How to do the Standing Y-Raise
- Stand tall, arms out to the sides at shoulder height.
- Raise your arms diagonally overhead, forming a 'Y' shape with your body.
- Keep elbows nearly straight and shoulders away from your ears.
- Lower your arms slowly back to shoulder height.
Full technique — 6 steps
- Stand tall with feet about shoulder width apart and nothing in your hands.
- Raise both arms out to the sides to shoulder height with elbows nearly straight.
- Tighten your stomach and keep your ribs in line with your pelvis without leaning back into a big arch.
- Raise your arms overhead on a diagonal until your body and arms form a Y.
- Finish with your hands above and outside your head without shrugging toward your ears.
- 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
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
- This exercise Standing Y-Raise
Too hard for now? Start with the Bodyweight Overhead Front Raise.
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).
