TRX Y-Raise
The TRX Y-raise is a standing bodyweight shoulder exercise: leaning back from a suspension trainer, you sweep straight arms up and overhead into a Y shape, which pulls your body upright. It trains the lower trapezius, rear shoulders and the muscles that rotate the shoulder blades upwards, with the lean angle setting the load.
Also called: TRX Y Fly, Suspension Y-Raise, Suspension Trainer Y, Standing Y Raise · Equipment: suspension · Pattern: pull
Step by step
- Shorten the straps to mid-length and face the anchor. Hold a handle in each hand with your palms facing each other and your thumbs pointing up.
- Walk your feet forward and lean back until your arms are straight out in front of your chest, taking your body weight. Feet are hip-width apart.
- Squeeze your glutes and brace your trunk so your body is one straight line from head to heels, ribs down.
- Keeping your arms straight, sweep them up and out into a Y, about 45° out from your head, thumbs pointing up and back. Your body rises towards upright as the arms go overhead.
- At the top, draw your shoulder blades back and down, keeping your shoulders away from your ears. Hold for a moment.
- Bring your arms back down to chest height under control, letting your body lean back to the start with the trunk still braced.
- Repeat for the set. Walk your feet forward for a steeper lean and more load, or back for less. After the last rep, step back under the anchor to stand up.
- Thumbs up, arms straight into a Y
- Shoulder blades back and down at the top
- Body in one line, ribs down, glutes tight
- Shoulders away from your ears
- Control the lean back to the start
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Trapezius: lower | Prime mover | C |
| Posterior deltoid | Secondary | C |
| Trapezius: middle | Secondary | C |
| Serratus anterior | Secondary | C |
| Rhomboids | Stabiliser | D |
| Erector spinae | Stabiliser | D |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Shrugging the shoulders up
Fix: Draw your shoulder blades down as your arms rise, shoulders away from your ears.
Bending the elbows
Fix: Lock your elbows straight and keep them straight for the whole rep.
Arching the back at the top
Fix: Keep your ribs down and glutes tight so your body stays in one line.
Hips sagging at the bottom
Fix: Brace your trunk before each rep and hold one line from head to heels.
Thumbs turning down
Fix: Keep your thumbs pointing up and back through the whole raise.
Lean too steep for the set
Fix: Walk your feet back until you can finish every rep with straight arms.
What the research says
Muscle growthRehab & prehabGeneral fitnessSport performanceEndurance
- Muscle activity — In an EMG study of 10 shoulder-blade exercises, raising the arm overhead in line with the lower trapezius (the Y position, lying face down) produced the highest lower-trapezius activity of those tested. Activity is not the same as growth.
- Load and angle — Research finds muscle growth is similar across a wide range of loads when sets are hard, although very light loads underperform. The lean angle is the load here, so small foot moves are a common way to progress.
- Effort — Studies show sets that finish a few reps short of failure capture most of the size benefit, and true failure adds only a small extra return.
- Volume — Research links more weekly sets for a muscle to more growth, with diminishing returns. Many programmes use this as a small accessory alongside rows and face pulls.
- Tempo — Studies show growth is similar across rep speeds from about half a second to eight seconds when sets are hard.
Swap it mid-workout
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the trx y-raise in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.