Fitness Flohmarkt · Guide
How to do Face Pulls correctly: Technique, weight, and the right equipment
The exercise that almost everyone makes too difficult, thereby turning it into bad rowing. Here is how the pull really goes and what you can use to perform it in the gym, the home gym, or completely without equipment.
Learn cable lateral raises: pulley height, angle and controlled arm path
In short
Face pulls are a pulling exercise for the rear shoulders and upper back. Set the pulley at eye level, pull the rope towards your face and separate your hands beside your ears. Keep your torso steady and do not move your head towards the rope. Choose a load that allows 12 to 20 controlled repetitions.
Technique · Choosing the load · Common mistakes
Basics
What are face pulls, and which muscles do they work?
A face pull brings a rope at head height towards your face while separating its two ends. It mainly trains the rear shoulder, along with the middle and lower trapezius, rhomboids and shoulder external rotators. You need resistance coming from in front at roughly eye level: a cable station, a digital cable machine or a band at head height. This is precisely the musculature that gets hardly any work during pushing exercises like the bench press and is missing as a counterweight in a push-dominated routine. The appeal of the exercise lies in the combination: it unites horizontal pulling with external rotation of the upper arms, and these two things rarely come together in any single exercise otherwise. Therefore, it is featured at the end of the session in many routines rather than as a main exercise.
Because the load remains small, the face pull also appears outside the weight room, for example as a strengthening exercise in the Rehab and physio category. This exercise is not intended for heavy maximum attempts. Controlling the pull and external rotation is what matters.
Execution
How do you do face pulls correctly?
Set the pulley at eye level or just above, attach a rope and pull it towards your face. Move your elbows out and back and separate the rope ends beside your ears. Keep your torso upright and stagger your feet so the cable does not pull you forwards. Pause briefly at the end, then return the rope under control rather than letting it snap back. Follow these five steps:
- Adjust height: Pulley at eye level or just above. The rope should travel towards your face, not your chest.
- Grab and set up: Grip both rope ends securely, keep your wrists straight and step back until the cable is under tension with your arms extended.
- Pull: Draw your shoulder blades together and move your elbows out and back. Do not push your head forwards.
- Final position: Bring your hands beside your ears and separate the rope ends. Keep your upper arms roughly at shoulder height. Rotate your forearms upwards and outwards without shrugging your shoulders. Pause briefly.
- Return: Extend your arms under control and let your shoulder blades glide forwards again. Keep your head and torso in the same position.
Breathing and tempo are straightforward: breathe out as you pull and return under control. If you can only pass through the finish without controlling it, reduce the load by one step.
A shows the intended arm position with hands beside the head. B shows a pull too low towards the chest. Simplified AI-generated technique illustration; the rope and cable machine are omitted for clarity.
1. Set the height
The pulley is at eye level. Step back far enough for the cable to be under tension with your arms extended.
2. Pull towards your face
Bring the rope to you. Keep your head where it is and do not use your torso for momentum.
3. Separate your hands
Bring your hands beside your ears. Elbows out, shoulders away from your ears, then return under control.
The technique follows the exercise instructions from the NSCA and the NASM.
Stress
How heavy should face pulls be?
Light. Face pulls work in a range of 12 to 20 repetitions, and the load is appropriate when your last repetition keeps the same position as your first. A practical check needs no table: if you lean your torso back, jerk the rope or drop your elbows, the load is too high. In practice, most people use much less than for rows, which fits the purpose of the exercise. Controlled movement matters more than the number on the stack. Two to three sets can be enough to start. Frequency depends on the other shoulder and back work in your programme.
Between two levels you take the smaller one and hold the endpoint one second longer. That costs more than adding two kilos.
A fixed kilogram recommendation is not very useful here. Pulley ratios can make two cable machines feel different despite the same displayed weight. Band resistance changes with stretch. Compare the quality of your repetitions rather than the number on the machine.
Rope and handle
Which rope or handle do you need for face pulls?
A rope, not a rigid handle. Face pulls thrive on the fact that the two hands can move apart from each other at the end point, and that is only possible with a split attachment. A lat pulldown bar or a parallel handle fixes the distance between the hands and takes away the exact part of the exercise that makes it special. A classic triceps rope serves the purpose completely, even though the name points to a different exercise: It is the same attachment, just used differently. The length is important. A short rope forces the hands together, a long one gives room for the end position. Everything else is a question of comfort, and the grip diameter decides that. The entire selection is in the category Cable pull handles.
Triceps rope | ideal for triceps training
- CHF 10.00
- 68 cm length
- Nylon
- 28 mm handle
- up to 120 kg
- 0.75 kg
- Art. F-66941
Nylon rope with a chrome swivel. The swivel allows the rope to follow the rotation instead of twisting at the carabiner. At 68 cm, it is long enough for the hands to move significantly apart at the endpoint.
Ideal for: every cable machine in the gym or home gym, and as the very first attachment ever.
View ropeOn the digital cable machine, the classic rope does not fit every connector. That is where the Beyond Power Functional Rope for CHF 80 per roll, a nylon rope with stainless steel attachment from the same system.
Without cable machine
Face Pulls at home: with a band, on a DIY cable machine, or with a dumbbell?
Face pulls work well with a resistance band and a self-built cable setup, but not with dumbbells. The reason is the direction of the load. A dumbbell always pulls vertically downwards, but the face pull requires resistance from the front. Anyone searching for face pulls with a dumbbell therefore inevitably ends up with a different exercise: the bent-over reverse fly. This also trains the rear deltoids, but leaves out the external rotation and strains the lower back in the bent-over position. It works as a substitute, but not as the same exercise. Suitable weights for this are listed under Compact dumbbells. For true face pulls at home, there are two ways, and both cost less than a dumbbell.
The simplest is the band. A long loop band placed around the pull-up bar or rack upright at head height, grab both ends, done. Face pulls with a band even have an advantage: the resistance increases with the stretch and is highest at the end point, which is where the external rotators are supposed to work. What else which band is good for is explained by the Resistance Band Buying Guide, the full selection can be found under Buy Resistance Bands.
Resistance Band | Resistance Bands
- Starting at CHF 7.00
- 104 cm Loop
- 208 cm circumference
- 4 mm thick
- four steps
- Art. F-51521
Long rubber loop band in four resistance levels. For face pulls, start with the light level: 1.5 cm wide, blue, around 6 to 14 kg of pull. Begin with little initial tension and check that you can control the finish. The kilogram range depends on how far the band is stretched and is not a fixed training load. A set of three costs CHF 25.
Ideal for: Apartment without appliances, hotel room, warming up before the big day.
View Tapes| Level | Color | Width | Traction | For Face Pulls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| light | blue | 1.5 cm | about 6 to 14 kg | Check this level first when starting |
| medium | red | 2 cm | about 18 to 32 kg | Only with controlled technique |
| strong | black | 3 cm | about 27 to 45 kg | Usually too strong for a beginner |
| extra strong | orange | 6.5 cm | about 36 to 68 kg | Usually too strong for a beginner |
The second option makes sense if you already have a rack and weight plates. A pulley, cable and weight-loading system turn it into a cable station: CHF 45 for the system plus CHF 10 for the rope makes CHF 55 if you already own 50 mm plates. The stated load limit is 150 kg. For face pulls, start light and check the movement. The mounting point must be suitable for the system.
Cable Pulley System | Cable Pulley System
- CHF 45.00
- 50 mm shot
- Steel, powder-coated
- max. 150 kg
- Art. F-93829
Weight-bearing device, cable, pulley, connecting loop, and three carabiners. This turns any sturdy anchor point into a pull-up bar. Grips and ropes are not included.
Ideal for: Home gyms with a rack and 50-mm plates that don't have room for a station.
View the train system| Variant | What you need | Costs | Resistance | Goes well with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cable pull plus rope | Workout station in the studio or home gym, Triceps Cable | CHF 10 for the rope | finely graduated on the block | Studio, large home gym |
| Long loop band | Suspension point at head height | Starting at CHF 7.00 | increases with elongation | apartment, travel |
| DIY rack mount | Rack, 50mm plates, cable system, cable | CHF 55 in total | can be selected per disc | Home gym with rack |
| Digital cable machine | Device plus mount and cable | Unit CHF 2,490; mount and rope cost extra | 2 to 90 kg electronic | small rooms without iron |
Fault pattern
The most common mistakes in face pulls
You can often spot excessive load in your torso: you lean further back with each pull or jerk the rope. Another common mistake is aiming too low. If the rope travels to your chest and your hands stay close, you miss the intended finish beside your head. A front or side recording reveals both. Check these five points first:
- Head is pushing forward: The chin moves toward the rope. Head stays where it is, the rope comes to you.
- Rope ends stay together: Without pulling apart, external rotation is missing, then it is close-grip rowing.
- Hollow back The train tilts the pelvis. Keep ribs down, engage the abdomen slightly.
- Wrists bend: Forearm and hand remain in a straight line.
- No stop at the endpoint: You start returning before your hands separate. Use less weight and briefly hold the finish.
Hands beside your head
The rope travels towards your face. Your hands separate and your head stays above your torso.
Pulling towards the chest
Your hands stay together in front of your chest. Raise the pulley, reduce the load and pull towards your face again.
Classification
What is worth it for whom
apartment without appliances
A light loop band fully covers the exercise and fits in the drawer. Start with the blue ribbon.
Home gym with rack
The homemade pull system for CHF 55 is the cheapest addition to the exercise repertoire. The Cable Pulley System hang on to the handlebar.
Studio and Association
Station is there, so only the attachment piece is missing. A second rope saves changing time in the course. The choice is between the Cable accesses.
Physiotherapy and Rehab
Here, fine metering at the lower end matters, not the upper limit. An electronic pull starts at 2 kg in 0.5 kg increments, as can be read in the Voltra Buying Guide.
If you are unsure about device selection, you can find it under all purchasing advisors the comparisons to the other product groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Face Pulls: The most important answers
What muscles do face pulls work?
Face pulls primarily train the rear deltoids, the middle and lower trapezius, the rhomboids, and the external rotators of the shoulder. Because the pull is at head level and the hands move apart at the end point, an external rotation is added to the pulling movement. Exactly this combination is missing in most training plans.
How heavy should face pulls be?
Light enough for 12 to 20 clean repetitions. The weight is right when the last repetition looks just like the first. As soon as you lean back, use momentum to jerk the weight, or let your elbows drop, it's too heavy. When in doubt, choose the lower setting and hold the endpoint longer.
At what height do you set the cable machine for face pulls?
Start at eye level or just above. The rope should travel towards your face and your hands should finish beside your ears. Pulley height alone does not keep your elbows up; watch that throughout the movement. When seated, adjust the height to your seated position.
Can you do face pulls with a band?
Yes, and it is the simplest option at home. Secure a long loop band at head height, grip both ends and pull as you would on a cable machine. Band resistance increases with stretch and is highest at the finish, where the external rotators work. Start with the light level and little initial tension. Keep the finish controlled.
Do face pulls work with dumbbells?
No. A dumbbell pulls straight down, the face pull needs resistance from the front. As a substitute for the rear shoulder, there is the bent-over reverse fly, which, however, lacks external rotation. Anyone who wants the complete movement needs a band or a cable pull at head height.
How often should you train face pulls?
As a starting point, include it on two training days with two to three controlled sets each time. Account for your other pulling and shoulder exercises. For a warm-up, keep the load and volume lower so you do not tire yourself before the main exercise.
The rope that makes the exercise possible
A split mouthpiece is the only requirement that truly matters. Everything else is technique.
View ropes and handles