Traps exercise
Incline Dumbbell Y-RaiseHow to do it, with form in numbers
- Main muscles
- Traps, Rear delts
- Also works
- Upper back
- Level
- Beginner
How to do it
How do you do the Incline Dumbbell Y-Raise?
- Set the bench to 45° and lie face down with your chest on the pad.
- Let your arms hang straight down, thumbs pointing forward.
- Raise your arms forward and up into a Y, thumbs up.
- Hold for a second with your shoulders down.
- Lower slowly until your arms hang straight.
Cues
- Make a big Y.
- Shoulders down, away from your ears.
- Chest stays on the pad.
Common mistakes
- Shrugging: use lighter dumbbells and keep your shoulders down.
- Lifting your chest off the pad: brace and move only your arms.
- Bending your elbows: keep your arms long and straight.
Form in detail
What does good form look like?
Starting position
Adjustable bench back set to a 45° incline. Lie face down on it with the chest and stomach on the pad, chin just past the top edge, feet on the floor (balls of the feet or flat), legs straight or slightly bent. Light dumbbell in each hand (1–5 kg), neutral grip with the thumbs pointing forward/up. Stomach braced, shoulders set down and back, neck in line with the upper back.
The movement
Straight arms swing up from hanging to the Y in one smooth arc, each hand moving forward, up and slightly out. The shoulder blades rotate and tilt back; the trunk, legs and head stay still, and the chest does not lift off the bench.
End position
Arms raised forward and up into a Y: each arm about 45° out from the line of the head, roughly in line with the trunk seen from the side (about 130–135° of arm elevation). Thumbs pointing up, elbows straight, shoulders down away from the ears. Chest still on the pad. Hold 1 s.
Tempo
Lift 1.5 s / hold 1 s / lower 2 s.
Form in numbers
What are the angles and distances?
| Measure | Target | Good range | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bench incline from the floor | 45° | 30–60° | |
| Trunk angle from vertical (on the pad) | 45° | equals the bench angle, fixed | |
| Elbow flexion | 5° | 0–10° throughout | |
| Arm elevation at the start (relative to trunk) | 45° | arms vertical | |
| Arm elevation at the end (relative to trunk) | 135° | 120–140° | |
| Y angle: arm out from the head line (front/top) | 45° | 35–50° | |
| Chest gap from the pad | 0 cm | under 2 cm |
The targets our 3D demo was built to, from the references below. Bodies differ, so treat the ranges as a guide for your own build.
For coaches
Use this demo in your clients’ programs
The Incline Dumbbell Y-Raise is in Trainaq’s exercise library. Add it to a workout, and your client sees this demo in the free Trainaq app above the sets they log.
