Build Muscle, Great Posture & Resilience to Injury | Jeff Cavaliere

About this video

Huberman interviews Jeff Cavaliere, a physical therapist and strength coach behind Athlean-X, about building muscle, posture and resilience to injury. Cavaliere argues that longevity means maintaining function as you age, and that the small, often neglected things — foot strength, shoulder stability, back and rear-delt work — are what allow people to keep doing the big lifts for decades. He demonstrates principles behind his signature face pulls and detailed rotator cuff work, emphasizing keeping the elbow pinned to the torso so the intended muscle does the work rather than a compensation. Cavaliere stresses that these capacities are trainable at any age, framing the message as: if it is trainable, it is fixable.

Key takeaways

• Cavaliere argues that longevity is about maintaining function, and that strength, balance and related skills are all trainable.
• Cavaliere presents face pulls as essential for posture, rear delts and general shoulder stability.
• Cavaliere recommends keeping the elbow pinched to the torso during external rotation work so the rotator cuff, not the delt, does the work.
• Cavaliere suggests using a folded towel under the arm as a check — if it drops, you are compensating.
• Cavaliere describes using rotator cuff work as a warm-up and neuro-activation tool before pressing days.

Episode details: published May 25, 2026 · 240.9K views · 2:16:50 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. The science and protocols described are Andrew Huberman’s, presented for education — not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before changing your own health practices.

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