Face Pull (Cable)

How to do the face pull

1. Set a rope on a cable pulley at upper-chest height. Hold one end in each hand with your thumbs pointing back toward you.
2. Step back until your arms are straight in front of you. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart or one foot in front.Breathe
3. Pull the rope toward your face. Lead with your elbows and keep them high, about level with your shoulders.
4. Pull the ends of the rope apart as the rope gets close, so that your hands finish beside your ears.
5. Squeeze your upper back and hold the end position for a moment.
6. Let your arms go back to straight slowly, under control, with your body still tall.

Breathing. Breathe in while your arms are straight. Breathe out as you pull the rope toward your face, then breathe in again on the return.

Tips

• Face pulls work well with light weights and smooth reps. Heavy loads usually turn the movement into a body swing.
• Grip the rope with your thumbs at the ends, so the rope does not slip as you pull it apart.

Muscles worked

The face pull works mainly the rear delts and upper back.

Sets, reps and rest

These numbers come from the same rules as the Oh My Coach app. Use a load that leaves 1 to 3 reps in reserve. When you reach the top of the range in every set, add a little load or move to the harder version (double progression). What is double progression?

Common mistakes

• Leaning back to move the weight

  Why it matters: The body swing does the work, and the rear delts and upper back do less.

  Fix: Use a lighter weight and keep your torso still and tall for the whole set.

• Elbows dropping low

  Why it matters: With low elbows the movement becomes a normal row, and the lats take over from the rear delts.

  Fix: Keep your elbows about level with your shoulders as you pull.

• Pulling the rope to the chest or neck

  Why it matters: A short or low pull misses the end position where the hands move apart and the upper back works hardest.

  Fix: Aim the middle of the rope at your nose or forehead and pull the ends apart beside your ears.

• Letting the weight snap back

  Why it matters: A fast return takes away tension and can pull the shoulders forward hard.

  Fix: Take about as long to return as you take to pull.

Make it easier or harder

This exercise gets harder with load. When every set reaches the top of the rep range with good form, add the smallest weight step you have. To make it easier, use less load or a shorter range of motion while you learn the movement.

Versions of this exercise

Band face pull

rear delts, upper back · resistance bands · Beginner

Full guide coming soon

Alternatives

Same main muscle and the same movement pattern first, from the same rules as the app's swap list.

Rear Delt Fly (Dumbbell)

rear delts, upper back · dumbbells · Beginner

Same movement pattern

Band face pull

rear delts, upper back · resistance bands · Beginner

Same movement pattern

Full guide coming soon

Band pull-apart

rear delts, upper back · resistance bands · Beginner

Same movement pattern

Full guide coming soon

Prone Y-raise

rear delts, upper back · No equipment · Beginner

Same movement pattern

Full guide coming soon

What you need

• Cable machine

Take care if

This exercise loads the shoulder. If your shoulder hurts, stop. Options that do not load the shoulder in the same way: Dumbbell rear delt fly, Band pull-apart. For pain that does not go away, see a doctor or a physiotherapist.

If the front of your shoulder pinches during the pull, stop. Lower the weight or pull to chin height until it feels comfortable.