Front Delts Training for the Slim Woman: 135 to 160 lbs, Recomp Phase

For a woman at 135 to 160 pounds in a recomp, I train front delts with dumbbell and cable front raises, if pressing does not cover them. Do it on upper body days of a four-day upper/lower split, add weight when every set reaches the top of the rep range, and expect visible change in about 8 to 12 weeks.

Slim is my name for women between 135 and 160 pounds, usually a pear, hourglass or inverted triangle shape, in a recomp phase: losing fat and building muscle at the same time on 1,700 to 2,000 calories and 120 to 145 grams of protein a day.

If you are a woman at 135 to 160 pounds who has been pressing, bench press, overhead press, push-ups, your anterior deltoids are already receiving training stimulus. They may not need more.

That said, the anterior deltoid does require direct training in some circumstances. If you do not press, no push-ups, no dumbbell press, no overhead work, your front delts are likely underdeveloped and this protocol applies directly. If you do press two to three times per week, use this article to understand the anatomy and evaluate whether direct work is warranted.

What muscles are you training in your front delts?

The anterior deltoid is the front portion of the three-headed deltoid muscle. It originates at the front of your collarbone and inserts at your upper arm. Its function is to raise your arm forward, shoulder flexion, and assist in horizontal pressing movements. It receives heavy indirect stimulus from bench press, incline press, overhead press, and all push-up variations. Its development creates the rounded front of the shoulder visible from the side. Overdevelopment relative to the rear deltoid creates the internally rotated, forward-rounding shoulder posture. Balance matters here more than maximum size.

Do you need to train front delts directly?

If you are not sure whether direct front delt training is right for your situation, here is what to look at. First: if you already perform three or more sets of pressing movements two or more times per week, your anterior deltoid is receiving adequate stimulus and direct isolation work may cause overtraining. Second: if your shoulders visually round forward, your rear delts need work, not your front delts, adding front delt volume will worsen the imbalance. Third: if you have never pressed at all and your shoulder profile looks flat from the side, direct front delt work is appropriate.

What is the exact front delts workout for Slim?

Exercise 1: Dumbbell Front Raise

Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your thighs. Raise both dumbbells forward to shoulder height, keeping a slight bend in your elbows. Lower under control over 2 seconds. Do not swing your torso to assist.

Sets: 3. Reps: 12. Rest: 60 seconds. Starting weight: 8 to 10 pounds per hand. Progressive overload: add 2 pounds when all sets are completed cleanly. Common mistake: raising the dumbbells above shoulder height, which shifts load to your upper traps.

Exercise 2: Cable Front Raise

Set a low cable pulley. Stand facing away from the machine, holding the cable handle behind you at hip level, palm facing backward. Raise your arm forward to shoulder height. The cable provides resistance through the full range of motion in a way dumbbells do not at the top.

Sets: 2 per arm. Reps: 15. Rest: 45 seconds. Starting weight: 10 pounds. Common mistake: rotating your torso to bring the arm higher, keep movement isolated to your shoulder joint.

What should you expect at week 1, week 4 and week 12?

Week 4: If you were pressing prior to adding this work, you will likely notice no additional front delt change, which means the pressing was sufficient.

Week 8: If this is your only overhead/pressing stimulus, visible front shoulder fullness will emerge.

What should you read next?

Pair this with Slim shoulders training and Slim chest training, and see the high protein diet for Slim. To work with me, start with the XPL quiz, which is my intake form for every client and confirms whether Slim is your category, then see coaching options and pricing.

Written by Zavier King, personal trainer in Houston and online coach at XPL. ISSA Certified Personal Trainer and NASM Nutrition Coach.