Band Y-Raise

Setup

1. 01Anchor the band low, or stand on it with a hinge, so tension pulls down and forward.
2. 02Hold one end in each hand with arms hanging toward the anchor, thumbs up.
3. 03Hinge slightly at the hips with a flat back if standing on the band.
4. 04Take slack out of the band before the first rep.

Execution

1. 01Raise both arms up and out into a Y shape, about 30 to 45 degrees from overhead.
2. 02Lead with the thumbs pointing up to bias the lower traps.
3. 03Pause at the top with the shoulder blades rotated upward, not shrugged.
4. 04Lower slowly back toward the anchor under full control.

Checkpoints

• -Arms finish in a clear Y, wider than a front raise.
• -Thumbs point up throughout the rep.
• -Neck stays long; upper traps are not doing the lifting.
• -Lower back does not arch to fake extra height.

Common mistakes

• -Shrugging hard and turning it into an upper-trap raise.
• -Using a band heavy enough to break the Y angle.
• -Bending the elbows to shorten the lever.
• -Extending the lumbar spine instead of raising from the shoulders.