- EquipmentCable
- PatternIsolation
- Reps10 to 20 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Set two cables low and cross them, holding each handle in the opposite hand. Stand in the middle with your arms crossed low in front of you.
First cueKeep the arms long with a slight elbow bend.
How to do the Cable Y-Raise
Set up. Set two cables low and cross them, holding each handle in the opposite hand. Stand in the middle with your arms crossed low in front of you.
- Raise your arms up and out into a Y shape above your head.
- Pause at the top.
- Lower under control back to the crossed start.
Form cues
- Keep the arms long with a slight elbow bend.
- Keep the ribs down.
- Lift with the shoulders, not the lower back.
Common mistakes
- Arching the back to reach higher.
- Using too much weight.
Muscles worked
Main target: Front delts. The front head of the deltoid caps the front of the shoulder. It raises the arm forward and helps in every press, which is why it is often trained more than its two neighbours.
On the way: Side delts and Traps.
Its other side: Upper back, Lats and Rear delts, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
Its other side: Rear delts, in the front and rear shoulder pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Cable Y-Raise, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Reverse Pec Deck Superset partner: it trains the other side of the front and rear shoulder pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Machine Chest Press Same push session: it trains the chest.
- Diamond Push-Up Same push session: it trains the triceps.
- Cable Shrug Often left out: it trains the traps, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Cable Y-Raise first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Cable Y-Raise 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Reverse Pec Deck 3 × 12 to 20 reps
- Machine Chest Press 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Diamond Push-Up 3 × 5 to 25 reps
- Cable Shrug 3 × 10 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Front Raise
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Machine Shoulder Press
Machine
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Face Pull.
Other variations of the Face Pull: Band Pull-Apart and Band Face Pull.
Do before it: Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Cable Y-Raise is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Cable Y-Raise?
Set up: Set two cables low and cross them, holding each handle in the opposite hand. Stand in the middle with your arms crossed low in front of you. Steps: 1. Raise your arms up and out into a Y shape above your head. 2. Pause at the top. 3. Lower under control back to the crossed start. Form cues: Keep the arms long with a slight elbow bend. Keep the ribs down. Lift with the shoulders, not the lower back. Common mistakes: Arching the back to reach higher. Using too much weight.
What muscles does the Cable Y-Raise work?
It trains the front delts as its main target and works the side delts and traps on the way.
What can I do instead of the Cable Y-Raise?
At home: Front Raise. In a gym: Machine Shoulder Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Cable Y-Raise with?
Good partners in the same workout are Reverse Pec Deck, Machine Chest Press, Diamond Push-Up and Cable Shrug.
How heavy should the Cable Y-Raise be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.