller than they’ve ever been. I followed a simple, science-based shoulders workout that’s worked better than anything I’ve tried in the past. There are only 3 shoulder exercises (including the crowd fav, lateral raises) in this shoulders workout, but proper form is crucial, so pay attention.

Click below for a step by step plan training plan that reveals all the best exercises you should do for each and every muscle group:
quiz.builtwithscience.com/

Click below to subscribe for more videos:
youtube.com/jeremyethier/?sub_confirmation=1

First up in our shoulder workout, the side delts. This is the part of the shoulders that broadens your frame and is where I put most of my effort. Now in the past, in my delts workout, I’d always just do your typical dumbbell lateral raises. But there’s an exciting new area of research called long muscle length training that suggests muscles tend to grow better if they’re challenged in the stretched position.

But the thing about dumbbell lateral raises is they’re easiest at the bottom when the delt is fully stretched and hardest at the top when the delt is fully contracted. The opposite of what we want. So I chose behind-the-body cable lateral raises for my delts workout to target my side delts instead. This is where I stand in front and to the side, so my side delt is now stretched behind me. Make sure the cable is 2-3 notches from the bottom so it challenges your delts the most when it’s stretched.

A crucial progressive overload tip: I’d start around 10 reps per set, and only once I was able to do at least 15-20 reps per set with good form did I increase the weight. This way, I still made gains by increasing my reps, and then once I did make that jump in weight, I was ready for it.

So the side delts create width, but the rear delts help balance out the shoulder and give it that 3D look. But it’s by far the most underdeveloped part of most people’s shoulders. We know that muscles are best grown if the arm path of the exercise matches the direction of the muscle’s fibers. In the case of the rear delts, they run at about a 45-degree angle. What I found to be the most successful of all the shoulder exercises with was using this 45-degree arm angle during the reverse cable fly, but with a few steps back from the cable to make it more difficult near the beginning of the exercise when the rear delts are more stretched.

But you could apply this to the reverse pec deck as well. Move the seat up high and instead of sitting right up against the pad, scoot your butt back and lean your chest into the pad. This way, your arm angle will now line up better with rear delts. And if you don’t have access to cables or machines for your delts workout, you can do an incline dumbbell row with your arms kept at that 45-degree angle.

In all of these exercises, though, to prevent your mid-back muscles from taking over, don’t squeeze your shoulder blades together. Push your arms forward to open up your shoulder blades, and keep them that way as you pull your elbows back.

Lastly, we'll tackle the front delts in our shoulders workout. Now in the past, I’d always do standing barbell overhead presses. But they just really started beating up my joints, and it was always a struggle to stay balanced. So I switched this out for a more stable and smoother exercise on the joints, the seated dumbbell shoulder press. But not the way most people do it.

Instead, you’ll want to try to bring the bench back about 1-2 notches, and as you can see, it’ll require far less shoulder mobility. Once you’re set-up, line up your arm with the front delt fibers by driving your elbows inwards slightly with your palms facing in. Then, press the weight over your shoulders and return back to this starting position after each rep.

You now know how to grow your shoulders! Here are the 3 exercises with the reps, sets, alternatives, and how often to perform them. 

Seated dumbbell shoulder press
3 sets x 6-10 reps, 1x/week
Alternative — machine shoulder press

Behind body cable lateral raise
3-4 sets x 10-20 reps, 2-3x/week
Alternative — dumbbell lateral raise (with partials at end)

Reverse cable fly
3 sets x 10-15 reps, 1-2x/week
Alternative — reverse pec deck, incline dumbbell rear delt row

You could do this as a workout on its own, but I’d recommend splitting these exercises up into 2-3 of your workouts throughout the week.

Research is always evolving. I may end up being wrong about all of this in a few years' time, but I will do my best to keep you guys updated with the latest science. So far, though, the research is promising, and it seems like it’s working.
All Comments (21)
  • @0Fallacy
    Some ppl in comments talking smack but this guy has a relateable physique for most guys .. and summaries scientific information for us. Lets be grateful bros
  • @bruceleroy7125
    The fact that most of these are already a part of my workout plan makes me feel so much better. Thanks for your work, Jeremy!
  • @pbramantio136
    Can we take a moment to appreciate this dude for making his content based on the ACTUAL RESEARCH and not just "based on experience"
  • @Nybus494
    I find it very refreshing that you can admit you may be wrong about some things and that this is an evolving space. Many other fitness professionals don’t acknowledge that
  • @EseHommieChuy
    Been following for years. One thing I love about his channel and body. It's the most relatable for many people to attain. No drugs use.
  • @dylankane1092
    This guy is class. The info we need not just hearing what people think works. Keep it coming 💪🏽
  • @dirtyguava8209
    Holy Toledo! This guy spillin the truth here. Just did as per the video and saw veins and curves pop in my shoulders that I never knew existed. Three simple and effective exercises that does more than dedicating an entire day to shoulders. Thanks so much dude! Subbed!
  • @visheshdeepgautam
    What the heck 🤯 I recently added Behind the Body Cable Lateral Raises in my routine and they are legit... And Your Advice of Having The Angles more in line with the hands is so right, I see most people do that in the way by which you set the angles in the last attachment. You made the video on right time, I didn't see many great Youtubers suggest this movement.
  • @gibs40
    After I started doing cable lateral raises, my side delts grew considerably. Truly the best lateral raise variation. And also because of the cable reverse flys my rear delts grew noticeably
  • @PeacefulNightMusic
    Whoever is reading this, I pray for you: a heart free of sorrow, a mind free of worries, a life filled with joy, an abundant source of financial wealth, a body free of disease disability and a day filled with God's blessings
  • @magicmitch1537
    Hearing you say “not just stretching, but challenging the muscle the most while in the stretched position” was a lightbulb moment for me. You used the seated curls vs preacher curls example and 🤯 I chose those seated ones becuase I thought it was just about stretching the most. Awesome stuff and really slick animations too, shout-out to you (and/or your editor)!
  • @Here2vibe
    This and your other vids are probably the best breakdown of exercises that I've seen, and the visual muscle explanation as you're doing them plus the lines and arrows to show form helps me so much! The science pulls it all together and as someone whose been in physical therapy all my life, this is the first time I've seen exercises that my physical therapists through the years have recommended me explained so that I can understand and maximize their effect! Thank you! I'm currently 6 weeks into my strength training and muscle growth journey to try and see how much my muscles can grow. I'm born disabled with a non-progressive muscle and joint syndrome but my muscles are all there, just not trained in an intentional way since no one really cared to focus on that when I was growing up, therapists just threw exercises at me saying "this might work" but never explained them. I'm turning 34 now, this is going to be my year of growth!
  • @Fitness4London
    Great exercise recommendations. For me personally, cable/rope face-pulls have helped grow my rear delts effectively. I do 5 sets, starting light and progressing to heavy.
  • @MinLee2
    These shoulder vids really motivate me. My tiny Korean frame needs all the help it can get.
  • @cainm8808
    Jermey you’ve been killing it for years.Love the vids.
  • @19rfranco
    Great video brother. Thanks for the help. I started implementing your shoulder workouts from the previous video. Feeling/ seeing a difference already. It's been like 3 weeks
  • @sharonbryce7724
    ❤ can’t wait to get stuck into these. Thx for the blend of research, demo’s with graphics and humour - makes it easy to absorb