Back · Bodyweight
Standing Y-up
How to do the standing y-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- VerticalPush
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand tall with a slight hinge at the hips and arms hanging down in front of you, thumbs pointing up. Raise both arms up and out at roughly a 45 degree angle to form a Y overhead, squeezing your lower traps and shoulder blades, then lower with control. Keep the movement slow and the neck relaxed.
- 1The lower traps and back of the shoulders driving the lift
- 2Your shoulder blades pulling down and together at the top
- 3A long neck with no shrugging
Common mistakes
- Shrugging your upper traps to raise the arms
- Arching your lower back to throw the arms up
- Using momentum instead of a controlled raise
Muscles worked
The standing y-up mainly works the lower traps, with the mid traps, upper traps, front delts, side delts, and rear delts assisting.
- Lower TrapsPrimary
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
- LatsMinor
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- GlutesMinor
- HamstringsMinor
- External RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the standing y-up 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 back exercises
- How to do the archer pull-up
- How to do the resistance band assisted pull-up
- How to do the machine assisted pull-up
- How to do the back extension bench back extension
- How to do the machine back extension
- How to do the back lever
Last reviewed June 2026.