Isolation

Face pull

Pulling a rope to the face with external rotation. The best shoulder-pain prophylactic for people who press a lot.

Equipment
Cable, Bands
Level
Beginner
Primary muscles
Rear delts, Mid and lower traps
Secondary muscles
Shoulder external rotators
Working range
12–20 reps · RIR 1

Step by step

Movement diagram: Face pull
A movement diagram, not a photograph. It shows the sequence of joint angles and the path of the load — body proportions are schematic. If you have reduced motion enabled, you will see both positions side by side.
  1. 1Set the cable at face height or slightly above.
  2. 2Grip both rope ends with a neutral grip, thumbs pointing back at you.
  3. 3Step back, arms straight, shoulder blades protracted.
  4. 4Pull the rope towards your face, spreading your hands apart and keeping the elbows high.
  5. 5In the end position the forearms are roughly vertical and the hands are beside your head.
  6. 6Return slowly, controlling the whole range.

What makes the biggest difference

Common mistakes

Too much weight

It turns into a row and the external rotation — the whole point — disappears. This is a 15-20 rep exercise.

Elbows dropping low

Keep them at shoulder height throughout.

What to do instead

No cable station

Band face pull

A band anchored to a bar gives the same movement and enough resistance — this is a light exercise anyway.

Contraindications

  • A recent rotator cuff injury — agree the dosage with a physiotherapist.

This is not medical advice. If any of these apply to you, or the exercise causes pain, talk to a doctor or physiotherapist before returning to training.

Log your sets and watch the progression

You enter weight, reps and RIR — the app computes your estimated 1RM, plots the strength curve and suggests the next session’s load along with the reasoning.

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