To do a face pull, set a rope on a cable machine at face height, step back, and pull the rope toward your face with your elbows high and wide. Pause, squeeze your shoulder blades together, then return slowly. Use a light weight. Aim for 12 to 20 controlled reps.
That’s the short version.
The face pull trains your rear delts (the back of your shoulders), the muscles between your shoulder blades and the small rotator cuff muscles that turn your upper arm outward. Most people train these far less than their chest and the front of their shoulders.
This guide is for you if:
- You’re new to the cable machine and want to know what face pulls are for.
- You do a lot of pressing, like bench press, push-ups and shoulder press, and want more balance in your training.
- You sit at a desk all day and want a stronger upper back.
- You train at home with a resistance band and want a version that works there.
I’m Will Duru, a personal trainer and the founder of 12REPS. I program face pulls for a lot of my clients. Below, I’ll show you how I teach them, the mistakes I see most and how to fit them into your week.
Why do face pulls?
Face pulls give the back of your shoulders and your upper back direct work. Here’s what the research supports, and where my coaching experience comes in.
What the research says
- Muscles worked. The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) lists the rear delts and rhomboids as the main muscles. The middle traps, infraspinatus (a rotator cuff muscle) and biceps help. NASM
- Grip may matter. A 2013 study measured muscle activity during a reverse fly machine exercise. A neutral grip, palms facing each other, produced more rear delt and infraspinatus activity than a palms-down grip. Schoenfeld et al., 2013 That study used a different exercise. Still, it’s one reason I like the rope. It lets your hands sit in that neutral position.
- Light weights still build muscle. A 2017 review of 21 studies found muscle growth was similar with light and heavy loads, when sets were taken close to failure. Heavy loads were better for building maximal strength. Schoenfeld et al., 2017 So higher reps with a light weight make sense for a small-muscle exercise like this.
What the research doesn’t say
You’ll often hear that face pulls “fix” posture or prevent pain. The evidence linking posture to pain is weaker than most people think. A 2019 paper from physical therapy researchers made exactly this point. Slater et al., 2019
I won’t promise you face pulls will cure a sore neck or rounded shoulders.
Why I program them
In my experience, most people spend a lot of time training their chest and the front of their shoulders. The rear delts and upper back get far less attention.
Face pulls help me balance that out. If you bench, do push-ups or press overhead a few times a week, I think a direct upper-back exercise belongs in your plan. It’s also one of the easiest exercises to learn, which makes it a good fit for beginners.
If you already have shoulder pain, see a doctor or physical therapist before adding new shoulder exercises.
How to do a cable rope face pull
The standing rope face pull is the version I teach first. You need a cable machine and a rope attachment.
Setup
- Attach the rope to the cable at face height or just below. Upper-chest height works too.
- Hold one end of the rope in each hand, thumbs pointing back toward you.
- Step back until you feel tension in the cable with your arms straight.
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your knees soft.
- Brace your core and lift your chest. Your body shouldn’t lean back.
The movement
- Pull the rope toward your face. Lead with your elbows.
- Keep your elbows high and wide as you pull, roughly level with your shoulders.
- Pull the rope ends apart as they reach your face, so your hands finish beside your ears.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for about a second.
- Straighten your arms slowly and keep tension in the cable. Don’t let the stack slam down.
My coaching cues
Here’s what I focus on when I coach this exercise:
- “Elbows high.” This keeps the work on your rear delts and upper back.
- “Pull the rope apart.” Separating the ends lets your shoulders turn out fully at the end.
- “Squeeze, then slow.” A short pause, then a controlled return.
- “Control, not load.” If you have to lean back to move the weight, it’s too heavy.
See the full demo on the Rope Face Pull exercise page.
Common face pull mistakes
The biggest mistake I see is simple. People go too heavy, and the face pull turns into a row.
| Mistake | What it looks like | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Too much weight | You lean back and swing to finish each rep | Drop the weight until you can pause at your face |
| Elbows drop | The rope ends up at your chest, like a row | Keep your elbows at shoulder height the whole time |
| Pulling too low | The cable is set near your waist | Set the pulley at face or upper-chest height |
| Using momentum | Fast, jerky reps | Pause for a second, then lower over 2 to 3 seconds |
| Shrugging | Your shoulders creep up toward your ears | Keep your neck long and your shoulders down |
| Letting the stack slam | You lose tension at the start of each rep | Stop just before the weight touches the stack |
Do you feel it mostly in your arms? Lighten the weight and think about pulling with your elbows, not your hands.
Face pull variations
Pick the version that fits your equipment and how well you control the movement. Each one has a demo video in the 12REPS exercise library.
| Variation | Best for | Equipment | Demo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standing rope face pull | Most people, the version to learn first | Cable machine, rope | Rope Face Pull |
| Seated face pull on the floor | Anyone who leans back or uses momentum | Cable machine, rope | Cable Seated Face Pull |
| Incline bench rope face pull | Lifters who want a supported setup on a bench | Cable machine, rope, incline bench | Cable Rope Face Pull |
| Loop band face pull | Home workouts and warm-ups | Loop band, a sturdy anchor | Loop Band Face Pull |
Incline bench
Seated on the floor
This is my go-to fix for people who swing. Sitting on the floor removes momentum. You have to use the muscles you’re trying to train. Set the pulley at chest height, sit tall facing the machine and pull the rope toward your face.
Loop band
No cable machine? Anchor a loop band at face height, step back until it’s tight and follow the same steps. Keep tension in the band as you return. It’s also a good way to warm up your shoulders before pressing.
Sets, reps and where face pulls fit in your program
Start with 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 20 reps, two or three times a week. That’s a starting point, not a rule. Adjust it to your goals and how you recover.
Choosing your weight. Pick a weight where the last few reps feel hard, but you can still pause at your face without leaning back. If you can’t pause, go lighter.
Where to put them:
- At the end of an upper-body, pull or shoulder workout. Your big lifts come first, while you’re fresh.
- After pressing. Pair them with bench press or shoulder press days for balance.
- In your warm-up. One or two light sets with a band can prepare your shoulders before you press.
How to progress. Add reps before you add weight. Once you can do 20 clean reps with a pause on every set, move up one weight on the stack.
Here’s a simple beginner upper-body session from my loop band face pull page:
| Exercise | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Loop Band Face Pull | 3 × 15 |
| Loop Band Single-Arm Pull | 3 × 12 each side |
| Resistance Band Standing Biceps Curl | 3 × 12 |
| Bench Push-Up | 3 × 10 |
The face pull in brief
- Set the rope at face height. Pull toward your face with your elbows high.
- Pull the rope apart at the end and squeeze your shoulder blades.
- Go light. Aim for 12 to 20 controlled reps.
- If you lean back or swing, drop the weight or sit on the floor.
- No cable? Use a loop band.
Want face pulls built into your plan?
Knowing how to do one exercise is a start. Knowing where it fits in your week is the harder part.
That’s why I built 12REPS. You tell the app your goal, your equipment and how much time you have. Your workout is ready when you open it, with the exercises, sets and reps laid out.
Every exercise, including all four face pull versions above, comes with a demonstration and technique breakdown from a trainer. You log your sets, reps and weight as you go. Next time, the app remembers what you lifted, so you know when it’s time to move up.
Download 12REPS and train with confidence.
Here’s what you’ll get:
Sources
- National Academy of Sports Medicine. Face Pull, NASM Exercise Library.
- Schoenfeld B, Sonmez RGT, Kolber MJ, Contreras B, Harris R, Ozen S. Effect of hand position on EMG activity of the posterior shoulder musculature during a horizontal abduction exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2013;27(10):2644–2649.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2017;31(12):3508–3523.
- Slater D, Korakakis V, O’Sullivan P, Nolan D, O’Sullivan K. “Sit Up Straight”: Time to Re-evaluate. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2019;49(8):562–564.
Related reading
- Strength Training for Desk Workers: Fix Your Posture and Build Real Strength
- Building Broad Shoulders: The Complete Guide to Boulder Shoulders
- Pull Day Exercises to Grow Your Back (4 Simple Moves)
- Resistance Band Strength Training Program
About the author: Will Duru is a personal trainer, the founder of 12REPS and holds a BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science.
