Related guides: clean and press, plate front raise, seated front raise, shoulder press
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The cable Y raise is a strength training exercise that targets the muscles in the shoulders and upper back. If you’re looking for a brilliant all-round shoulder exercise that can target all 3 delt heads, you’ve come to the right place!
The cable Y raise is a single-joint exercise, meaning that it only involves movement at the shoulder joint. Like other isolation exercises, these can be beneficial for targeting specific muscle groups and improving muscle definition. It can be incorporated into a variety of workout routines and can be performed by people of all fitness levels.
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How to perform a cable Y raise
Form tips
- Start by facing the cable machine, holding the handles directly in front of you
- Depending on the cable machine, you may find it better to start with the cables crossed over
- Make sure that your arms are straight and shoulder-width apart
- To start the exercise, keep your arms straight and move them upwards and slightly outwards, making a Y shape
- Keep your shoulder blades back and down throughout the movement
- Contract your shoulders at the top of the lift then lower the cables back down with straight arms to complete the rep
Cable Y raise benefits
Great for targeting all 3 heads of the delt
The cable y raise is excellent at isolating the shoulders. How much activation you get on each part of the deltoid will depend on the angle of the Y raise.
Whilst the angle of each cable y raise variation will impact what area of the delt is most activated, in a nutshell, the anterior, lateral and posterior head will all be activated to a degree.
The cable y raise improves shoulder stability
Because the Y raise involves the external rotation of the upper-arm bone (humerus) our rotator cuff muscles are being worked. This is great news because one of the functions of the rotator cuff is to stabilise the upper-arm in the shoulder socket, helping to avoid injury and improve functionality.
Helps to counteract poor posture from sitting
This exercise works the posterior head of the delt, helping to pull our shoulders back and open up our chest. This counteracts the effects of spending too much time behind a desk, where our shoulders round forward and our chest closes up.
Related guides: clean and press, plate front raise, seated front raise, shoulder press
Cable Y raise disadvantages
The equipment needed isn’t available to everyone
The cable Y raise requires a cable machine, which may not be available at all gyms or fitness centers. This can make it difficult to incorporate into your workout routine if you do not have access to this type of equipment.
That being said, there are some alternatives listed below that you can utilise to get similar benefits.
Very targeted which limits overall muscle growth
The cable Y raise only targets a specific group of muscles in the shoulders and upper back. While these muscles will be strengthened with this exercise, other muscle groups may not be adequately activated. To provide a more well-rounded workout and ensure that all muscle groups are being trained, it is important to incorporate a variety of exercises into your routine and use compound movements where possible.
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Cable Y raise muscles worked
Deltoid
The deltoid handles the vast majority of the load in this exercise. The muscle has various functions and this exercise utilises all 3 heads.
The degree to which each head is used in the exercise will depend on the particular variation of the exercise being used.
Whilst you may experience some trap activation, this is not the goal of this exercise. Try to keep your trap engaged for stability, but static throughout to focus on deltoid activation.
Cable Y raise variations
Standing cable y raise
This is the variation described at the top of the post. We’re standing up straight and starting with the cables directly in front of us. This variation has a nice mix of all 3 deltoid heads and would work well as an accessory to a bigger shoulder lift like the overhead press.
Lying cable Y raise
Because of the angle of the chest in this variation, our hands are starting much lower down which is putting more emphasis on the front delt. The wider the Y, the more lateral deltoid (and a little rear delt) you’ll get. This variation isn’t as great at targeting the rear delt and opening the chest. You can see below that this exercise is very similar to a lateral cable or dumbbell raise for our lateral deltoids.
Resistance band Y raise
The resistance band Y raise is a handy alternative, especially if you don’t have access to a cable machine. It’s a little harder to judge weight and progression without definite numbers as with a cable machine, however, you can still find benefits with exercise.
Cable Y raise alternatives for each deltoid head
The cable Y raise is a bit of a strange exercise in that we’re not targeting one deltoid head. Depending on the angle and set-up, different people completing the cable y raise can be activating different parts of the shoulder. Considering this, people may find it helpful to isolate each part of the deltoid instead.
Cable front raise (front deltoid)
This exercise does a great job of isolating the front deltoid. Also, the isolation of the exercise really allows you to focus on the contraction and range of motion. You’ll feel the tightness on the contraction much more than you would with free weights as the cable keeps constant tension.
Cable lateral raise (lateral deltoid)
Similar to the cable front raise, the cable lateral raise is great for isolating this particular part of your deltoid. Keep the weight low and focus on the contraction. Don’t bother leaning out to get a larger range of motion, raising your arm to shoulder height it optimal.
Face-pulls (rear deltoid)
Finally, we’re onto the rear deltoid. Face-pulls are a classic to isolate this area.
If you want to get more from this exercise, use 2 ropes instead of 1 so that you can pull your hands back into a Texas-T and hold it there for a second. This is going to work your rear deltoid and well as get some external rotation of the arm. External rotation work is great for opening up the chest and torso, combating the rounding of the shoulders caused by too much sitting.
Additional resources
- Different Shoulder Exercises Affect the Activation of Deltoid Portions in Resistance-Trained Individuals
- Analysis of anterior, middle and posterior deltoid activation during single and multijoint exercises
- Related guides: clean and press, plate front raise, seated front raise, shoulder press
Olly is a CIMSPA accredited personal trainer with a BSc degree in sport management from Solent University. He has over 10 years experience helping clients reach their health & fitness goals.
