Face Pull

How to do the face pull with correct form: cable height, elbow path, and the mistakes that turn it into a row instead of a rear-delt and rotator cuff exercise.

Quick answer: Set a rope at face height, pull it toward your forehead with elbows high, rotate the hands apart, and return slowly without shrugging.

Cable machine beginner Rear Delts, Upper Back, Rotator Cuff

How to Do It

  1. Set a cable pulley to roughly upper-chest to head height and attach a rope.
  2. Grip the rope with both hands, palms facing each other, and step back so there's tension at the start.
  3. Pull the rope toward your face, leading with your elbows, so your hands finish near your ears.
  4. Rotate your hands slightly outward at the end range so your knuckles point behind you.
  5. Return under control to the starting position, keeping tension on the cable throughout.

Common Mistakes

  • Setting the cable too low, which turns the movement into a row and gives the rear delts less to do.
  • Using too much weight and letting the torso lean back to help pull it, so momentum does the work instead of the rear delts.
  • Skipping the outward rotation at the end of the pull, which is the part that trains the rotator cuff's external rotators.
  • Pulling the rope toward the chest instead of the face, shortening the range and shifting emphasis to the mid-back.

The face pull is one of the few gym exercises that trains the rear deltoids and the shoulder’s external rotators together. Most pressing work trains the front of the shoulder much more than these muscles, so the face pull is a simple way to add balance to a program with lots of pushing.

It’s a low-load, high-rep exercise by design. The point is control and full range of motion, not heavy weight, so keep the load light enough to execute the external rotation cleanly on every rep.

Add it after your main pulling work, such as lat pulldown or a barbell bent-over row, on pull day, since it works well as light accessory volume rather than a primary lift.

Muscles Worked by the Face Pull

The face pull trains the rear deltoids and the external rotators of the rotator cuff as prime movers, with the mid and upper back, including the rhomboids and lower traps, working hard to draw the shoulder blades together.[1][2][3]

  • Primary: rear deltoids, infraspinatus and teres minor (external rotators of the rotator cuff)[1][2][3]
  • Secondary: rhomboids, mid and lower trapezius[1][2][3]
  • Stabilizers: upper traps, core, and the scapular stabilizers that keep the shoulder blades pulled back and down through the rep[1][2][3]

This combination is why the face pull shows up so often in shoulder-focused programs: it directly trains muscles that pressing leaves mostly untouched.

Face Pull Alternatives

If a cable machine isn’t available, or you want to rotate accessory work, these substitutes hit the same rear-delt and rotator cuff pattern:

  • Band pull-apart: anchor a light resistance band at chest height and pull it apart in front of you; the closest bodyweight-equipment substitute for the face pull’s horizontal pull and scapular squeeze.
  • Reverse pec deck fly: a machine variation that trains the rear delts with a fixed, controlled path, useful if cable height is inconsistent at your gym.
  • Seated row: heavier and more back-dominant, but the rear delts still work hard as secondary movers, so it’s a reasonable substitute when programming volume rather than isolation.
  • Barbell bent-over row: trades isolation for load, building the same rear-delt and upper-back musculature at higher weights.[1][2][3]

When comparing two sessions, keep the pulley height, rope length, stance, and endpoint consistent. A lighter set with the same path is more useful than a heavier set that finishes at the chest. This keeps the progression log honest and makes it easier to tell whether a change came from the exercise or from the station setup.

If the rear delts fatigue before the upper back, keep the same endpoint and reduce the stack rather than pulling farther toward the chest. If the grip fails, use a lighter rope load or shorter sets. These adjustments preserve the intended task while making the exercise usable across different cable stations.

Calibrate the station before the set

Cable height changes the pull path. Start with the pulley around face height and use a light load to test the endpoint. If the rope travels to the chest, the movement is behaving more like a row. If the elbows rise aggressively and the shoulders shrug, lower the load or adjust the starting height. Step back until the cable is already under light tension, but keep enough room to return without the stack crashing.

Choose the endpoint that matches the purpose of the set. A rope finishing near the eyes or ears with the hands separating is a face-pull pattern. A lower finish toward the upper chest is closer to a high row. Neither is automatically better; they are different paths. Keep the torso quiet and return slowly enough to feel the shoulder blades and arms move without losing the cable line.

Diagnostic checkpoints and regression

Film a light set from the side if the movement feels unclear. Check that the rope finishes near the face, the elbows do not flare into a shrug, and the ribs do not lift as the load rises. If the torso leans back, use less weight or a staggered stance with a light support. If the hands cannot rotate outward under control, shorten the range slightly and rebuild it rather than forcing the endpoint. A band anchored near face height is a useful regression when the cable station is unavailable.

Use two to four sets of twelve to twenty controlled repetitions, leaving one to three good reps in reserve. Log pulley height, attachment, stack setting, reps, and endpoint. Add repetitions before load. Increase the load only when the final reps keep the same path and the return remains quiet. Face pulls are a training exercise, not a shoulder treatment; sharp or worsening symptoms warrant stopping and consulting a qualified professional. For broader exercise selection, link through the rear-delt exercises guide.

References

  1. Source. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adultsBack to claim
  2. Source. 11.5 Muscles of the Pectoral Girdle and Upper LimbsBack to claim
  3. Source. Different Shoulder Exercises Affect the Activation of Deltoid Portions in Resistance-Trained IndividualsBack to claim

See our exercise methodology for how this evidence is applied and its limits.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscle does a face pull work?
The face pull primarily works the rear deltoids and the muscles of the rotator cuff responsible for external rotation, along with the mid and upper back as secondary movers. Pressing exercises train the front of the shoulder a lot and these muscles very little, so the face pull is a useful way to add direct rear-shoulder and upper-back work.
Is face pulling effective?
Yes, for what it is meant to do: training the rear delts, external rotators and upper back, which get little direct work from pressing. It is a light, higher-rep accessory rather than a main strength lift, so its value comes from clean, consistent sets. It is often recommended for posture and shoulder health, but it has not been shown to fix posture or prevent shoulder injuries on its own.
Is face pull for back or shoulders?
The face pull trains both, though it leans more toward the shoulders. It directly targets the rear deltoids and rotator cuff, which are part of the shoulder complex, while also engaging the upper back and rhomboids as the shoulder blades pull together, making it a useful accessory for both the shoulders and the upper back.
How do I know if I'm doing face pulls correctly?
You are doing face pulls correctly if the rope finishes near your ears rather than your chest, you rotate your hands outward at the end range so your knuckles point behind you, and your torso stays upright instead of leaning back to help pull the weight. If you cannot control the external rotation, the load is too heavy.
Are you supposed to lean back on face pulls?
No, you should keep your torso upright and stationary during face pulls. Leaning back to help pull the rope is a sign the weight is too heavy, and it lets momentum do the work instead of the rear delts and rotator cuff, which are the muscles the face pull is meant to train.
What is a good alternative to the face pull?
The best face pull alternatives are band pull-aparts, reverse pec deck flys, and the cable row, since all three train the rear delts and upper back through a similar horizontal pulling pattern. If you don't have a cable machine, a resistance band anchored at face height reproduces the same external-rotation finish that makes the face pull effective.