Face Pull: Muscles Worked and How to Do It
TL;DR
Face pulls work your shoulders, especially the rear delts, as you pull a rope toward your face at eye level. Your middle back helps retract your shoulder blades, making this a popular accessory move for shoulder health and upper-back posture.
- Primary muscle:
- Shoulders
- Secondary muscles:
- Middle back
Muscles worked
Your shoulders, particularly the rear delts at the back of the shoulder, are the primary mover in the face pull. Pulling the rope apart and back works the part of the shoulder that pressing exercises tend to neglect.
Your middle back works alongside the shoulders, retracting your shoulder blades as you pull. Together they help balance out all the forward pressing most lifters do, supporting healthier shoulder posture.
Log Face Pull in PR Streak
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How to do it
- 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.
Form tips
- Set the pulley at roughly eye level and step back until your arms are extended.
- Pull the rope toward your face while separating your hands, keeping your upper arms parallel to the floor.
- Lead with your elbows high and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end of each rep.
- Use a light to moderate weight. Control matters far more than load on this exercise.
Exercise details
| Equipment | Cable |
|---|---|
| Level | Intermediate |
| Mechanic | Compound |
Used by lifters following PPL, 5x5, upper/lower, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are face pulls good for?
Face pulls target the rear shoulders and upper back, an area that pressing exercises like the overhead press don't train as directly. Many lifters add them to balance out heavy pressing work and support shoulder health.
Should I do face pulls before or after pressing?
Either works. Some lifters use light face pulls as part of their warm-up to prime the shoulders, while others save them for the end of a workout as accessory work for the rear shoulders and upper back.
More shoulders exercises
Exercise instructions and photos come from the free-exercise-db library, public domain, the same library used inside the PR Streak app.
