How to Do T, Y, I Arm Raises | Shoulder & Posture Guide

Learn how to perform T, Y, I raises to strengthen your shoulders and upper back. Improve posture and overhead mobility with this bodyweight guide.

How to Perform

  1. Lie face down on a flat surface with your legs extended and your forehead resting lightly on the floor.
  2. Extend your arms out to your sides at shoulder height to form a T shape with your palms facing down.
  3. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift your arms toward the ceiling, holding for one second before lowering.
  4. Shift your arms upward at a 45-degree angle to form a Y shape with your thumbs pointing toward the sky.
  5. Lift your arms into the Y position by engaging your mid-back, then return to the starting position.
  6. Move your arms directly overhead into an I shape with your palms facing each other and thumbs pointing up.
  7. Perform the final lift in the I position while keeping your neck neutral and your shoulders away from your ears.

Common Mistakes

  • Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears during the lift
  • Arching the lower back to gain more height
  • Using momentum or swinging the arms instead of controlled muscle contraction
  • Lifting the head and neck off the floor which creates cervical strain

Muscles Worked

Primary movers

  • Shoulders

Stabilizers

  • Upper Back
  • Trapezius
  • Rhomboids

Related Guides

Shoulders · Shoulders