Prone Incline YWAT

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Set an incline bench to a 30-45 degree angle.
2. Lie chest-down (prone) on the bench with your head clearing the top edge and feet firmly on the floor for stability.
3. Let your arms hang straight down toward the floor with a neutral grip (palms facing each other).
4. Engage your core and tuck your chin slightly to maintain a neutral spine from your head to your hips.

How to do it

1. Y-Raise: Lift your arms diagonally forward to form a 'Y' shape with thumbs pointing up, exhale at the top, and slowly lower back down.
2. W-Raise: Pull your elbows down and back while rotating your thumbs outward to form a 'W' shape, squeezing your shoulder blades together intensely.
3. A-Raise: Extend your arms straight back toward your hips to form an 'A' shape, keeping your arms close to your torso and palms facing in.
4. T-Raise: Lift your arms straight out to the sides to form a 'T' shape with thumbs pointing up, focusing on the mid-back squeeze.
5. Perform each letter in sequence with a controlled 2-1-2 tempo (2 seconds up, 1 second hold, 2 seconds down).

Form checklist

• Keep your chest in constant contact with the bench; do not arch your lower back to lift your arms.
• Keep your shoulders depressed (away from your ears) to avoid overactive upper traps.
• Maintain a slight, soft bend in the elbows throughout all movements.
• Ensure your thumbs lead the movement in the Y and T positions to optimize shoulder external rotation.

Pro tips

• Initiate every rep by 'setting' your shoulder blades—think about pulling them into your back pockets before moving your arms.
• Focus on the mind-muscle connection by imagining you are trying to pinch a pencil between your shoulder blades during the W and T phases.

Make it harder

• Hold light dumbbells or small weight plates (1-5 lbs) to significantly increase the leverage and resistance.
• Increase the isometric hold at the peak of each letter to 3-5 seconds to build postural endurance.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the prone incline ywat work?

The prone incline ywat primarily targets the trapezius, and also works the biceps, lats, and rhomboids as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the prone incline ywat?

The prone incline ywat uses dumbbell.

Is the prone incline ywat good for beginners?

Yes. The prone incline ywat is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.

Related exercises

• Alternating Dead HangAdvanced · lats and trapezius
• Archer Pull-UpAdvanced · lats and trapezius
• Back LeverAdvanced · erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, pectorals, and trapezius
• Band Assisted Chin Up From KneeIntermediate · biceps, lats, and trapezius