Face Pull
Pull apart, not just back. The face pull takes a rope toward your eyes and splits it apart at the end, working the rear delts and upper back that pressing and desk hours leave behind. Row it to the chest and you have built a row. It is the best value shoulder-health exercise there is, and almost nobody does enough of it.
Setup
- Cable at face height, rope grip, thumbs toward you.
- Step back to tension, staggered stance.
How To Do It
- Pull the rope toward your eyes, splitting it apart at the end.
- Finish in a double-biceps pose position.
- Return slow.
Breathing
Exhale pulling.
Common Mistakes
- Rowing it to the chest. This goes to the FACE.
- Heavy and ugly, when light and perfect wins here.
Programming It
Two to four sets of 12-20. This is health work. Nobody needs a heavy face pull.
Why This Exercise Works
Almost all pressing pulls the shoulder forward and internally rotated. The face pull is one of the few movements that loads the opposite, external rotation with the elbows high, which is why it appears in nearly every shoulder-health programme written in the last twenty years. It is not a mass builder. It is the thing that lets you keep pressing.
Where You Should Feel It
The back of the shoulders and between the shoulder blades, with a squeeze at the finish. Nothing in the front, and nothing in the neck. If the traps take over, the rope is too heavy.
Where It Fits in a Program
The shoulder-health exercise that undoes pressing, sitting, and phone-neck all at once. It deserves the first slot and the longest rest periods you are willing to take.
Progressing and Regressing It
To progress the face pull: add reps and a one-second hold before you add resistance. To regress it: move closer to the anchor and shorten the range.
Who It's For
Everyone who benches or sits at a desk. It is the single best value shoulder-health exercise there is, and nobody needs it heavy.
Equipment and Substitutions
The version shown uses a cable and a rope. Substitute a band at the same anchor height, or take a free-weight version from the list below and accept losing the tension at the end range.
Related Exercises
- Half-Kneeling Face Pull · Rear Delts, Upper Back
- Bent-Over Lateral Raise · Rear Delts, Traps
- Band Pull-Apart · Rear Delts, Upper Back
- Chest-Supported Y-Raise · Rear Delts, Lower Traps
- Cable Upright Row · Traps, Shoulders
- Cable Rear Delt Fly · Rear Delts
- Rear Delt Fly · Rear Delts, Upper Back
- Prone Y-Raise · Lower Traps, Rear Delts
Common Questions
What muscles does the face pull work?
The face pull primarily trains the rear delts, upper back.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Two to four sets of 12-20. This is health work. Nobody needs a heavy face pull.
What are the most common face pull mistakes?
Most often: rowing it to the chest; heavy and ugly, when light and perfect wins here.
Do I need a cable and a rope to do this?
This version uses a cable and a rope, and it trains the rear delts, upper back. Substitute a band at the same anchor height, or take a free-weight version from the list below and accept losing the tension at the end range.
Is this safe if I have an existing injury?
The face pull puts the shoulder and elbow under load through a range many people have lost, so a cranky shoulder usually objects here before anything else does. Pain that pinches at a specific point is worth assessing; ordinary training discomfort is not. Not medical advice.