Face pulls: How to do face pulls Step-by-Step, Benefits, Variations, and Alternative

It’s something I have been saying for a while now: “You must do face pulls!” Face pulling strengthens the muscles of our upper body, which are often weak from sitting in a slumped posture at work or driving.

Face pulling targets the posterior deltoids, which are often overlooked by shoulder exercises. To pull the weight towards your forehead, you use a cable pulley. Rear delt exercises will help prevent muscular imbalances and increase shoulder strength.

Given that you are aware of your form, this exercise is easy. Face pulls can be used as part of an upper-body strength training program. Continue reading to learn more!

What is Face Pulls?

Face pulling is a great exercise to correct poor posture and shoulder dysfunction. They strengthen the upper body’s muscles, which are often weak from sitting in a slumped posture at work or while driving.

Face pulling is a great exercise that strengthens the upper back, shoulders, and upper arms. It also helps to reduce the amount of pulling you do in your other workouts.

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The extra rotator-cuff work that it involves will help to support the shoulder joints.

Although the face pull isn’t as glamorous as overhead presses or bench presses, it should be part of your daily routine. This exercise works many muscles in your shoulders and upper back. It helps to balance out all the pressing exercises.

It means you will lift more weight by having a better posture and more substantial shoulders.

The face pulls exercise is a simple and effective way to improve your skin’s appearance. Face pulls exercises for shoulder strength are a lot like that.

Rear deltoid exercises include the face pull. This exercise is easy for everyone and can be done by anyone. You simply need to gain weight.

The back of your shoulders is your rear delts. However, you will also feel the move in your trapezius (two large muscles running from your shoulders to your base of the rib cage) as well as your upper back. It means that you can work your entire posterior chain in one super-effective move. Wow.

Although anyone can benefit from this favorite trainer move, people with back or shoulder problems should avoid it. Here’s how to do it if your body is feeling up to it.

What face pulls muscles worked?

• Infraspinatus
• Lower traps
• Mid Traps
• Posterior delts (rear deltoid)
• Teres Major

Face pulling is a great exercise to strengthen the trapezius and rear deltoids.

Robert Herbst, a 19 time World Champion powerlifter, personal coach, and wellness coach, says that they help keep shoulders squared and back straight, so people don’t look pulled forward from too much chest or front delt work.

These help build a thicker upper back, which can be used as a base for an arching machine or power bench press.

For everyday activities such as lifting, pressing, pulling, or rotating your arms, strong shoulders are crucial.

The powerhouse muscles of the shoulders are the deltoids. They are responsible for lifting children onto your shoulders or shooting a basketball.

Different angles are targeted by exercises like shoulder presses and lateral dumbbell lifts, front dumbbell raises and bent over rear dumbbell flys.

There are three heads to the delts: the anterior, lateral, and posterior. Because they are involved in pressing and pushing exercises , the deltoid’s anterior and lateral heads often get more work than the posterior or “rear” delts.

Step-by-step instructions on how to do face pulls exercise at home or in the gym

Do 3–4 sets of 10–12 reps each, adding a superset if necessary. This exercise can be paired with an arm-focused workout or incorporated into a full body day. You could include and as well as skull-crushers (sigh) if you so desire.

How to do face pulls

Cable face pulls will require you to attach a rope attachment to a cable at a high point or anchor a band to something higher if you are training at home.

With your thumbs pointed backward, grab the rope attachment’s ends.

Keep your elbows below your shoulders. They shouldn’t be raised above your shoulder.

Next, turn your hands slightly and pull. You can rotate your shoulders outward by turning and rotating. It will allow the external rotation of your shoulder to reach the rotator wrist, which is not a part of most traditional training programs.

The rear delts are, in contrast, often overlooked. This muscular imbalance can lead to injuries and shoulder pain, a “hunched forward,” and poor posture.

It’s vital to include exercises that target your rear delts into your exercise routine, such as face pulls.

Stand straight up with one cable attachment in each of your hands. Your palms should be facing the other, and your thumbs should point toward your face.

Pull the rope backward, keeping your elbows in front. Keep your shoulders down and squeeze the shoulders blades until you reach the end. Reverse the motion and go back to the beginning position.

Toughened your Shoulders and Back with Face Pulls

Strong shoulders and a broad back are essential components of a healthy body. However, the muscles can be challenging to work as your shoulder joints can be delicate. Too many men end up in the gym with injuries to their shoulders after pushing themselves too far. It is important to train smart.

The face pull is a great exercise. It is an underrated exercise that you probably don’t do very often or at all. It’s a simple and effective move that should be part of your upper-body routine. You can also use it as a warmup to protect your shoulders.

Face pulling is an excellent way to add some pulling to your push-ups at the gym. This move is safer than pulling ups and more accessible than doing pullups. This move will work your traps and rear delts as well as prevent injuries.

You’ll require a cable rope face pulls machine and a rope attachment for this exercise.

Equipment height adjustment

The incorrect placement of the cable or band anchor point is one of the biggest mistakes in face pulling.

Some people choose to use a lower anchor point for the face pull. However, this sets up the wrong mechanism.

You are doing a face pull instead of an upright row.

It’s unsafe for your shoulders to set a low anchor for the face pull.

If you resist from low to high, it asks for an eccentric contraction in the external rotators to the shoulder to counteract that. You are being pulled down and forward.

Your back will become rounded if your arm pulls forward. Your thoracic extension is lost, and external rotation of the shoulders can only be done up to a point.

The back is also being forced to turn when the arm is pulled forward and down.

People will sometimes pull at chin height or, worse, chest height. This position emphasizes the upper back muscles, which almost eliminates the rotator wrist from the movement.

You must ensure that your anchor point for the face-pulling is above your head to target your rotator wrist appropriately.

To appropriately target your rotator cuff and not make it a sloppy row or shrug, ensure that your anchor point is above your head.

We strengthen the muscles that we are trying to strengthen by getting in the proper position for external rotation pulling from low to high.

The best attachment for the cable face pull

Face pulls are more manageable if you have access to a cable machine. What kind of attachment do you want?

It is why you wouldn’t attach a bar to it. It will limit how much rotation you can do through your shoulders which is a critical exercise component.

A rope attachment is what you would want. However, a single rope is not long enough to reach as far as your arms can go. It must be long enough to allow for external rotation. A single rope is not sufficient.

If you have a sled, it’s best to use it. Or simply grab two rope attachments from the gym and attach them.

Two rope attachments can be used together to get the correct length for face pulls using a cable.

Proper grip is required for face-pulling

When it comes to face-pulling, the grip is crucial.

Even those who can correctly anchor their high-to-low anchoring make a mistake when they use an overhand grip. It encourages internal rotation of your shoulder and elevates your arms overhead.

Overhand grips on the face pull can cause internal rotation, which can be detrimental to the health of your shoulders.

You don’t want this, especially if your face pulls are as frequent as I recommend. It would lead to a lot more repetitions of an internally rotated shoulder position with elevation. It is a bad idea.

Instead, grasp it with your thumbs inward and hold it underhand. It will allow you to achieve the external rotation of your shoulder with elevation, which is what we want.

Travel: do not forget, it is a face pull

Travel is where your elbows and hands pull the cable or rope. Here are two things to be aware of.

First, where are you going? Where are you going? It should be simple, but it can get a lot more complicated!

It is a FACE pull.

That means that you are pulling towards your face. All around your nose. I like to target my big nose.

The face pull is true to its name. Its destination? Your face. Your clavicle, chest, or head are not the destinations of the face pull.

It is not a chest pull, clavicle pull, or overhead pull. It’s a face-pull! You want to ensure that this is your destination.

Another essential characteristic to consider is where your elbows and hands are at the end of the movement. Your elbows or your hands will win the race to the finish line.

Your hands are the answer.

The elbows should not beat the hands when it comes to the final point of the face-pull.

Your elbow should not beat your hand as it causes internal rotation and elevation of your shoulders. Instead, the elbows should be beaten by the hands in a race to their back.

The hands should be at the elbows until the face pull to achieve the shoulders’ desired external rotation and elevation.

We want to open the chest and close the back. Externally rotate the shoulders, squeeze the shoulder blades and let the rotator wrists do the rest.

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The rotator cuff is the key to this exercise’s benefits. You can make a few modifications to help you strengthen it if you have trouble doing this exercise.

The best stance to face pull

The most athletic stance for face pulling is the best. But which one?

People often tell me that they aren’t sure if they’re supposed to stand straight, or if supposed to stand with their legs up, or if they’re supposed to place their leg on something.

Many people are confused about the best position for face pulling.

A square stance is the best and most athletic for face pulling.

For performing the face-pull, a square stance is best.

Square stance limits the weight you can use. It makes it challenging to overload it so much that it affects your form during the exercise. You can’t go too heavy if you feel like you’re being pulled forward.

You can balance if you aren’t in a good position. However, you should still keep your hips straight and maintain that position throughout the exercise.

Programming and weight selection

Many people want to know how heavy and often they should perform face pulls.

Let’s start with weight selection. The ideal weight does not pull you forward but also not too light to make the exercise seem absurd.

It is not a corrective exercise, so don’t be hesitant to use the cable.

You don’t want it to be too heavy that you require extra momentum or a backward lean to lift the weight. It is not a way to show your strength or power.

That is vital only to load the muscle enough to cause meaningful contractions in the targeted muscles. It is a way to strengthen weak muscles which are being affected by the anterior chain muscles.

What about sets? Let’s say this: You should do 12 repetitions of this. Make sure you have 12 sets.

It is the mentality. Each one must be a solid, good contraction. Hold, squeeze, hold, lift if necessary, then rest. Start your next rep.

Face pulling is best done with sufficient weight to challenge the muscles being pulled without making you pull forward.

Face pulling is so essential because it focuses attention on so many important but often neglected muscles. You can do it every day.

Face pulling is so crucial because it focuses attention on so many important but often neglected muscles. You can do it every day.

These are not exercises to be over-trained. Face pulls are a way to address weakness and counteract the adverse effects on your posture.

Common Mistakes

These mistakes can be avoided to get the best out of this exercise and avoid injury.

Too much weight

It is also quite common to choose a weight that’s too heavy. You should also consider the rear delts as a smaller muscle group. If you aren’t used to doing them, you will need to work them lighter than other shoulder exercises.

If you feel like you’re using momentum to pull the attachment towards your body or if the weight is returning to the stack and pulling your body forward, you might consider reducing the weight you are trying to lift.

You must ensure that you don’t inadvertently recruit additional muscles to do the exercise.

Incorrectly performing face pulls the most common problem. It is a back delt exercise. You should feel the pressure working your back into your upper back between your shoulder blades.

If you pull the attachment towards your neck or chin, or if your elbows point down, or if your palms face in, you will feel it more in your back and biceps. Double-check your face pulls form if you do.

If your arms are not aligned with the body, it is a pull-down and not a face pull.

Face pulls alternative

As mentioned, the exercise is excellent for targeting the rear deltoids. Here are 14 face-pulling alternatives for the exercise.

1. Seated Cable Face Pull

The resistance band face pulls are very similar. However, this exercise requires more horizontal abduction. It allows you to rotate your shoulders more.

You can also load weights to get a more excellent range of motion. However, to avoid injury, make sure to have the correct technique and not overload the machine.

Here are the steps:

1. Attach the rope used for triceps extension to the seated cable area. You can also attach it to another cable pulley machine.
2. Keep your back straight while keeping your knees bent.
3. Keep the rope in your hands, with your palms facing one another.
4. Pull the rope towards your forehead with your arms extended. Make sure your arms reach above your shoulders.
5. At the end of the exercise, rotate your shoulders outwardly.
6. Once your upper back muscles are fully extended, squeeze them and hold them for 1–2 seconds. Then return the rope to neutral.
7. To get the technique perfect for 10–12 repetitions, we recommend starting light with the weight.

2. Resistance face pulls with bands

The resistance band, which is similar to the regular face pull but works the rear deltoid just as well. If any cable pulley is busy, the bands are a great alternative.

It is an excellent exercise for beginners to learn how to pull the face on the machine.

Here’s how you do the resistance face pull:

It is a great way to warm up your upper body before lifting any weights.

To ensure your rear deltoids are working, we recommend doing 10–12 repetitions each set.

3. High Cable Pulley Lat Extension

This exercise is excellent for warming up muscles before a shoulder or heavy back session. The face pulls alternative targets different muscles such as the rear deltoids (latissimus Dorsi), rhomboids, and traps.

Here are the steps:

1. You should look for a pulley that has weights on both sides. Make sure you get rid of all attachments. You should also remove the metal hooks.
2. Adjust the pulley until it is at its highest setting.
3. Hold the ends of your cable in your hands, palms facing in. Now grab the opposite side so that your left arm has the right pulley, and your right arm has the left pulley.
4. Place your shoulders shoulder-width apart, and adopt a square posture.
5. Continue to extend both arms diagonally until your arms reach the side.
6. Once your arms are extended, hold the position for about 1–2 seconds. Then squeeze your upper back muscles and return to the starting position while keeping tension in the cables.
7. We recommend doing 10–12 repetitions per set.

4. Dumbbell Bent Over Reverse Fly

It is an excellent exercise for building muscle in the rear deltoids.

You should not lift too much weight. It could cause you to use the momentum of lifting the weights rather than holding tension.

Here are the steps:

1. Hold the dumbbells at a weight that is comfortable for you and your body.
2. Standing shoulder-width apart, squat.
3. Keep your head down and bend your spine.
4. Lift your arms until they touch the ground. Make sure you only move your shoulders.
5. Once you have extended your arms for about 1–2 seconds, squeeze your upper back muscles.
6. Keep the dumbbells in the original position by applying constant tension.
7. We recommend doing 10–12 repetitions.

5. Single Arm Bent Over Rows

It is a great exercise to strengthen your back and shoulder muscles. Face pulling is an excellent way to strengthen your shoulder muscles and target your rear deltoid.

Here are the steps:

1. Put your right knee on the bench and your right hand on it.
2. To support yourself, extend the opposite leg behind you.
3. You should choose a heavy dumbbell. However, you must ensure that the dumbbell is challenging but still challenging to perform the technique correctly.
4. Place the dumbbell in your left hand. Make sure your arm is extended to the floor.
5. Move the dumbbell towards your ribs.
6. Hold the dumbbell for about 1–2 seconds as it comes up.
7. Reduce the dumbbell by controlling tension.
8. It is recommended to perform 10–12 repetitions before switching.

6. Wide Grip Inverted Row

It is an excellent exercise for pull days. If you incorporate this into your routines, you will see a difference in your workouts.

This exercise targets your rear deltoids and the rest of your upper back muscles.

Here are the steps:

If you’re new to the exercise, we suggest that you do 6–8 repetitions to build strength. Once you feel more confident, you can go on to 10–12 repetitions per set.

7. Resistant Bands Upright Row

A resistance band upright row is an exercise that I have included in many professional female tennis players’ training programs. It is an excellent activity for people who don’t have access to a cable box or anyone looking for a low-impact movement.

Tennis players, for example, have high demands on their bodies. Resistance band row is a great alternative to face pulling and offers a more excellent range of motion.

Equipment Resistance Bands

Primary Muscles: Traps, Delts, Upper Body, Shoulder Joint

Coaches Tip

Due to its minimal impact on the body, this is an excellent alternative to cable face pulling. It is a great warmup and cooldown option, as well as a great way to increase your range of motion.

Sets and Reps

Three sets of 12 reps

8. Rear deltoid machine

The machine is excellent for targeting the rear deltoid muscle, as it says. This machine can be used to safely and effectively isolate the muscle.

Here are the steps:

1. Place your face towards the pad. The handles should be in line with your shoulders.
2. Keep your hands on the handles and straighten your arms. Then press down.
3. To get the maximum effect, extend your arms fully and squeeze your shoulder blade together.
4. You must maintain tension and not release the position immediately. Slowly return to your original position.

To get the technique right, we recommend that you start light. Then, increase your weight.

9. Lateral Raise

The lateral lift is one of the most popular cable face pull options. It offers many benefits, including strengthening the shoulder and extended mobility.

It’s amazing how complex the lateral raise can be. A lightweight aids in the movement’s stability and range.

Equipment Dumbbells and Resistance Band

Primary Muscles: Traps, Shoulder, and Delts

Tip for Coaches:

Be light. Being overheavy can cause you to lose your form and increase the chance of injury.

Sets and Reps

Three sets of 12 reps

10. Seated Shoulder Press With Band

It is a great workout, especially if your goal is to improve shoulder health and face pull. There are many benefits to the band, including the constant tension that the band experiences throughout the face pulls workout. It is unlike when you perform on a cable pulley.

Equipment: Band

Primary Muscles: Shoulders and Lats, Delts, Arms

Tip for Coaches:

The band puts less stress on your shoulder joint so that you can do more reps than traditional weighted versions. You should aim to do between 12–15 repetitions if you have significant training experience.

Sets and Reps

Three sets of 12–15

11. Superman

As the name implies, this iconic bodyweight exercise will make you feel like a superman or woman. This exercise strengthens the core, lower back, and shoulders muscles and gives you a great stretch all over your body.

Superman is a bodyweight movement that can be done anywhere. It’s also very accessible.

None

Primary Muscles: Upper Back, Lower Back, Core, Glutes, and Core

Tip for Coaches:

Perform the superman by keeping your hands and feet at the same height. It creates a smooth curve in your spine.

The one-leg one-arm version is a good alternative if you find it too difficult to raise both your legs simultaneously. This version allows you to raise your right leg while raising your left arm. It also increases the range of motion within your body.

Sets and Reps

Three sets of 12 reps.

12. External Rotation

External rotation strengthens the external shoulder rotators. There are four rotators total, with two being external. These external rotators play a critical role in stabilizing the shoulder joint and muscle. They also allow for a range of motion.

Because the movement promotes range, this is the ideal exercise for anyone suffering from shoulder pain. This exercise is also great for rehabilitation patients. It allows the stabilizing muscles to recover without placing them under unnecessary stress.

Resistance Band Equipment

Primary Muscles: Delts, Shoulder, and Lats

Coaches Tip

External rotation can put stress on shoulder joints, so be careful to go lighter. However, it can be an influential tool in improving overall shoulder, lat, and external rotation stability if done correctly.

Sets and Reps

Three sets of 12

13. Single Arm Resistant Band Lateral Raise

For those who want to develop their shoulders, the single-arm lateral lift is the ideal exercise.

You can force your body to stabilize and improve balance by only working on one side at a time. The bands are gentle on your joints and can be helpful if you have suffered from previous shoulder pain.

Resistance Band Equipment

Primary Muscles: Shoulders and Delts, Core, Lats, Lats.

1. Put your right foot in front of the resistance band. Now, place your right foot in the middle of the resistance band.
2. Begin by bending your elbows slightly. Next, lift the band upwards and to the side.
3. Your arms should be parallel with the ground at the top of the movement. Pause for 2 seconds to fully enjoy the benefits of the contraction.
4. Reverse the direction and return to the original position.

Coaches Tip

Concentrate your attention on the form and execution of the exercise. The resistance bands create tension throughout the movement. It puts maximum strain on the shoulders and causes minimal stress. It is ideal for seniors or those in rehabilitation.

Sets and Reps

Three sets of 12

14. One Arm Resistant Band Press

The main difference between traditional weights and the resistance band is that it forces your body to stabilize one side. These exercises, also known as “unilateral,” stimulate strength and improve range of motion.

Resistance Band Equipment

Primary Muscles: Delts, Shoulders, and Lats

1. Stand on one foot in the middle of the band, as you would for a banded curl of your biceps.
2. Press the resistance band upwards over your head, making sure you engage the core. To activate the side and front delts, rotate your hands slightly after you explode up.
3. Stop at the top of the movement and count for 2 seconds before you return to the beginning.

Coaches Tip

You can add resistance to the band to make it more difficult. There are three ways you can do this. To increase resistance, you can first change to a stronger band. Next, adjust your stance and then wrap the band around your other foot.

Sets and Reps

Three sets of 12 reps

Modifications

You can do this exercise in many different ways to make it easier or to target specific muscles.

Do you need a modification?

You can use heavy-duty resistance bands to mimic movement if you have them. It is a good option for people who are just starting to train their rear delts. However, the bands may not offer enough resistance to be challenging advanced exercisers.

You can also do dumbbell exercises to target your rear delts if you don’t have access to resistance bands or a cable machine. Although it is not an ideal replacement for face pulls (which are the best), it targets the same muscle groups.

Are you up for a challenge?

Although the preferred grip is overhand, some trainers recommend an alternative grip: the underhand grip. Do this by using lighter weights and going slower.

If you’re looking to build muscle and lift heavier weights, a seated position is best. You are less likely to use your hips or lower body with heavier weights, and this will reduce the strain on your deltoids. Sitting can help you maintain a stable core and torso.

Variations on Face Pull

Resist band faces pull-apart

You can also do the exercise without a cable machine if you don’t have one. Just make sure that you have somewhere stable to connect the sizeable looped resistance bands.

You can add dimension to the exercise by reaching out your hands to either side of the band while pulling it towards your face.

The pull-apart will increase your upper back strength and shoulders. It makes it a great warmup exercise for your upper body before you do a free weights workout.

Pull your face down from the seated position

Sitting is the best way to increase your face pulls’ weight. It will give you a stable base.

It will give you an extra challenge on your upper back while also compensating for the possibility that the cable’s additional weight could cause your body to move out of place during the exercise.

Face pulls that are core-centric

Now, bend down to adjust the cable machine to the right height for your mid-chest. This tiny adjustment is crucial for your posture and core stability.

To increase your range of motion, flip your grip

You can also flip your grip to face the sky so your palms are facing up. This variation on the original move can help you stabilize your spine and core when handling heavy items in your day. This one can be done with lower weight and fewer reps.

To focus more on each arm, make the movement unilateral

You can always do it one at a time with this arm. Unilateral training is a method that helps exercise enthusiasts prevent injuries, strengthen their bodies, and build muscle balance.

You can do this by attaching a cable machine attachment to only one rope or by grabbing a single end of your resistance band.

Safety and Precautions

Talk to your doctor if you have back or shoulder pains. Stop if you feel pain while doing the exercise.

Conclusion

Face pulling is a great functional exercise that allows you to live your life without going to the gym.

However, you can do it at home as long you have resistance bands with different weights to hold on to for any workouts you want to incorporate it into.

Now you have all the information you need about-face pulls.

If you’ve any queries regarding health and fitness, let us know by sounding them off in the comments section. Your health is our priority!

Originally published at https://healthsalubrity.com on July 4, 2021.