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Home»Exercises and Workouts»How To Do Cable Y Raise
Exercises and Workouts

How To Do Cable Y Raise

Adnan MunyeBy Adnan MunyeFebruary 1, 20236 Mins Read
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Contents
1 How do you set up Y cable raises?
2 How to do the cable Y raise
3 Cable Y Raise Muscles Worked
4 Benefits of the Cable Y Raise
5 Alternatives to the Cable Y Raise
5.1 1. Face Pull
5.2 2. Cable shoulder press
5.3 3. Dumbbell Lateral Raise
6 Conclusion

The Cable Y Raise is a great exercise for your upper body. The best part is that anyone can do this simple exercise whenever they want. The Cable Y Raise is a great exercise to maintain strength and build muscle in the upper back area. If you want something easy and quick, this is a good workout for you.

How do you set up Y cable raises?

Setting up a Y cable raise can make the difference between a successful lift and a failed one. It takes some practice, but learning how to set up these cables correctly is worth the effort. To setup up the cable y raise, you will need a low pulley attachment and a high pulley attachment. You will also need two weight plates of equal weight.

How to do the cable Y raise

  1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding the low pulley in one hand and the high pulley in the other.
  2. Raise your arms out to your sides so that they are parallel to the ground, keeping your shoulders down and back throughout the movement.
  3. Slowly bring both cables up until they meet overhead, forming a “Y” shape with your arms. Hold for a moment before lowering back down to starting position.

Cable Y Raise Muscles Worked

This exercise primarily works on muscles in the upper back such as:

Latissimus Dorsi

The widest muscle in the upper back which extends from under the armpit down alongside the ribcage to insertion on the humerus (upper arm bone)

Rhomboids

Muscles located between shoulder blades which attach the scapula (shoulder blade) to vertebrae

It also recruits other assisting muscles including:

Deltoids

A round muscle at the top outer edge of the shoulder which attaches the clavicle (collarbone) to the humerus; is responsible for abducted movement at the shoulder joint

Triceps Brachii

Large three-headed muscle on posterior/back aspect of the upper arm extending from elbow past shoulder; used when straightening elbow joint against resistance

Benefits of the Cable Y Raise

1. Helps in building strength

The cable Y raise is a great exercise to help build strength in your upper body, specifically in your shoulder and back muscles.

2. Improves posture

This exercise also helps to improve posture by strengthening the muscles that support good posture. Stronger muscles mean better posture!

3. Can be done at home with minimal equipment

All you need for this exercise is a low pulley attachment and a high pulley attachment (found on most cable machines). You can even do this without weight plates if you want to make it lighter.

4. Easy to modify

This exercise is also easy to modify depending on your fitness level. If you are a beginner, you can start without weight plates and work your way up. For advanced exercisers, you can add weight plates to make the exercise more challenging.

Alternatives to the Cable Y Raise

1. Face Pull

Face Pull is a common exercise to help the neck and shoulders. Although you may think the face pull is only for weightlifters, it can be done by anyone regardless of size or strength. The best part about doing the face pull is that you can do it anywhere.

Here is how you do this exercise:

  1. Begin by attaching a two-sided rope to a cable pulley at about chest level.
  2. Stand upright with feet hip-width apart, maintaining good posture throughout the exercise.
  3. Grab both sides of the handle using a neutral grip, or place one foot in front of the other for balance.
  4. Lower your elbows slightly but keep your hands at head level as you begin to pull the rope toward your face.
  5. As you contract your rear deltoids and pull both sides of the rope apart, continue until it is pulled as far back as possible towards your face.
  6. Finally, straighten your arms back out towards the cable pulley to complete one rep.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Face pulls work your posterior in the same way that cable Y raises do. Face pulls help build and strengthen the muscles of the back and core. If you’re an athlete that wants to improve their running or tennis form, or just someone looking for a quick way to tone up your back, the face pull is a good way to start building strength.

2. Cable shoulder press

A cable shoulder press is a great exercise for the shoulders. It targets the front of your pectoral muscles, the upper part of the deltoids, and some other parts of your shoulder. This can be beneficial for both bodybuilders, powerlifters, and anyone who wants to develop overall muscle mass in their upper body.

To do this exercise:

  1. Attach a straight bar to a low cable.
  2. Grip the handle with an overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width grip.
  3. Curl or clean the handle up to your shoulders.
  4. Brace your core, pull your shoulders down and back, and stand with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart.
  5. Press the handle up and overhead to arms’ length while pushing the handle backward.
  6. Lower the bar back to your shoulders and repeat.

The cable shoulder press engages multiple muscle groups in the upper body and is therefore a great exercise for the development of muscle strength and size. With a correct routine and workout, you can achieve plenty of results. It’s efficient, convenient, and less stressful on your joints and it brings results. And in the end, what more can you ask from an exercise?

3. Dumbbell Lateral Raise

The dumbbell lateral raise is a great exercise to start building up your rear deltoid muscles, triceps, and shoulders. The movement is fairly simple, but the effect it has on your shoulders, arms, and upper body generally is huge.

Here is how you do this exercise:

  1. Start by standing up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand (choose a weight that you can safely lift without straining yourself).
  2. Slowly raise your arms out to the side, keeping them parallel to the ground, until they are at around shoulder height. Make sure not to swing your arms or arch your back whilst doing this exercise – keep good form throughout.
  3. Once you have reached shoulder height, pause for a few seconds and then lower your arms back down slowly under control to the starting position

This exercise is perfect because it gives your shoulders, and rear deltoids a great workout. Pulling the dumbbells down to the sides of your waist will mainly utilize your rear deltoids and triceps, but messing with the range of motion will give you different results.

Conclusion

The Cable Y Raise is simple, but it works well for building strength in your upper back. You can do this exercise just about anywhere because you need such a minimal amount of equipment. All you need is a cable machine that can help you give yourself a good workout. If you have any gym equipment at home, this is a great exercise to have in your routine.

Adnan Munye

A certified personal trainer, Adnan specialises in weight loss, muscle building, body conditioning, core strengthening and injury rehabilitation. Adnan comes from a sporting background, where he has played football, badminton, rugby, and swimming all at various levels.

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