Incline Bench Dumbbell Y-Raise
Also known as: incline y raise
In SetGrip: Dumbbell Y-Raise (Incline Bench)
- Primary muscleUpper Back
- EquipmentDumbbell
- DifficultyIntermediate
- TypeIsolation · Raise
- Secondary muscles
- Delts
- Body part
- Back
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Strength
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Angling the arms up into a Y, rather than straight out as in the incline T-raise, points the load at the lower traps and upper back with the rear delts assisting. Chest support on the 45-degree bench leaves no way to cheat the weight up, and most lifters find 5 to 10 pound dumbbells genuinely hard here.
How to do the Incline Bench Dumbbell Y-Raise
- Set an incline bench to a 45-degree angle and sit on it with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inwards.
- Lean forward slightly and let your arms hang straight down, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Raise your arms out to the sides and up in a Y shape until they are parallel to the ground.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then 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
Upper Back · Back
On Y-raises and rear delt raises the lower traps and rhomboids control the shoulder blade and should be felt between the shoulders.
Secondary
- Delts — 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.
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
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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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.