Face Pulls for Stronger Shoulders and a Defined Back

TL;DR
Face pulls are a vital exercise for targeting the rear delts, upper traps, and other key upper back muscles, essential for shoulder health and posture. Proper form, including a high anchor point, controlled movement, and correct elbow positioning, is crucial to maximise benefits and avoid injury. This guide covers the right techniques and common mistakes to ensure effective muscle engagement and optimal results.

Table of Contents

Face pulls, often overlooked, are the unsung heroes of upper body training. This exercise targets muscles that are critical for posture and strength, yet frequently neglected.

Understanding the intricate dance of muscle groups activated by face pulls sets the stage for mastery. Delts, rhomboids, and traps all spring into action, laying the groundwork for transformation.

What muscles do Face Pulls work?

Face pulls are a compound exercise that targets multiple muscles in the upper body, emphasising the rear delts. When performed using a cable machine with a rope attachment, face pulls activate the posterior deltoid muscles, which are essential for proper shoulder mechanics and stability. These are part of the three-headed deltoid muscle group and are responsible for shoulder external rotation, helping maintain shoulder health along with the rotator cuffs.

In addition to the rear delts, face pulls work a range of upper back muscles. These include the upper traps, which stabilise and move the shoulder blades, and the mid and lower traps that support the upper spine. The exercise also engages the infraspinatus and teres major, which are part of the rotator cuff group and are crucial for the external rotation of the shoulder joint.

For maximum benefit, starting position and form are vital. Using an overhand grip on the rope attachment, a lighter weight is recommended to ensure the right muscles work through the full range of motion without compensating with the wrong muscles. Face pulls are often incorporated into workout routines as an isolation exercise to encourage muscle hypertrophy in the targeted shoulder muscles.

To summarise, the primary muscles worked by face pulls are:

• Rear Deltoids (Posterior Deltoid)
• Upper Traps
• Mid Traps
• Lower Traps
• Infraspinatus
• Teres Major

Step-by-Step Guide

Face pulls are a versatile exercise that can enhance your shoulder health and strengthen various muscles when done correctly. Here’s a step-by-step guide to performing face pulls with proper form to maximise your results:

1. Set-Up: Begin by adjusting a cable pulley machine to the highest level and attach a rope handle. The high anchor point allows for a movement pattern that is more conducive to shoulder health.
2. Grip: Take hold of the rope attachment with your thumbs and index fingers facing towards you (an underhand grip), and your pinkies facing away. This grip ensures that the right muscles are targeted during the exercise.
3. Stance: Adopt a square stance with feet shoulder-width apart. This position helps maintain balance and prevents the body from using momentum instead of muscle strength.
4. Posture: Engage your core and glutes before starting the movement. This stable base is critical for proper execution and for protecting the lower back.
5. Pull: Begin pulling the rope towards your face, specifically aiming for forehead height. Keep your elbows high, and rotate your forearms upward as you pull. This elbow and forearm positioning is crucial for activating the rear delts and upper traps effectively.
6. Controlled Movement: Focus on moving the rope in a controlled manner, concentrating on the muscles in your upper back and shoulders, rather than relying on heavier weights, which can compromise form.
7. Return Phase: Slowly return to the starting position, maintaining tension in the rope. This negative phase also contributes to muscle activation and growth.
8. Repetitions: Perform the set number of repetitions, maintaining strict form throughout to ensure muscle engagement and prevent using momentum.

Avoid common mistakes such as using a heavy weight that compromises your form. Lighter weight and proper technique will ensure that you’re targeting the rear deltoids and upper back muscles without risking injury.

Proper form for face pulls

Proper form is vital when performing face pulls to prevent injury and to ensure the relevant muscles are engaged. Here’s how to achieve the correct form:

• High Anchor Point: Set the cable machine’s rope attachment to the highest level to encourage a high-to-low pull pattern. This approach assists in maintaining external rotation and minimising the risk inherent with shoulder elevation combined with internal rotation.
• Stable Core: Engage your core muscles throughout the exercise. This activation is not only protective for your lower back but also helps to isolate the muscle work to the upper body.
• Forearm Position: As you pull the rope towards you, your forearms should rotate upwards, and elbows should stay high – inline or slightly above your shoulders. This movement pattern allows full engagement of the rear deltoids and upper traps.
• Face Targeting: The rope or band should be directed towards the height of your forehead, rather than the neck or chest, to ensure proper muscle activation.

Remember, face pulls are not about lifting heavy weights. Instead, they are about control, form, and mind-muscle connection. The importance of proper form cannot be overstated as it is essential to reap the benefits of face pulls without experiencing discomfort or injury.

Grip and stance

Grip and stance play crucial roles in the execution of face pulls. Here’s how to set up and maintain the right grip and stance:

• Grip: An underhand grip is optimal for face pulls as it helps ensure you’re using the intended muscles – the rear deltoids and upper back muscles, rather than the larger and more dominant muscles like the biceps.
• Stance: A square, athletic stance will enable you to balance and utilise your strength effectively throughout the exercise. It prevents the temptation to overload and use body momentum instead of muscle force.
• Positioning: Your standing position should be with a slight knee bend, which provides stability. Create tension in the cable by stepping back slightly from the machine, preloading your muscles for the exercise.
• Cable Positioning: Set the cable attachment at chest height to start; this is a good benchmark for preventing deviation to other muscles and ensures you pull the cable straight towards your face.

Consistency in your grip and stance will support controlled movement and effective engagement of the intended muscles, leading to better strength and ensuring overall workout effectiveness.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Face pulls are a fundamental movement in many workout routines aimed at strengthening the upper body, especially the rear delts and upper back muscles. However, several common mistakes can detract from the exercise’s effectiveness and even pose risks of strain or injury. Being mindful of these errors is crucial for muscle hypertrophy and achieving the desired results from your face pulls.

Notably, maintaining a right angle in the arms is essential for proper muscle engagement. If the arms are not positioned correctly with elbows out to the side, the focus may shift from the shoulders to the biceps or forearms. Similarly, it’s important to pull the rope attachment towards your face and not to your chest, neck, or chin. Doing so assures you’re targeting the right muscles—primarily the posterior deltoid, or rear delt, and the upper back muscles.

Another frequent misstep is incorrect arm positioning—the elbows should point outwards, not downwards. This is necessary for the full engagement of the intended muscle groups, specifically the rear deltoids. Lastly, don’t neglect to identify the correct muscle group focus. Understanding that face pulls are meant to target the rear delts and upper back will help prevent inadvertent engagement of the wrong muscles, like the biceps or other back muscles.

Flaring elbows

When performing face pulls, one of the key components to watch for is proper elbow positioning. Flaring your elbows during the exercise is not just recommended; it’s necessary to effectively target the upper back muscles. Well-known fitness expert Kris Gethin advises directing your elbows towards the area of the back you wish to engage. This ensures that you concentrate the effort on the rear delts and the external rotators of the shoulder.

Maintaining the proper elbow position throughout the movement allows you to squeeze the upper back muscles effectively at the end of the range of motion. To promote external rotation of the shoulder during face pulls, the hands should separate at 90° angles, with elbows flaring out. This helps to optimise muscle engagement and reinforces the correct form.

Using too much weight

Many people mistakenly select a heavier weight for face pulls, not considering that the rear delts are a relatively small muscle group requiring lighter weights compared to other shoulder exercises. If you find yourself using momentum to pull the rope or struggling to control the weight during the motion, consider reducing the weight. Doing so can help better target the rear delts without recruiting additional muscle groups or causing injuries.

When exercising at home using a resistance band for face pulls, remember that using a band that provides too much resistance can be unsafe. There is the risk of injury, particularly to the eyes, if the band slips or breaks. Moreover, those experiencing back or shoulder issues should confer with a healthcare provider before incorporating face pulls into their exercise routine to ensure it is appropriate and safe for them.

Jerking or swinging the body

An indication that the weight selected for face pulls may be too much is if you find yourself jerking or swinging your body to complete the movement. Such swinging can engage the lower back unnecessarily, increasing the potential for injury. It’s crucial to focus on a controlled, slow movement, particularly when returning to the starting position, to avoid such heaving motions.

If the weight causes your body to jerk or lose stability, it’s advisable to reduce the load, slow down, and concentrate on maintaining controlled movements. To aid in preventing your lower back from becoming overly involved, staggering your stance or dropping into a kneeling position can be beneficial during face pulls.

Alternatives to Face Pulls

Incorporating variety into upper body workout routines is essential for muscle development and avoiding training plateaus. While face pulls are a fantastic exercise to target the posterior deltoids and upper back muscles, there exist several alternatives that effectively work these areas, providing diverse training stimuli and equipment usage.

Alternatives such as DB Reverse Flyes, Cable Reverse Flyes, Reverse Flye Machine, Band Pullaparts, Bent Over Barbell Facepulls, Incline Dumbbell Facepulls, and Wide Grip Inverted Rows can refresh your workout regimen and help continue the progression toward muscle hypertrophy.

These alternatives allow individuals to engage the primary muscle groups—rear delts, rhomboids, teres minor, infraspinatus, and lower traps—involved in face pulls, but with different angles and levels of resistance. Adequate resistance bands or weights and the availability of machines or free weights determine which alternative exercises are accessible. Furthermore, these variations can add a beneficial mix to shoulder exercises, particularly for those who lack access to cables and for those aiming to prevent overuse injuries associated with repetitive overhead movements.

Rows

Rows are an integral part of many upper body training routines and come in various forms that can mimic the muscle engagement seen in face pulls. The dumbbell rear delt row, for example, activates the rear delts by rowing dumbbells with the upper arms flared out to the sides. This form of the row requires an overhand grip and a potent engagement of the shoulder muscles throughout the range of motion.

Likewise, the barbell rear delt row calls for rowing a barbell high from the ground to the chest, concentrating the effort on the rear deltoids. The cable rear delt row, performed using a cable machine and a rope attachment, incorporates not only the rear deltoids but also the rotator cuffs and trapezius muscle, making it a comprehensive upper back workout.

Both dumbbell and barbell rear delt rows stand out as potent exercises for isolating and strengthening these crucial shoulder muscles, while also aiding shoulder mobility and overall shoulder strength.

Rear delt flyes

The rear delt flye is another essential exercise for hitting the same muscle groups that are worked during face pulls, albeit with a slightly different movement pattern. This exercise typically involves less external rotation at the shoulder but remains a significant player in shoulder exercises for muscle development.

To execute a proper dumbbell rear delt fly, one may either hinge at the waist or use an adjustable weight bench to lie prone with a dumbbell in each hand. From this starting position, the movement requires rotating the arms so that the elbows point outward and sweeping the hands to the sides in a controlled motion.

Focusing on the rear deltoids, this isolation exercise also recruits the middle and lower fibres of the trapezius muscles. Regular inclusion of rear delt flyes in workout routines can help circumvent muscular imbalances, support optimal posture, and contribute to increased shoulder stability and strength.

A lighter weight is often more suitable for this exercise, allowing for a full range of motion while maintaining proper form, therefore maximising the engagement of the targeted upper back muscles and rear delts.