Prone Y-T-W Raise
Lying face down and raising the arms through Y, T, and W positions — a shoulder and upper back exercise that hits multiple angles in one movement.
Also called: ytw, ytw raise, prone ytw
Setup
Lie face down on the floor or an incline bench, arms hanging down in front of you.
How to do the Prone Y-T-W Raise
- Raise your arms into a Y shape (overhead, thumbs up), then lower.
- Raise your arms out to a T shape (straight out from shoulders), then lower.
- Raise your arms into a W shape (elbows bent, squeezing shoulder blades), then lower.
- Move slowly through each letter, keeping the chest lightly lifted throughout.
Prone Y-T-W Raise muscles worked
The Prone Y-T-W Raise works the shoulders and upper back.
Common Prone Y-T-W Raise mistakes
- Rushing through the positions without control.
- Shrugging the shoulders instead of using the upper back.
- Letting the lower back arch to gain more height.
Scale it
Easier: No added weight, smaller range of motion.
Harder: Add light dumbbells, or pause briefly at each letter position.
Pairs well with
Around the World
Circling a light weight around the head or body — shoulder mobility and control through a full circle of positions.
Reverse Snow Angel
Lying face down and sweeping the arms like a snow angel — strengthens the upper back and rear shoulders with just body weight.
Shoulder Circles
A combination drill that mobilizes the shoulders through circles, then reinforces good positioning with wall slides.
Thread the Needle
Sliding one arm under the body from all fours into a gentle twist - opens the upper back and shoulders after long runs or desk days.
Illustrations: Exercise data by RepDB (repdb.co)