Dumbbell One Arm Y Elevation

Perform the Dumbbell One Arm Y Elevation to strengthen your shoulders and upper back.

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand.
  2. Raise the dumbbell diagonally in front of you, forming a 'Y' shape with your arm.
  3. Keep your core engaged and your back straight throughout the movement.
  4. Lower the dumbbell back to the starting position and repeat.

How to perform the Dumbbell One Arm Y Elevation

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Dumbbell One Arm Y Elevation using your dumbbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your trapezius.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your trapezius rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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