In our progression of letter-based exercises we have now arrived at the penultimate letter of the alphabet.
This is the tricky part of the alphabet, with very few words in general that start with Y, let alone the names of exercises.
Despite the meager pickings, we’ve managed to scrape up five pretty effective movements for you to consider. You’ll notice that these moves tend to target the deltoids. There’s a reason for that; they involve forming an Y shape with your arms. To do that, you’ll have to move your shoulders.
Now here’s a (nearly) complete list of exercises that start with Y.
Some of the best exercises that start with the letter Y are:
- YTWL
- Y Incline Raise
- Y Standing Raise
- Y Dumbbell press
- Y Stretch
- Yoga
Let’s take a look at each move in detail, how to perform them, and why they deserve a spot on this list and in your routines!
1. YTWL
Equipment
- Incline bench or exercise ball
- Light pair of dumbbells
How To
- Lie chest-down on an incline bench or exercise ball with a light pair of dumbbells in your hands. Your arms should be down by your sides with elbows locked.
- Hinge from the shoulder joint to bring your arms up and out to form a ‘Y’ shape. Hold this position for 2 seconds and then lower to the start point.
- Now face your palms backward as you bring your arms directly out to the sides to shoulder level. Hold for another 2 seconds.
- Lower to the start point and bend your elbows to form a ‘W’ shape with your arms. Bring them up to shoulder level and hold for a further 2 seconds.
- Lower to the start point and then bring your arms directly up in front of you until they are parallel to the floor. Hold for the final two seconds.
- All of this is one rep.
Muscles Worked
- Deltoids
2. Y Incline Raise
Equipment
- Incline bench
- Light pair of dumbbells
How To
- Lie facedown on an incline bench that is set at a 45-degree angle. Hang your arms down with your palms facing each other and a pair of dumbbells in your hands.
- Keeping your elbows locked, pivot from the shoulders to bring the weights up on an angle to form a ‘Y’ shape.
- Hold for 2 seconds then slowly lower to the start position.
Muscles Worked
- Deltoids
3. Y Standing Raise
Equipment
- Light pair of dumbbells
How To
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a light pair of dumbbells in your hands.
- Keeping your elbows locked, pivot from the shoulders to bring the weights up on an angle to form a ‘Y’ shape.
- Hold for 2 seconds then slowly lower to the start position.
Muscles Worked
- Deltoids
4. Y Dumbbell Press
Equipment
- Pair of dumbbells
How To
- Stand with a pair of dumbbells held at shoulder level with the palms facing forward.
- Press the dumbbells up and out on a slight angle so that they form a ‘Y’ shape on the top position.
- Lower and under control and repeat for the required rep count.
Muscles Worked
- Deltoids
5. Y Stretch
Equipment
- Wall
How To
- Stand with your back against a wall and your bent elbows at shoulder level in the “stick ‘em up” position. The back of your arms should be flat against the wall.
- Press your arms up and out on the wall to full arms extension. In this position, your arms should resemble the letter ‘Y’.
- Take 3-5 seconds to lower your arms back to the start position.
Muscles Worked
- Deltoids
6. Yoga
Hardly an “exercise,” yoga is an entire discipline of not just fitness, but whole mind and body wellness
Still, it’s worth mentioning here if you’re still looking for more Y exercise ideas.
The benefits of yoga are immense. You can get a full body workout, improve your mobility and flexibility, and even experience less stress and better sleep.
If you’re not sure how to get started, see what style of yoga might be best for you here!
Wrapping Up
In this article, we’ve provided five awesome ‘Y’ exercises to work your shoulder muscles, plus, of course, yoga! If you want to experience an awesome delt burn, perform these moves in circuit manner, with no rest between them.
You can also use these exercises to plug into the second to last move in your alphabet workout.
The only question now is what are you going to do for that troublesome ‘Z’ exercise? Find out about the letter Z here!
But first, don’t miss:
Hope this helps!