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Y-Raise

The Y-raise hinges the torso forward and sweeps straight arms up and out to form a Y, with thumbs pointing at the ceiling. Maddy programs it to strengthen the lower traps in their signature role — upwardly rotating the shoulder blades — which pays off in every press and pull overhead. 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
Strength3-4 × 6 reps with 2-s top holds90 s
Muscle3 × 9-12 reps60-90 s
Endurance2 × 15-20 unweighted reps30-45 s

Level — Beginner

Beginner-to-intermediate; egoless loading is the entry fee — this is a precision exercise, not a strength contest.

Proper form — 5 cues

  1. Hinge to about 45 degrees with a flat back and soft knees.
  2. Let the arms hang, then raise them up and out into a Y — roughly ten and two on a clock face.
  3. Turn the thumbs to the ceiling before the arms rise.
  4. Lead the lift from the shoulder blades gliding up and around, not from a shrug.
  5. Pause one second at the top, then lower on a slow count.

Breathing: Exhale as the arms sweep into the Y, inhale on the slow lowering.

The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most

Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears as the arms climb.. The upper traps hijack the raise and the lower traps — the reason this exercise exists — never learn to fire. Fix: Start each rep by sliding the shoulder blades down, then raise only as high as that position survives.
Loading dumbbells that force a swing.. The Y position is the longest lever the shoulder can make, so even small weights recruit momentum and destroy the pattern. Fix: Master bodyweight Y-raises with pauses first; when adding load, half-kilo to two-kilo dumbbells is the honest range.
Raising the torso with the arms on every rep.. The rising torso fakes arm height and converts the exercise into a hybrid back extension. Fix: Lock the hinge angle and film a side view — the trunk should be a still ramp the arms slide along.

Common questions

What's the difference between Y-raises and T-raises?

The letter is the angle, and the angle picks the muscle bias. The T sends arms straight out to the sides, hitting the rear delts and mid-trap hardest; the Y angles them up and out, which lines the pull up with the lower trapezius fibres that rotate the shoulder blade upward. Complete programmes run both — often in the same sequence with W or L variations.

Why train the lower traps at all?

Every time you press or reach overhead, the shoulder blade must rotate upward to keep the joint centred, and the lower traps are a prime driver of that rotation. When they are weak, other muscles compensate and overhead work feels cranky. Direct lower-trap work like Y-raises is a small investment that supports every overhead press, pulldown, and pull-up in your programme.

Can I do Y-raises lying on the floor instead?

Yes — the prone floor Y-raise is the gentlest entry: lie face down, arms in a Y, thumbs up, and lift the hands a few centimetres with a pause. The floor fixes your torso angle for you, which removes the hinge-holding demand. Its limitation is the tiny range, so once floor reps feel easy, move to the hinged version or lie on an incline bench for a longer arc.

Related exercises

Reverse Y-RaisesLower traps · Rear shoulders T-Raise (Modified)Lower traps · Rear shoulders T-RaisesLower traps · Rear shoulders Prone RowsRear shoulders Rope Face PullRear shoulders · Mid back

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