Prone Y-T-W (Scap Health)

Setup

Lie face down on a mat, forehead down or chin slightly tucked, legs extended and relaxed.

Execution

1. 1Raise arms overhead in a Y shape, thumbs up, squeeze shoulder blades down and together, hold briefly
2. 2Lower, then raise arms out to a T shape at shoulder height, squeeze blades together, hold
3. 3Lower, then bend elbows to a W shape (goalpost arms), squeeze blades together and pull elbows back, hold
4. 4Keep the neck neutral and avoid shrugging the traps throughout all three positions

Key cues

• Lead with the shoulder blades, not the arms
• Squeeze like you're pinching a pencil between the blades
• Keep the neck long, don't crane it up
• Small range, high quality — this isn't about height

Common faults

• Shrugging the traps up toward the ears instead of depressing the scapulae
• Using momentum/jerking the arms up
• Hyperextending the neck to look up
• Arching hard through the low back to gain range

Tweaks

• Add light dumbbells once bodyweight is mastered
• Perform on an incline bench for reduced gravity assist
• Hold each position for 2-3 seconds instead of moving continuously

Muscles

Notes

Extremely common in swimmer, thrower, and overhead-athlete prehab programs. Pairs well with face pulls and band pass-throughs.

Sources

• Prone Y-T-W for Shoulder & Scapular Strength - SLAP Rehab
• Prone Scapular (Shoulder) Stabilization Series - I, Y, T, W, O Formation

Attribution: Physical therapy / athletic training canon (popularized in shoulder rehab and prehab protocols)