beginner · back
Face Pull
Rear-delt and external-rotation friendly pull—shoulder insurance work.
Quick answer
Set a rope high on a cable. Pull toward the face, externally rotate so fists end near the temples, then return slowly.
Face pulls are the 'eat your vegetables' of upper-body training. They won't make headlines, but people who do them consistently usually keep shoulders happier through heavy press blocks.
Form cues
- Lead with the elbows high
- Finish with knuckles toward the ceiling
- Light-to-moderate load—feel the rear delts
Common mistakes
- Turning it into a heavy upright row
- No external rotation at the end
- Using so much weight that the low back heaves
Programming notes
3–4 × 12–20 at the end of push or pull days.
cablerope