WhatWorksWhat.
Rear delts

Prone Y Raise

Upper back and lower trap activation; rear delts at the very top.

Complexity · Lowstabilitybeginner+Bodyweight
  • Rear delts
  • Rear delts - Rear delts
  • Traps
  • Rear delts

PrimarySecondary

What it hits

Parts of the target muscle.

  • Rear delts

    Hit

    Pulls arm back/horizontal abduction.

The movement

Get it right, not roughly right.

Optimal form

2:30· Physique Development

How to Perform Dumbbell Y Raise | Strengthen Your Lower Traps

Hands together

Open and squeezed

Face down on the floor (or incline bench). Arms extended overhead in a Y, thumbs up. Lift the arms as high as you can, hold 2s at the top, lower.

Common mistakes

  • Lifting the head and chest off the floor - turns into a back extension.
  • Hands too wide - turns into a T.

Where you should feel it

Upper back and lower trap activation; rear delts at the very top.

Injury risk · 1/10

Variations

Same movement, moved emphasis.

Ranked by how directly each variation still trains rear delts. 80%+ means the target barely changes. Below 60%, the emphasis has meaningfully shifted — useful for variety, but less precise for the specific part. The label calls it at a glance.

  • Light dumbbell prone Y

    1–5lb dumbbells.

    100% on target

    On target

    Same target, minor adjustment.

  • Incline bench prone Y

    Chest on a 30° incline.

    100% on target

    On target

    Same target, minor adjustment.

Compare with another exercise

Cool-down

Worked it. Walk it back down.

A couple of minutes here pays back in soreness avoided tomorrow. Browse the full library.

  • Cross-body Shoulder Stretch

    Pull one arm across the body with the opposite hand at the elbow. Shoulder stays down - don't let it shrug. 30s per side.

    Rear deltsSide delts

  • Sleeper Stretch

    Lying on one side, shoulder under the body. Working arm bent at 90°, elbow in line with the shoulder. Use the other hand to press the working forearm down toward the floor. 30s per side.

    Rear delts

  • Upper Trap Stretch

    Sitting tall. Tilt one ear toward the same-side shoulder, use the same-side hand to gently weight the head. Opposite arm reaches down behind the back. 30s per side.

    Traps