Muscles worked
What the prone y-t-w raise trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Set the bench. Set an adjustable bench to a low incline, about 30 to 45 degrees. On the floor, lie flat with a folded towel under your forehead.
- 02
Lie face down. Lie chest down on the pad with your chin just past the top and your feet on the floor behind you. Keep your neck long, looking at the floor.
- 03
Pick light weights. Start with no weight or the lightest dumbbells in the rack, often 1 to 5 lb. If you cannot pause at the top of the Y, go lighter.
- 04
Hang the arms. Let your arms hang straight down from your shoulders, thumbs pointing forward. This is the start of every letter.
Step by step
How to do the prone y-t-w raise
- 01
Y. Keeping your arms straight and thumbs up, raise them forward and out to about 45 degrees from your head so your body makes a Y. Lift to about ear height, pause one second, then lower slowly.
- 02
T. From the hang, raise straight arms out to your sides, thumbs up, until they line up with your shoulders in a T. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, pause, then lower.
- 03
W. Bend your elbows to about 90 degrees. Pull your elbows back and down toward your ribs while your hands rotate up and out, so your arms make a W. Squeeze, pause, then lower.
- 04
Keep the chest down. Your chest stays on the pad for every letter. The movement comes from your shoulder blades and arms, not from lifting your torso.
- 05
Repeat. Do all your reps of one letter before moving to the next, or cycle Y, T and W as one rep. Either way, finish the set with the same control you started with.
Cues to say in your head
- Thumbs to the sky
- Shoulders away from ears
- Chest stays down
- Pause at the top
- Lower for two seconds
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Using dumbbells that are too heavy
Drop the weight until you can pause at the top of every rep. Most people need far less than they expect, and no weight is a fine start.
Shrugging up toward your ears
Set your shoulders down and back before each rep. If your neck takes over, the arms are going too high or the weight is too heavy.
Lifting the chest off the bench
Keep your sternum on the pad. Arching up turns it into a back extension and lets momentum do the work.
Swinging the arms up
Lift in about one second, pause, and lower in about two. If you need a swing to reach the top, shorten the range or lighten the load.
Bending the elbows on the Y and T
Keep a soft but fixed elbow. Only the W uses a deliberate 90 degree bend.
Stay safe
These are light, slow raises, so the usual way to end a set is simply to lower the dumbbells under control and set them on the floor beside the bench. Stop if you feel a pinch or sharp pain at the front or top of the shoulder, especially in the Y; shortening the range or using no weight often helps. Pain that keeps coming back, or numbness and tingling down the arm, is a reason to see a physical therapist or doctor rather than push through. This exercise is general training, not a treatment for an injury.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle | 2 to 3 | 10 to 15 per letter | 60–70% 1RM | 1 to 1.5 min |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 | 15 to 20 per letter | 50–60% 1RM | 45 to 60 sec |
| Technique | 2 | 8 to 10 per letter | 40–50% 1RM | 45 to 60 sec |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Endurance sets
108–129lb
2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 per letter reps, 45 to 60 sec rest. Common as an upper back finisher or a warm up before pressing.
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Prone Y-T-W Raise questions
What is the YTW exercise?
It is a set of three light arm raises done lying face down, where your arms trace the letters Y, T and W. Each letter works the upper back and rear shoulders from a slightly different angle.
What muscles do Y-T-W raises work?
Mainly the mid and lower traps, the rhomboids and the rear delts. The side delts help in the Y and T, and the small rotator cuff muscles that turn the arm outward help in the W.
How heavy should the dumbbells be for Y-T-W raises?
Very light: no weight to start, then usually 1 to 5 lb per hand. If you cannot pause for a second at the top of the Y, the weight is too heavy.
What is a Y raise?
A Y raise is the first letter on its own: lying face down, you lift straight arms up and out at about 45 degrees from your head, thumbs up. It mainly targets the lower traps and is often trained alone as a light accessory.
Is the TRX Y raise the same as a prone Y raise?
It trains the same muscles with the same arm path, but you stand and lean back on the straps, so your body weight is the load. Walking your feet closer to the anchor makes it harder.
How many sets and reps of Y-T-Ws should I do?
Two to three sets of 10 to 15 reps per letter suits most people, with a pause at the top of each rep. Do them at the end of an upper body session or as part of a warm up.
Train in Protocol
Log your prone y-t-w raise by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.