Band Y-Raise
Also known as: banded y raise, y raise with band, resistance band y raise
- Primary muscleDelts
- EquipmentResistance Band
- DifficultyBeginner
- TypeIsolation · Raise
- Secondary muscles
- Traps, Rhomboids
- Body part
- Shoulders
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Strength
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Lifting the arms into a Y instead of straight out front shifts the work away from the front delts and toward the lower traps and the muscles that rotate the shoulder blades upward. Band tension stays light by design; treat it as a 15 to 20 rep movement between pressing sets rather than something to load.
How to do the Band Y-Raise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the band in front of your thighs with your palms facing inwards.
- Keep your arms straight and lift them up and out to the sides, forming a 'Y' shape with your body.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
- Slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Lead with the elbows and think of reaching wide rather than lifting up.
Muscles worked
Primary
Delts · Shoulders
Front raises hit the front delt, lateral raises the side, and Y or rear raises the back head; whichever you pick, the burn should build across the top of the shoulder by the last few reps.
Secondary
- Traps — The upper traps will take over if you shrug, so a slight downward pull of the shoulders keeps them out of it.
- Rhomboids
Common mistakes
- Swinging from the hips — a small bounce at the bottom is the sign of a weight that is too heavy; lighten it and lift from a dead stop.
- Shrugging as you raise — the traps take over when the shoulders rise toward the ears; keep them down and lead with the elbows.
- Raising far above shoulder height — on lateral and front raises the upper traps take over past parallel, so stop around shoulder level unless the variation is built to go overhead.
- Locked elbows — keep a soft bend in the elbow throughout so the load stays on the shoulder rather than the joint.
Where it fits in a workout
Raises are accessory work and belong after the presses in a shoulder or push session. Superset lateral raises with a rear delt fly for a complete shoulder finisher.
How many sets, how heavy and how hard: see what the ACSM position stands support.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without resistance band
When to talk to someone
- Chest discomfort, feeling faint or lightheaded, or trouble breathing during or after exercise can be signs of a heart attack. In the US, call 911 right away; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
- Heart, metabolic or kidney disease, or symptoms like these when you are active: talk to your doctor before you start or step up training.
- Pregnant: ask your obstetric care provider which exercise suits you.
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More exercises
Sources
- ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
- ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
- ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
- CDC: About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery (2024)
Sources checked on October 17, 2026. Full citations are in the exercise library.
Animation and exercise data: ExerciseDB, licensed to SetGrip. General information, not medical or coaching advice.