Prone Y Raise
Prone Y Raise Exercise Description
The Prone Y Raise is a bodyweight shoulder and upper‑back drill performed face down. It emphasizes the lower trapezius, with support from the middle trapezius, posterior deltoid, and the rotator cuff to maintain glenohumeral alignment. With the arms set in a “Y” (about 30–45 degrees from the head) and thumbs pointing up, you raise the arms by moving at the shoulders while keeping the spine neutral. The key actions are controlled scapular upward rotation, posterior tilt, and depression—lifting the arms without shrugging. This pattern builds precise scapulothoracic control for overhead reaching and pressing tasks. Expect a small, smooth range of motion; quality of scapular motion matters more than height. Because the load is simply your arms against gravity, it’s accessible while still providing focused work to the lower traps and surrounding stabilizers.
- Muscle Groups: Back, Traps
- Target Muscles: Trapezius - Lower Fibers
- Assisting Muscles: Deltoid - Posterior, Serratus Anterior, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
- Stabilizing Muscles: Infraspinatus, Subscapularis, Supraspinatus, Teres Minor
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Back, Mid Back
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Scapular Depressors
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Lower Traps
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Prone Y Raise Exercise
‘- Lie prone on the floor; legs long, feet relaxed. Rest your forehead on a folded towel to keep the neck neutral.
– Set ribs and pelvis lightly against the floor; maintain a neutral spine (no lumbar arching).
– Reach arms overhead into a “Y,” about 30–45° from midline. Elbows straight, thumbs pointing up (external rotation).
– Gently draw shoulder blades down and slightly toward the midline to set them; keep collarbones wide.
– Inhale. On the exhale, lift both arms a few inches by initiating from the shoulder blades (upward rotation and posterior tilt), not the neck.
– Keep the chin slightly tucked, neck long, and avoid shrugging toward the ears.
– Reach long through the fingertips; think “lengthen” rather than “lift high.”
– Keep ribs quiet and pelvis grounded; do not let the low back extend.
– Pause briefly at the top with smooth breathing, then lower the arms with control to a light touch.
– Use only a pain‑free range. If alignment is lost or you begin to shrug, reduce the height and reset.
Prone Y Raise Tips
‘- Rest your forehead on a folded towel to help keep your neck neutral.
– Keep ribs and pelvis gently pressed into the floor to maintain a neutral spine.
– Set your arms in a “Y” about 30–45° from your head with elbows straight and thumbs pointing up.
– Before lifting, gently draw your shoulder blades down and slightly toward the midline, keeping collarbones wide.
– Initiate the lift from your shoulder blades (upward rotation and posterior tilt), not from your neck.
– Keep your chin slightly tucked and neck long, avoiding any shrugging toward the ears.
– Think about reaching long through your fingertips, focusing on “lengthening” rather than lifting the arms high.
– Keep the ribs quiet and pelvis grounded so the low back does not arch as you lift.
– Pause briefly at the top with smooth breathing, then lower the arms with control to a light touch on the floor.
– Stay in a pain-free range; if you lose alignment or start to shrug, lower the height and reset.
Prone Y Raise Beginner Introduction
The Prone Y Raise is a bodyweight exercise done lying on your stomach, aimed at the shoulders and upper back. With the arms angled overhead in a wide “Y” shape and the thumbs turned toward the ceiling, the movement centers on lifting the arms using the shoulder area while the rest of the body stays steady on the floor. The main work happens around the traps, rear shoulders, and the smaller stabilizers of the shoulder joint, encouraging them to share the load in a balanced way.
Instead of chasing a big, dramatic lift, this drill emphasizes gentle, precise motion of the shoulder blades as they rotate, glide, and settle down the back. The lift is usually small and smooth, with the spine, ribs, and hips staying quiet so the shoulders and upper back do the majority of the work. This controlled pattern closely matches the mechanics needed for comfortable, efficient overhead reaching and pressing, offering a focused way to build better shoulder control using only the weight of your arms against gravity.