The Face Pull is a resistance exercise designed to target and strengthen the posterior shoulder and upper back muscles. It primarily focuses on the rear deltoids, rotator cuff, and mid-trapezius muscles. The main purpose of consistently performing this movement is to address muscular imbalances that develop from focusing too heavily on pressing exercises. Strengthening these posterior muscles promotes better shoulder stability and significantly improves overall posture.
Mastering the Face Pull: Setup and Form
The correct execution of the Face Pull is more important than the weight used. Begin by setting a rope attachment on a cable machine at the highest anchor point, ideally positioned at or just above eye level. Take one or two steps back from the machine to create tension on the cable and establish a slight backward lean in your body, bracing the core to maintain a stable torso.
Grasp the rope with a neutral or underhand grip, ensuring your thumbs point backward. The pull motion should be directed high toward your face, specifically aiming for your forehead or ears, rather than pulling toward your chest. As you pull, actively drive your elbows outward and backward, attempting to “split the rope” with your hands.
This outward movement creates external rotation in the shoulder joint, which is the most specific action for engaging the rotator cuff and rear deltoids. Common errors include using a weight that is too heavy, which causes the elbows to drop and turns the movement into a high row, or failing to pull the hands apart. A successful repetition involves a focused squeeze of the shoulder blades together at the end of the range of motion before slowly controlling the weight back to the starting position.
Determining Optimal Volume: Sets, Reps, and Frequency
The optimal number of repetitions for Face Pulls is in the range of 15 to 20 repetitions per set. This high-repetition scheme is recommended because the rear deltoids and postural muscles respond well to training focused on muscular endurance and quality contraction. These muscles contain a high proportion of slow-twitch fibers and are not meant to be trained with maximal loads.
For most individuals, a starting volume of 3 to 4 working sets per session is appropriate. Given the exercise’s low-impact nature and focus on stability rather than maximal strength, it can be performed with high frequency without causing excessive fatigue. Integrating the Face Pull into your routine 2 to 4 times per week is a suitable frequency for building shoulder resilience and addressing muscle imbalances.
When selecting resistance, choose a weight that allows you to maintain perfect form and achieve a strong contraction. The goal is to focus on the quality of the squeeze, aiming for a perceived exertion (RPE) of 7 or 8. To progressively overload the movement, you should first aim to increase the number of quality repetitions, then increase the total number of sets, or introduce a slight pause at the point of maximal contraction before increasing the resistance.
Integrating Face Pulls into Your Routine
The timing of Face Pulls within your overall workout structure can vary, serving two distinct purposes depending on placement. Many lifters use the exercise as a dynamic warm-up or prehabilitation movement at the beginning of an upper-body session, particularly before heavy pressing exercises like the bench press. In this context, the weight should be very light, and the focus is entirely on establishing a mind-muscle connection.
Alternatively, Face Pulls are performed as accessory work toward the end of an upper-body workout or on a dedicated pull day. When placed here, you can use a slightly heavier load—while still maintaining the high-rep range—to promote muscle growth in the rear deltoids and upper back. Due to the exercise’s corrective benefits, it is logical to pair it with workouts that involve high volumes of anterior shoulder work, such as chest and overhead pressing days.
Dedicate approximately 5 to 10 minutes to the exercise, which is enough time to complete the recommended 3 to 4 sets. Consistent, regular performance of the Face Pull throughout the training week is more beneficial than trying to cram all the volume into a single session. This consistent exposure ensures the targeted muscles receive the frequent activation needed to counteract anterior-dominant training.