Cable Y-Raise

What is the Cable Y-Raise?

The cable Y-raise pulls two cables up and out along a Y-shaped path, arms finishing overhead in a wide V. That diagonal path hits the rear and side delts together while the lower traps rotate the shoulder blades up, making it a great combined delt-and-upper-back move for posture and shoulder health.

Muscles worked

Primary: Shoulders

The rear and side deltoids drive the arms up and out along the Y path against the cables, raising them overhead into a wide V.

Secondary: Traps

The lower and mid traps assist by upwardly rotating and stabilising the shoulder blades as the arms travel overhead.

How to perform the Cable Y-Raise

1. Set two low pulleys and grip the opposite handles so the cables cross in front of the body.
2. Stand tall with a soft bend in the elbows and the arms low and slightly crossed at the start.
3. Raise both arms up and out into a wide Y shape overhead, angling the hands out beyond the shoulders.
4. The Y path blends front-delt and lower-trap work, driving upward rotation of the shoulder blades.
5. Finish with the arms overhead in a Y, thumbs pointing back, without shrugging the upper traps.
6. Lower under control back across the front of the body, keeping cable tension the whole way.

Suggested working range: 12–20 reps. Default progression: double progression.

Mechanics

A single-joint isolation on cables along a diagonal path: gripping opposite low or mid pulleys, the shoulders abduct and flex to raise the arms up and out into a Y overhead with a fixed soft elbow bend. As an isolation with constant cable tension, it loads the rear and side delts through a longer, more overhead arc than a straight lateral or rear-delt raise, drawing the lower traps in.

Form cues

• •Grab the opposite handles from a low pulley so the cables cross low in front of you.
• •Sweep the arms up and out along a Y, finishing overhead in a wide V with the thumbs leading.
• •Keep a slight fixed elbow bend and let the shoulder blades rotate up rather than shrugging.
• •Control the arms back down along the same diagonal path against the cable tension.

Common mistakes

• •Shrugging the upper traps up instead of driving the shoulder blades into upward rotation.
• •Pulling the arms straight up in a narrow line rather than out into a wide Y.
• •Arching the lower back to fling the handles overhead with momentum.
• •Letting the cables yank the arms back down without controlling the return.

Variations & alternatives

• •Rear delt fly: a purer rear-delt isolation without the overhead trap involvement.
• •Face pull: a rope pull to the face that trains the rear delts and upper back together.
• •Cable lateral raise: biases the side delt alone with a shorter, side-on path.
• •Prone Y-raise on an incline bench: the bodyweight/dumbbell version for the lower traps and rear delts.

Overhead Press

Shoulders · Barbell

Dumbbell Overhead Press

Shoulders · Dumbbell

Lateral Raise

Shoulders · Dumbbell

Cable Lateral Raise

Shoulders · Cable

Rear Delt Fly

Shoulders · Dumbbell

Programming: sets, reps & when to use it

Run the cable Y-raise as a rear-delt and upper-back accessory in the library’s higher 12–20 rep range, chasing a clean path and squeeze over load. It’s excellent posture and shoulder-health volume to balance heavy pressing. Keep the weight light, let the shoulder blades rotate up freely, and place it after your main pressing and rowing.

Frequently asked questions