Let’s face it: Upper back and shoulder strength is the great divider in these scenarios:
- A lifter who can’t keep his shoulders pinned back during deadlifts vs. one with a nice, rigid spine (even when it gets heavy)
- The athlete whose front squat always folds them over like a taco vs. the person who can keep their elbows up in a nice, solid front rack position
- The frequent bench presser who develops severe internal shoulder rotation and a rolled-forward posture (and can’t barbell row to save their life) — vs. — a well-balanced pusher and puller with excellent posture
That brings us to today’s movement, the YTW! The best part: You do not need to go heavy to get the benefit out of the YTW. Plus, it’s a 2-in-1 mobility and stability movement. Your scapulas will thank you, your rhomboids will rejoice, and strangers will compliment you on your posture! Who’d doesn’t want that?
The YTW
Y+T+W = 1 rep!
3 sets of 5 reps is a great place to start, working up to 3×10 over the course of a couple weeks. It’s also the perfect movement to add to a whole-back warmup. Here’s an example:
3 Supersets:
- 10 YTW’s
- 20 Butt walks
- 10 Reverse Hypers
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Want more quick, actionable tidbits without all the fluff? Check out our Movement Tip Monday archive.
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