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Shoulders

Prone Trap Raise

The Prone Trap Raise is a strength exercise with dumbbells for your shoulders. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: lower traps 27%, mid traps 20% and rear delts 15%.

Also known as: prone y

Level: BeginnerEquipment: DumbbellSingle-joint (isolation)

How to do it

  1. Set a bench to about 35 degrees and lie face down with a very light dumbbell in one or both hands.
  2. Rest the chest on the pad and let the arms hang straight down, thumbs pointing forward.
  3. Draw the shoulder blades down toward the hips first.
  4. Keep them down and raise the arms forward and slightly out past the head, thumbs up.
  5. Hold for a moment, then lower slowly until the arms hang straight down.

Tips

  • Setting the shoulder blades down before the arms move is the key to this exercise.
  • The arms stop where the shoulder blades would have to shrug to go higher.
  • No weight or 1 to 2 kg is plenty.

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging up to the ears as the arms rise.
  • Lifting the head and chest off the pad.
  • Swinging the arms up quickly.

Muscles worked by the Prone Trap Raise

  • Lower traps Primary27%
  • Mid traps Primary20%
  • Rear delts Secondary15%
  • Rhomboids Secondary11%
  • Rotator cuff Stabilizer9%
  • Side delts Minor7%
  • Spinal erectors (lower back) Stabilizer6%
  • Front delts Minor5%

Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.

Arms overhead in line with the body bias the lower traps. Raising the arms face down into Y, T or W shapes trains scapular retraction and upward rotation: the lower traps lead in the Y, the mid traps in the T, with the rear delt and rhomboids assisting.

Prone Trap Raise alternatives

Same equipment

Different equipment

Make it harder

Similar exercises

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Prone Trap Raise work?

Mainly the lower traps and mid traps. The rear delts and rhomboids assist.

Is the Prone Trap Raise good for beginners?

Yes. The Prone Trap Raise is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.

What is a good alternative to the Prone Trap Raise?

For example the Prone I Raise, Chest Supported Y Raise and Prone Y Raise. They train mostly the same muscles.

How do you make the Prone Trap Raise harder?

Add weight or reps, or move on to the YTW Raise and TRX Y Fly.

Sources

  • Ekstrom et al. 2003, JOSPT 33(5):247-258 (prone raises, lower and middle trapezius)

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