Shoulders are among the most hard-working joints in our bodies, which is probably why shoulder pain affects 18-26% of adults at any point in time. Weak or painful shoulders can hold back anyone’s progress at the gym, as your shoulders are actively involved in training your arms, back, core, and even your lower body. Plus, everyone loves to have strong, developed shoulder muscles, right? That’s why it pays to invest your time in exercises that build your shoulder strength and stability.

One way to keep your shoulders in good shape is to add cable Y raise exercises to your gym workout. In this blog, we’ll discuss the benefits of cable Y raises and how to do them at our Thornton gym.

What Muscles Do I Work with Cable Y Raises at the Gym?

While cable Y raises are an isolation strength training exercise that involves movement at a single joint – the shoulder joint – it’s also a complex workout that targets several different muscle groups, as listed below.

The Deltoids

The deltoids are the largest muscles in your shoulders and are located around the shoulder joint, forming the shape of the shoulder. Deltoid muscles help move your arms in different directions, and they also stabilize and protect your shoulder joints. Three sections of fibers, called heads, make up your deltoids – the anterior (front) head, medial (middle) head, and posterior (rear) head.

The Trapezius

The trapezius, also known as the traps, is a pair of large, triangular-shaped muscles that extend from the neck to the shoulder and then down the center of the back. Traps are responsible for maintaining your posture, tilting your head up and down, turning your head, shrugging your shoulders, and pulling them back. Traps also control your shoulder blade when you lift your arm to throw a ball. There are three sections that make up the trapezius, the upper, middle, and lower. All three sections of the trapezius are involved in cable Y raises, but the middle and lower traps work the hardest.

Rhomboids

The rhomboid muscles are a large group of muscles in your upper back, made up of the rhomboid major and rhomboid minor. They connect your shoulder blade to your ribs and spine. Rhomboids work with other muscles to hold your shoulder blade and shoulder stable, pull your shoulders back and together, lift and rotate your shoulder blades, and help you move your arm overhead, throw, pull, and rotate your torso.

Rotator Cuff

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles called the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis muscles. The rotator cuff muscles hold your upper arm in place in your shoulder joint and help you make all the motions in your arm and shoulder. Rotator cuff injuries are very common in people over 40, athletes, and people whose work requires them to repeatedly lift their arms overhead.

Serratus Anterior

The serratus anterior muscle originates at the top surface of the upper ribs, underneath your arm, and it extends to just above your obliques. It holds your shoulder blade flat against your rib cage. Shaped like a serrated sawblade, this muscle has three sections — the superior, medial, and inferior. The serratus anterior muscle allows the forward rotation of the arm and allows you to pull your shoulder blade forward and around the rib cage. The serratus anterior muscle also allows you to raise your arm and lift items over your head.

How Do I Do Cable Y Raises at AFAC Gym?

Here are the steps to performing cable Y raises at AFAC gym.

1. At the cable crossover machine, attach D-shaped handles to the low pulleys. Or, you can forgo the handles and grip the cables themselves. Keep the weight light to moderate.
2. Stand between the pulleys and hold each handle in the opposite hand. Step back to add tension to the cables and hold them so that they cross in front of your hips.
3. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Your elbows should be slightly bent and your abs should be tight.
4. Raise both arms outward and upward until both hands are above your head and your arms form a Y shape. The cables should be crossed in front of you.
5. Lower your arms back to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of reps. A medium to high number of reps is recommended for best results.

What Are the Benefits of Doing Cable Y Raises at the Gym?

Cable Y raises are more of a shoulder conditioning exercise than a muscle-building exercise, so it’s best to add them to a comprehensive shoulder workout regimen. Cable Y raises are perfect for either beginning or ending your shoulder workouts. Here are some of the benefits you can expect from adding cable Y raises to your strength training program.

They Make Your Shoulders Healthier

Shoulder pain is one of the most common problems that weightlifters experience. In many cases, shoulder pain is caused by poor posture, weak rotator cuffs, and/or overdeveloped anterior deltoids. Cable Y raises help prevent and fix these issues. With cable Y raises, you can train all three deltoid heads (anterior, medial, and posterior) equally so that the anterior delts don’t become overdeveloped. Cable Y raises also strengthen your underlying rotator cuff muscles and keep your lower traps in shape, too. Overall, cable Y raises reduce the chance of developing and increasing the severity of shoulder pain. It’s one of the most shoulder friendly exercises you can do.

They Save Time

By working your upper, middle, and lower traps, all three deltoid heads, your rotator cuffs, and serratus anterior, cable Y raises provide a comprehensive shoulder warmup or cool down in one exercise. This helps you save time and prevent injuries at the gym.

They Improve Your Posture

Most of us spend too much time slouched in front of a computer all day, which can lead to rounded shoulders and a hunched upper back. Cable Y raises work the back and shoulder muscles that are responsible for helping you maintain good posture.

Variations to Cable Y Raises

While cable Y raises are a very effective exercise, there are several variations you can try to keep your workouts interesting. Here are a few to consider.

Cuban Press

The Cuban press works all three deltoid heads plus your lower and upper traps. However, instead of being done on a cable machine, the Cuban press is traditionally done with a barbell. Here’s how to do it.

1. Hold a barbell on a rack with an overhand grip and your hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your knees bent and your core tight.
3. This exercise is a three-phase movement. The first phase is to row, or pull, the barbell up to your lower chest. Your elbows should be higher than your hands.
4. The second phase is to rotate the barbell forward and up to your forehead.
5. The third phase is to press the barbell overhead until your arms are straight.
6. Reverse the action by lowering the barbell to your forehead and then rotating down to chest level. That completes one rep.
7. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Victory Dumbbell Raise

You can work the same muscles as the cable Y raise by using a pair of light dumbbells and a short resistance band called a mini band. It’s called a victory dumbbell raise and here’s how to do it.

1. Place the resistance band around both wrists, as if you’re wearing handcuffs.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
3. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your knees slightly bent and your core braced.
4. Start with the dumbbells in front of your hips with your hands facing inward.
5. Raise your arms forward and out to form a V shape over your head.
6. Lower your arms back to in front of your hips, but keep some tension on the resistance band by not letting the dumbbells come too close together. That’s one rep.
7. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Incline Prone Dumbbell Press

This exercise works your shoulders from a different angle and emphasizes your traps, rear deltoids, and rhomboids. Just don’t use dumbbells that are too heavy, as this exercise is harder than it looks.

1. Set an exercise bench at about a 45- to 60-degree angle.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
3. Lie face down on the bench with your head suspended over the top.
4. Raise the dumbbells up to the front of your shoulders.
5. Pull your shoulders down and back and brace your core.
6. Press the dumbbells forward and up, straightening your arms so that they’re in the same angle as your body.
7. Return the dumbbells to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps.

We Hope You’ll Try Cable Y Raises at AFAC Gym

At AFAC gym, we have all the equipment you need to try cable Y raises and its variations, which means our gym members can take advantage of this time-efficient way to condition their shoulders while improving their posture and joint health.

Whether you’ve just started strength training at our gym or have been lifting for years, AFAC gym is here to support you as you learn new ways to reach your fitness goals. Our personal trainers are happy to assist you with cable Y raises and any other workout you’d like to try at our gym.

To find out more about the strength training equipment, cardio equipment, and classes at AFAC gym, please don’t hesitate to ask a member of our team for assistance. We’ll be glad to show you why we’re the best gym in Thornton, Colorado. You can also contact our gym owner, Susan, at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club for assistance.