How to do the Prone W Raise
Step by step
- Lie face down with forehead resting down and arms out, elbows bent so your body makes a W.
- Keep your ribs down so your low back does not arch.
- Pull your elbows down toward your ribs and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
- Lift your hands and elbows slightly off the floor at the same time.
- Lower slowly and reset the W shape before the next rep.
The thing people get wrong
Lead with the elbows drawing toward your ribs - do not just lift the hands or crank the neck up.
Coaching cue
Turn your thumbs up toward the ceiling to bring more of the mid-back into it.
Make it easier or harder
- Easier: Lift only your elbows and leave your hands resting on the floor.
- Harder: Take three seconds to lower on every rep.
Muscles worked
- Primary: Upper Back, Rear delts
- Secondary: Core
What to do instead
Same job, different movement — useful if you don't have the equipment or it doesn't feel right today.
Daily Coach builds this into a real weekly plan. It picks the exercises for your equipment and experience, swaps around injuries you tell it about, and tracks what you actually lifted.