Incline Y Raise

Technique

The incline Y raise is performed lying chest-down on an incline bench and raising light dumbbells up and out so the arms form a Y shape with the body. It targets the lower trapezius and the side and rear delts, muscles that help keep the shoulder blades in a healthy position during overhead work. Keep the thumbs pointing up, the arms nearly straight and the movement slow, lifting only as high as you can without shrugging.

Steps

1. Set an incline bench to about 30-45 degrees and lie on it chest-down
2. Let the arms hang down holding light dumbbells, thumbs pointing up
3. Draw the shoulder blades slightly down and back
4. Raise the arms up and out at about 30 degrees from your head to form a Y
5. Pause at the top, then lower slowly and repeat

Common mistakes

• Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears as the arms rise
• Using dumbbells too heavy, which turns the lift into a swing
• Bending the elbows a lot so the lever gets shorter

Variations

• Prone Y raise lying flat on the floor without weights
• Cable Y raise standing, with the cables crossed in front
• Incline Y-T-W raise combining three arm positions in one set

FAQ