Lying Prone W to T
Strengthen your upper back and shoulders with the Lying Prone W to T. This bodyweight exercise improves posture and scapular stability.
Description
This exercise is performed by lying prone on the ground and raising the arms in a 'W' motion, followed by a 'T' motion to target the upper back and shoulder muscles.
How to Do Lying Prone W to T
- 1Setup
Lie face down on the floor with your body fully extended, arms positioned straight out in front of you, and your forehead resting gently on the mat.
- 2Setup
Engage your core slightly to protect your lower back and keep your gaze neutral by looking directly at the floor.
- 3
Initiate by lifting your chest and arms slightly off the floor, then pull your elbows back towards your ribs, squeezing your shoulder blades together to form a 'W' shape with your arms; exhale as you lift.
- 4
From the 'W' position, extend your arms out to the sides, keeping them elevated and forming a 'T' shape with your body, maintaining the squeeze in your upper back.
- 5
Slowly and with control, reverse the movement back to the 'W' position, then lower your arms and chest back to the starting position while inhaling.
Tips
- Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together throughout the movement, initiating the lift with your back muscles rather than just your arms.
- Maintain a neutral spine by keeping your head in line with your body; avoid hyperextending your neck by looking up.
- Perform the movement slowly and deliberately, emphasizing muscle contraction over speed to maximize activation of the upper back and shoulder stabilizers.
- Keep your lower body relaxed and stable on the floor to prevent your hips from lifting and shifting the focus away from your upper back.
Common Mistakes
- ×Using momentum: Don't use momentum or excessive arching of the lower back to lift your arms; instead, focus on controlled, deliberate movement driven by your upper back muscles.
- ×Shrugging shoulders: Avoid shrugging your shoulders towards your ears during the lift; instead, keep your shoulders depressed and retracted to properly engage the target muscles.
- ×Hyperextending neck: Do not crane your neck upwards; instead, maintain a neutral head position by looking at the floor to prevent neck strain.
Variations
Lying Prone W to Y
Strengthen your upper back and shoulder stabilizers with the Lying Prone W to Y. Improve posture and shoulder health by engaging rhomboids and lower traps.
Lying Prone W
Strengthen your upper back, rear deltoids, and improve shoulder stability with the Lying Prone W.
Lying Prone A
Strengthen your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings with the Lying Prone A. This effective bodyweight exercise improves spinal erector strength and posture.
Lying Prone T
Strengthen your upper back, shoulders, and core with the Lying Prone T. This effective bodyweight exercise targets postural muscles to improve stability
Related Exercises
Lateral Bend Lying Down
Stretch your obliques and lats with the Lateral Bend Lying Down. This gentle bodyweight stretch improves spinal flexibility and reduces tension in your
Sitting Bent Over Back Stretch
Gently stretch your entire back and promote spinal flexibility with the Sitting Bent Over Back Stretch.
Lying whole body stretch
Gently lengthen your entire body with this relaxing lying stretch. Improve flexibility, release tension, and promote relaxation from head to toe.
Sitting Scapular Adduction
Improve upper back posture and strengthen your scapular muscles with this simple, seated exercise. Focus on bringing your shoulder blades together.
Dumbbell Complex Push-up Row Clean and Press
The ultimate full-body dumbbell complex combining a push-up, row, clean, and overhead press in one flow.
Dumbbell Renegade Row to Squat
Build total-body strength with this demanding complex combining renegade rows and explosive squats.
Track Lying Prone W to T in your workouts
Log sets, reps, and weight. See your progress over time.
Get Ellim — Free