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Face pull
It's the small exercise everyone recommends and almost nobody does right. It works the back of the shoulder and the upper back, which is exactly what stays weak when someone does lots of pushing and little pulling.
What it works
- Rear deltoid, the back of the shoulder
- Middle trapezius and rhomboids, between your shoulder blades
- The shoulder's external rotators, if you add the twist at the end
How to do it
- 1Set the rope at face height
The pulley roughly at head height or a little above. Grab the rope with your palms facing each other, thumbs toward you.
- 2Step back and get set
Arms straight, torso firm, one foot slightly forward if that gives you more stability.
- 3Pull toward your face
Bring your hands toward the sides of your face, pulling them apart, with your elbows high, at shoulder height or a little below.
- 4Rotate at the end
At the finish, rotate your hands back as if you were showing off your biceps. That twist is what works the shoulder's rotation.
- 5Return slowly
Let your arms straighten fully, feeling your shoulder blades spread apart, before the next rep.
The mistakes you see most
- Using too much weight. It's mistake number one. With too much weight, the movement turns into a high row and your upper traps take over. This one is done with light weight and lots of reps.
- Dropping your elbows. If your elbows drop, it becomes a row. The elbows stay high, almost in line with your shoulders.
- Pulling with your body. Leaning back to drag the weight. Your torso stays still.
- Shrugging your shoulders. Shoulders down. If they rise toward your ears, the upper traps take the work meant for the middle ones.
Variations
- With a resistance band. Anchored anywhere at face height. Just as valid, and you can do it at home or as a warm-up.
- Lying face down on an incline bench. With light dumbbells. Same goal without a pulley.
- Reverse flyes. Bent over with dumbbells, opening your arms. It hits the back of the shoulder more and the rotation less.
- On a reverse fly machine. Guided and very comfortable for long sets.
Frequently asked questions
Does it fix your posture?
It helps strengthen the back of the shoulder and the upper back, which tend to be weak in people who do lots of pushing. But posture depends on many things and a single exercise won't fix it.
How many sets and how much weight?
Light weight and twelve to twenty reps. It's one of the few exercises where going light is clearly better.
When should I do it?
It fits well at the end of a push day, or as a band warm-up before pressing. Two or three times a week is enough.
Will it get rid of my shoulder pain?
It isn't a treatment. A painful shoulder should be seen by a physical therapist; this exercise is strength work, not a cure.
And to keep track of what you lift
In the Reverfit Workout app every exercise comes with its animation, and you log the weight and reps set by set, with what you did last time right in front of you. Free and with no ads.
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