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T-Raises

T-raises hinge the torso near parallel and sweep straight arms out to shoulder line, forcing the lower traps, rear delts, and rhomboids to lift against a long lever. Maddy programs them to build the upper-back posture muscles that rows alone often leave under-trained. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.

Muscles worked

Lower traps · lower trapezius Rear shoulders · posterior deltoid Mid back · rhomboids Lower back · erector spinae

Sets & reps by goal

GoalSets × RepsRest
Strength4 × 5-6 reps with 2-s holds90-120 s
Muscle3 × 9-12 reps60-90 s
Endurance2 × 18-25 light reps30-45 s

Level — Beginner

Beginner-to-intermediate; the near-parallel hinge hold is half the exercise and fatigues before the shoulders do at first.

Proper form — 5 cues

  1. Hinge until the torso is close to parallel, knees soft, back flat.
  2. Hang the arms straight beneath the shoulders, thumbs rotated up.
  3. Sweep out to a full T, driving the movement from the shoulder blades.
  4. Squeeze the blades toward the spine for a full second at the top.
  5. Lower over two to three seconds without the torso lifting an inch.

Breathing: Exhale on the sweep to the T, inhale during the long lowering.

The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most

Losing the hinge as fatigue sets in.. Every degree the torso rises makes the lever shorter and the rep easier — quiet self-sabotage. Fix: Brace the trunk like a plank and end the set when the hinge starts creeping up, not when the arms give out.
Bending the elbows to make the weight feel lighter.. Shortening the lever moves the challenge away from the lower traps and rear delts that need it. Fix: Keep a straight-but-not-locked arm; if you must bend to finish, the dumbbells are too heavy.
Bouncing at the bottom to start the next rep.. The bounce uses stretch momentum, skipping the hardest first third of the lift. Fix: Come to a dead stop under the shoulders each rep — start every sweep from stillness.

Common questions

T-raise vs reverse fly — are they the same exercise?

Nearly, with one meaningful difference of intent. The reverse fly is usually loaded heavier and focused on the rear delt; the T-raise is done lighter, often with thumbs up and a deliberate top squeeze, to bring the lower traps and rhomboids into the story. Same family, different emphasis — programme them by which muscle you are targeting rather than treating them as duplicates.

How heavy should I go on T-raises?

Lighter than feels respectable. At a near-parallel hinge with straight arms, the lever is so long that one to four kilos challenges most lifters, and many need bodyweight only for their first weeks. The signal you have it right: the burn lands between the shoulder blades and behind the shoulders, the torso never moves, and the last rep still reaches full T height.

Can T-raises improve rounded shoulders?

They strengthen the exact muscles — lower traps, rhomboids, rear delts — that pull the shoulder blades back and down, and pairing that strengthening with chest stretching is the standard coaching approach to a rounded posture. Posture also reflects habits and daily positions, so treat T-raises as one consistent input rather than a cure, and give it weeks, not days.

Related exercises

Easier: T-Raise (Modified)

Reverse Y-RaisesLower traps · Rear shoulders Y-RaiseLower traps · Rear shoulders Prone RowsRear shoulders Rope Face PullRear shoulders · Mid back Alternate Biceps CurlsBiceps

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