How to do the Face Pull
- Facing a high pulley with a rope or dual handles attached, pull the weight directly towards your face, separating your hands as you do so. Keep your upper arms parallel to the ground.
Muscles worked
| Role | Muscles |
|---|---|
| Primary | shoulders |
| Secondary | middle back |
| Equipment | cable machine |
| Difficulty | intermediate |
| Type | compound |
No cable machine? Train the same muscles with these
Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.
Easier than the Face Pull
Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.
Harder than the Face Pull
Superset the Face Pull with
Opposing lats and middle back work — alternate sets without extra rest.
Common questions
What muscles does the Face Pull work?
The Face Pull primarily works the shoulders, with the mid back as secondary movers. Back Flyes - With Bands, Barbell Rear Delt Row, and Cable Rope Rear-Delt Rows train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.
What equipment do you need for the Face Pull?
A Cable Machine. Without a cable machine, Back Flyes - With Bands, External Rotation with Band, and Band Pull Apart train the same muscle, and 10 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.
Is the Face Pull suitable for beginners?
It is rated intermediate. Start with Back Flyes - With Bands, Barbell Rear Delt Row, and Cable Rope Rear-Delt Rows and work up.
Where should the Face Pull go in a workout?
Early — the Face Pull is compound, working 2 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Elevated Cable Rows and Full Range-Of-Motion Lat Pulldown later.
Similar exercises
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