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Face Pull

Face Pull demonstration
  • Shoulders
  • Upper Back

Equipment: Cable

New to this

Your first face pull

What weight should I start with on the face pull?

Start at 20 to 30 lb. This is a small-muscle exercise and going heavy defeats the purpose, since the load just shifts to the lats.

You have got it right when you can pause at the end of the rep with your hands beside your ears.

What usually goes wrong on the face pull?

Set the cable pulley at about eye height with a rope attachment. Take one end of the rope in each hand, palms facing in, and step back until the cable is tight.

Pull the rope toward your face, splitting your hands apart as it comes, and finish with your hands beside your ears and your elbows level with your shoulders. Return slowly and let your shoulder blades travel forward.

Most common mistake: pulling to the chest instead of the face and dragging the elbows down. Keep the elbows high through the whole rep.

If the cable station is occupied

Reverse machine flyes train the same rear delts and upper back with the path set for you. The bent-over dumbbell rear delt raise needs nothing beyond a pair of light dumbbells, 5 to 10 lb.

How to do it

  1. Facing a high pulley with a rope or dual handles attached, pull the weight directly towards your face, separating your hands as you do so. Keep your upper arms parallel to the ground.