# Standing Y-Raise

An unloaded standing shoulder raise targeting the front and side delts, with the upper back assisting. Used in warm-ups to build overhead reach and shoulder control.

- Beginner · Mobility
- Equipment: 
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/standing-y-raise/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/standing-y-raise/

## Muscles worked

- Front delts: 7/10
- Side delts: 6/10
- Traps: 5/10
- Serratus anterior: 4/10
- Rhomboids: 3/10

## How to do the Standing Y-Raise

1. Stand tall, arms out to the sides at shoulder height.
2. Raise your arms diagonally overhead, forming a 'Y' shape with your body.
3. Keep elbows nearly straight and shoulders away from your ears.
4. Lower your arms slowly back to shoulder height.

### Full technique — 6 steps

1. Stand tall with feet about shoulder width apart and nothing in your hands.
2. Raise both arms out to the sides to shoulder height with elbows nearly straight.
3. Tighten your stomach and keep your ribs in line with your pelvis without leaning back into a big arch.
4. Raise your arms overhead on a diagonal until your body and arms form a Y.
5. Finish with your hands above and outside your head without shrugging toward your ears.
6. Lower your arms back to shoulder height under control before the next rep.

## Common mistakes

- Shrugging shoulders toward ears
- Overarching the lower back
- Leaning back to start reps
- Swinging the arms up with momentum
- Stopping short of full overhead reach

## Form cues

- Keep elbows nearly straight
- Reach into the Y
- Keep ribs down
- Shoulders away from ears

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 2–3 sets of 10–12 reps · rest 45 s · 4 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, pause 1 s, lift 2 s, pause 1 s
- **Muscle growth**: 2–3 sets of 12–15 reps · rest 45 s · 4 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, pause 1 s, lift 2 s, pause 1 s
- **Endurance**: 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps · rest 30 s · 4–5 reps in reserve · lower 1 s, pause 1 s, lift 1 s, pause 1 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Bodyweight Overhead Front Raise](https://seto.fit/exercises/bodyweight-overhead-front-raise/) — Beginner
- **This exercise: Standing Y-Raise — Beginner**

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Standing Y-Raise work?

Primary: Front delts 7/10, Side delts 6/10. Also works: Traps 5/10, Serratus anterior 4/10, Rhomboids 3/10.

### When should I do the Standing Y-Raise in a workout?

Warm-up. Done at the start to get the body ready. ≈ 3 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Standing Y-Raise?

Strength: 2–3 sets of 10–12 reps, rest 45 s, 4 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 2–3 sets of 12–15 reps, rest 45 s, 4 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps, rest 30 s, 4–5 reps in reserve.

### What is an easier version of the Standing Y-Raise?

Bodyweight Overhead Front Raise (Beginner).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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