Want wider shoulders, better pressing power, and more defined arms? Then your front delts deserve dedicated attention. The anterior delt muscles plays a significant role in most upper-body compound lifts, especially pressing; however, it’s often either overtrained due to excessive volume or undertrained due to inefficient isolation work.
Your anterior delts assist in shoulder flexion, pressing, and lifting your arms forward. They receive a significant amount of indirect work through bench presses, push-ups, and overhead lifts, so targeting them effectively requires more than just adding some front raises.
In this edition of our Workout Series: From Best to Worst, we rank the best exercises for hypertrophy, strength, and shoulder balance. If you’re looking to train smarter, not just harder, this guide will help you optimize anterior delt development without overexertion or wasting time on subpar movements.
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Best Exercises To Build Your Anterior Delt
These are your go-to exercises for developing the front deltoids. They allow for heavy loading, long time under tension, and functional carryover to compound strength.
Barbell Overhead Press
A foundational movement that maximizes anterior delt overload while also strengthening the upper chest, triceps, and core. It’s one of the best compound lifts for front delt thickness and shoulder power.
Coach’s Tip: Press in a straight line with your chin tucked and glutes tight. Lower the barbell with control, capitalizing on the eccentric muscle action.
Dumbbell Overhead Press
Offers a more natural movement pattern than the barbell version and helps fix imbalances between sides. Allows for a deeper range of motion and more freedom at the shoulder joint.
Coach’s Tip: Press with palms facing forward or slightly neutral to reduce shoulder strain and emphasize the delts.
Z Press
This seated-on-the-floor press forces you to maintain an upright spine and eliminates momentum. Your anterior delts have to work overtime without help from your legs or lower back.
Coach’s Tip: Keep your core braced and don’t let the weight drift forward. Start light, it’s humbling and requires adequate shoulder and thoracic mobility.
Arnold Press
Combining shoulder flexion and rotation for a unique challenge that blasts the anterior delts. You achieve a greater range of motion than with traditional overhead presses.
Coach’s Tip: Use moderate weights and control each phase to maximize results. Don’t rush the rotation. Focus on the squeeze at the top.
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Average Exercises To Build Your Anterior Delt Muscles
These exercises can contribute to growth, but typically aren’t strong enough on their own. They’re better used as accessories or for variation, not as your foundation.
Landmine Press
This hybrid movement targets the front delts through a more angled plane, making it a good option for lifters with shoulder limitations. It’s also easier on the joints than strict overhead presses.
Coach’s Tip: Keep your torso tall and drive through the shoulder, not your chest or elbow.
Front Plate Raises
A simple, straightforward movement that torches the front delts. Great for pump work, but not ideal for progressive overload.
Coach’s Tip: Avoid going too heavy. Use strict form and hold at the top for 1–2 seconds to increase time under tension.
Push Press
Allows you to use more weight than a strict overhead press, but the legs do a lot of the work. Suitable for power development, but not the most efficient tool for front delt hypertrophy.
Coach’s Tip: Use it in strength or athletic training phases; it’s not your go-to for isolation.
Incline Dumbbell Press (Low Incline)
Although this is primarily a chest exercise, a low incline angle shifts more stress onto the anterior delts. It’s a solid secondary builder.
Coach’s Tip: Tuck your elbows at 30–45 degrees to target the front delts more directly.
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Below Average Exercises To Build Your Anterior Delt Muscles
These might stimulate the anterior delts to some degree, but they’re inefficient, easy to compensate through momentum, or simply redundant if you’re already pressing.
Front Dumbbell Raise
Classic but overused. These isolate the anterior delts, but most lifters already get enough front delt work from pressing. Plus, they’re easy to cheat with momentum.
Coach’s Tip: If you use them, go light, slow down the tempo, and avoid swinging.
Cable Front Raises
Similar to dumbbell raises, but with more consistent resistance. Better for mind-muscle connection, but still a limited growth tool if you’re pressing heavy already.
Coach’s Tip: Use them as a finisher, not a main lift.
Battle Rope (Front Raise Variations)
These look flashy and spike your heart rate, but they offer minimal mechanical tension for actual front delt development.
Sled Front Raise
Novelty over necessity. Sled front raises can be fun, but the tension curve is awkward and challenging to control. Save them for variety, not progress.
Top Training Tips For Anterior Delt Muscles Growth
Want to maximize growth and avoid burnout? Here’s how to structure your front delt training smartly:
Train front delts 1–2x per week: Ideally, within your push or shoulder days.
Prioritize overhead pressing: Don’t rely solely on front raises.
Use isolation moves sparingly: Most anterior delts get more than enough work through compound lifts.
Watch your shoulder volume: Too much anterior work (especially when paired with chest training) can lead to imbalances and joint strain.
Cycle intensity and volume: Alternate between heavy pressing days and moderate isolation and pump work.
Train through a full range of motion: Half-reps might feel intense, but they shortchange muscle hypertrophy.
Balance with rear and lateral delt work: This helps to maintain shoulder health and posture.
Your front delts already work hard in most upper-body lifts, but innovative programming can take them from overused to optimized. Build your foundation around the best, mix in the average for variety, and don’t fall for the below-average exercises that feel busy but deliver little.
