- Start standing up, or lying down with your stomach on the floor in a prone position.
- If you choose to start from standing, first place both feet about shoulder to hip-width apart. Bend the knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips. Keep this slight knee bend and hip hinge throughout the movement.
- Extend both arms up by your ears, creating an "I" letter shape.
- Then, move the arms slightly away from the body, around 45 degrees, creating a "Y" shape, followed by bringing both arms extended out either side, creating a "T" shape.
- Bring both arms up toward the ears, and repeat.
- The goal of performing I, Y, and T movements is to challenge the muscles of the rotator cuff and the shoulder girdle.
- The "I" movement targets the upper back, including the trapezius muscle and the lower portion.
- The "Y" shape also challenges the upper and lower quadrants of the trapezius and latissimus dorsi while also focusing on the supraspinatus muscle.
- The "T" shape also works the trapezius muscles (upper, middle, and lower), along with the infraspinatus and teres major.
If you have access to doorframes, a suspension trainer system like TRX, or equipment at a park or gym, you can also perform bodyweight rows to emphasize a pulling motion.
