YTWL exercise

Muscles worked

You need

How to do it

1. Purpose: Improves shoulder stability, posture, and scapular (shoulder blade) control. Often used in physical therapy and warm-ups.
2. Starting Position:
3. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Hinge forward at the hips (like a
4. deadlift) keeping your back flat, or lie face down on an incline bench.
5. Keep your thumbs pointing up throughout.
6. Y (Arms up):
7. Extend both arms straight forward and upward at a 135-degree angle from
8. your body, forming a "Y". Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the
9. top.
10. T (Arms out): Open your arms straight out to the sides, perpendicular to your body, forming a "T". Focus on pinching your shoulder blades.
11. W (Arms bent): Pull your elbows back, bending them to 90 degrees, and squeeze your shoulder blades to form a "W". Keep your wrists firm.
12. L (Arms rotated):
13. Start with elbows bent at 90 degrees and close to your body. Rotate
14. your forearms outward (external rotation) like a goalpost, forming an
15. "L" or a gate.
16. Key Focus:
17. Movements should be slow and controlled. Always lead with the thumbs
18. and think about moving the shoulder blades, not just the arms.