Face Pull

Muscles Face Pull Works

Main musclePull the rope toward your face while spreading your elbows out to the sides. The main muscles driving this movement are your rear delts and mid traps. Your rear delts pull your arms back, and your mid traps draw your shoulder blades together.

Supporting musclesYour rhomboids help retract your shoulder blades, your rotator cuff stabilizes the outward rotation, and your lower traps keep your shoulders from shrugging up.

How it should feelAs you pull the rope toward your face, you should feel your rear shoulders and the area between your shoulder blades squeeze together. Your rear delts should feel clear as your hands come near your ears.

Signs you're offIf your shoulders shrug or only your neck feels tight, your upper traps are taking over. If your elbows drop, the movement can turn into more of a row.

Remember thisKeep your elbows wide and pull the rope toward your face to squeeze the rear shoulders.

Muscles used

• Rear deltsback of the shoulders
• Mid trapsupper-middle area between the shoulder blades
• Rhomboidsmuscles between the shoulder blades close to the spine
• Rotator cuffsmall muscles that stabilize the shoulder joint
• Lower trapslower area between the shoulder blades
• Tricepsback of the upper arms

Setting Up for Face Pull

Setup orderSet the cable at face height or slightly above eye level → Attach the rope → Step back and check that the cable runs from face height

• Cable height

  Set it like thisSet the cable hook at face height or slightly above eye level.

  How to checkWhen you hold the rope and step back, the cable should run toward the rope from around face height.

• Rope attachment

  Set it like thisAttach the rope to the cable hook and make sure the latch is fully closed.

  How to checkGently pull the rope toward you. The hook should stay closed and the rope should not come off the cable.

Watch out forAvoid setting the cable too low or starting with the rope hook not fully closed.

Stance for Face Pull

Foot widthStand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, or place one foot slightly forward.

Where your weight goesPress both feet into the floor, and keep your body from being pulled backward.

Upper body positionStand where the rope can be pulled at face height.

Why it mattersIf your foot position is unstable, your body may sway and it becomes harder to work the back of your shoulders.

How to Grip for Face Pull

Grip typeTurn your palms toward the floor and hold just above the rubber stoppers at the rope ends with both hands.

Grip widthKeep your hands close to the rope ends, and match both hand positions at the same height.

How hard to gripPlace the rope in the middle of your palms and wrap your hands around it. Keep the backs of your hands in line with your forearms.

The Key Point for Face Pull

Keep your shoulders from rising toward your ears, and pull the rope to the sides of your face.

Think of it like thisThe feeling of pulling a rope to the side of the face

Before the fixMy shoulders shrug, and only the area around my neck feels tired first.

After the fixThe back of the shoulders and upper back tighten, and the neck strength decreases.