Shoulders · Cable
Cable Y Raise
How to do the cable y raise, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPush
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Set two cable pulleys low and grab the opposite handle in each hand so the cables cross in front of you, arms hanging down. With a slight bend in your elbows and thumbs pointing up, raise both arms out and up at a 45-degree angle to form a Y overhead, squeezing your shoulder blades. Lower under control against the cable tension.
- 1Lower traps and rear delts driving your arms into the Y shape
- 2Thumbs pointing up with a fixed slight bend in your elbows
- 3Constant cable tension through the lift and the slow lower
Common mistakes
- Loading so heavy that you shrug or arch your back
- Letting your arms drift out of the Y line or your wrists collapse
- Using momentum; move deliberately under control
Muscles worked
The cable y raise mainly works the rear delts and mid traps, with the lower traps and side delts assisting.
- Rear DeltsPrimary
- Mid TrapsPrimary
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
- External RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the cable y raise for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.