Slim Thick Side Delts Training: Building Shoulder Width at 160-190 lbs
Slim Thick Side Delts Training: Building Shoulder Width at 160-190 lbs
Ready to transform in Houston? Book your identity engineering consultation. In-person sessions available. Online coaching open nationwide.
The lateral deltoid is the head of the shoulder most directly responsible for width. Developing it creates broader shoulders that visually narrow your waist and frame your lower body in a way that improves every proportion simultaneously. For the pear-shaped Slim Thick woman especially, targeted side delt training is the highest-leverage proportioning tool available.
My name is Xavier Savage. I am a personal trainer based in Houston, Texas, and I work with clients in person and online through XPL, Xesthetic Performance Labs.
Why the Side Delt Is Undertrained
The side deltoid is only isolated by movements where your arm raises out to the side. Bench press and overhead press develop the front deltoid. Rows and pulldowns develop the rear deltoid and back. The side deltoid receives almost no direct stimulus from any compound exercise. If you are not deliberately training it with lateral raises, it is not getting trained.
Best Exercises
Dumbbell lateral raises are the primary exercise. Raise them out to the side to shoulder height with a slight elbow bend — pinky slightly higher than thumb at the top. Control the lowering over two seconds. Use a weight where the last two reps per set are genuinely challenging with strict form. Three to four sets of 12 to 15 reps.
Cable lateral raises maintain constant tension through the full range of motion — including the bottom where dumbbells lose resistance. Set a cable at the lowest position on the opposite side of your body, reach across and grab the handle, raise your arm out to the side. Three sets of 12 to 15 reps per side.
Leaning cable lateral raises — holding a support and leaning away from the cable — stretch the side delt at the bottom for greater range of motion and more muscle-building stimulus per rep. Three sets of 12 to 15 reps per side.
Machine lateral raises provide consistent resistance and remove form breakdown that can occur with heavier dumbbells. Use as a secondary variation.
Programming
Train side delts twice per week in upper body sessions. Two to three lateral raise variations per session, three to four working sets each. Progressive overload comes slowly — increase weight by two and a half pounds when you can complete your rep range with strict form on all sets. Read the Slim Thick Shoulders and Slim Thick Rear Delts guides for the complete three-dimensional shoulder development picture.
I train clients in person in Houston, Texas and online through XPL. Take the XPL Archetype Quiz or visit xperformancelab.com/plans-pricing to work with me directly.
The standards behind the standards. — Xavier Savage, XPL Xesthetic Performance Labs, Houston, TX
Scroll to unlock levels
Level V Achieved
Now live it.
Unlocked
Xavier Savage
Founder, XPERFORMANCELAB
I do not shape muscle. I shape structure. The person you become is the person you construct.
Related Insights
David and Goliath By Malcolm Gladwell
David and Goliath why should you even bother to read it David and Goliath is a book that documents the underdogs, it looks at all the...
Slim Thick Shoulders Training: Creating Proportion at 160-190 lbs
Shoulder training for the Slim Thick woman. Building shoulder width is the most effective proportioning tool for this archetype.
Slim Thick Quads Training: Leg Definition at 160-190 lbs
Quad training for the Slim Thick woman. Build leg definition without adding unwanted thigh width — a body-shape-specific breakdown.