MariposasHow to Do the Face Pull
By Zachary, builder of Mariposas · Reviewed against published exercise-science sources (references)
· Last updated June 2026
The face pull is one of the few cable exercises that loads the rear delts and rotator cuff through external rotation simultaneously, which is exactly the movement pattern that gets neglected by most pressing-heavy programs. Rows and reverse flyes hit the upper back, but they rarely challenge the shoulder into that externally rotated, elbows-high position the face pull demands. That combination of rear delt activation and rotator cuff strengthening makes it a go-to corrective and hypertrophy tool for lifters whose shoulders have started to round forward from too much bench pressing. Track your sets, reps, and cable weight for free in the Mariposas app.
How to do it
- Set a cable pulley to roughly forehead height or slightly above, attach a rope handle, and grip each end of the rope with an overhand grip so your thumbs point toward your face at the finish position.
- Stand far enough back from the stack that the cable is taut with your arms extended, feet staggered or shoulder-width apart for a stable base, core braced.
- Initiate the pull by driving your elbows out to the sides and slightly upward, not down toward your hips the way you would in a row.
- As the rope approaches your face, externally rotate your shoulders so your hands split apart and finish beside your ears, palms facing forward, upper arms roughly parallel to the floor.
- Hold the contracted position for a full count, making sure both sides of the rope have traveled past the plane of the rope attachment point and your elbows are tracking high.
- Resist the urge to let the weight yank your arms straight; control the eccentric over two to three seconds, keeping tension on the rear delts and rotator cuff throughout.
- Reset at full arm extension without letting your shoulders shrug up toward your ears or your torso rock backward to help the weight move.
Form cues
- Elbows high, not low.
- Split the rope, don't just pull it.
- Hold the squeeze before you let it go.
- Chin stays neutral, don't jut it forward to meet the rope.
- Chest tall the whole set.
Common mistakes
- Pulling to the neck instead of the face: this shifts the load from the rear delts toward a rowing pattern and removes the external rotation component entirely; consciously aim for the forehead or nose level.
- Letting the elbows drop below shoulder height: when the elbows dip, the upper back does most of the work and the rotator cuff is barely challenged; cue yourself to lead with the elbows, not the hands.
- Using too much weight and rocking the torso: body English turns the face pull into a full-body heave that loses the isolation benefit; drop the load until you can complete reps without your hips or back moving at all.
- Not splitting the rope at the finish: many lifters pull the rope to their face as a single unit, which compresses internal rotation rather than promoting external rotation; actively pull the hands apart as they approach your face.
- Shrugging the shoulders throughout the set: upper trap dominance can creep in when the weight is heavy, reducing rear delt and rotator cuff involvement; think about keeping your shoulder blades depressed slightly before each rep begins.
Why do the Face Pull?
- The rear delts are chronically undertrained in most programs because horizontal pressing loads them in a lengthened position while compound rows often default to lat and mid-back dominance; the face pull addresses this gap directly.
- The external rotation demand at end range builds rotator cuff strength in the position where shoulder impingement problems most commonly start, making it a practical tool for maintaining shoulder health under heavy pressing loads.
- Because the cable provides constant tension throughout the range of motion, the rear delts are loaded even at full extension in a way that free-weight alternatives like band pull-aparts cannot replicate as consistently.
- Improved rear delt and rotator cuff strength tends to carry over to overhead pressing stability, since a stronger posterior shoulder creates a more controlled platform for the humerus to move from.
Face Pull variations
- Band Face Pull
- A resistance band looped around a rack works as a regression when a cable station is unavailable or when someone is learning the movement pattern without the distraction of managing cable stack weight.
- Seated Cable Face Pull
- Performing the movement from a seated position on a bench eliminates lower body involvement entirely, which is useful for lifters who tend to use momentum or find it hard to isolate the rear delts while standing.
- Single-Arm Cable Face Pull
- Working one arm at a time exposes and corrects left-to-right imbalances, though the external rotation finish must be deliberately practiced since there is no rope to split.
- Face Pull with External Rotation Pause
- Adding a two to three second pause at the externally rotated endpoint increases time under tension for the rotator cuff and is commonly used as a progression once standard form is solid.
How to program it
Face pulls tend to appear as accessory or prehab work rather than a primary lift, typically programmed toward the end of an upper body session after heavier pressing or pulling. Many lifters use them in higher rep ranges, often 12 to 20 reps, because the rear delts and rotator cuff respond well to volume and the movement is low enough in fatigue cost to handle frequently. Some coaches program them multiple times per week specifically because of how often the posterior shoulder gets shortchanged. Weight selection is usually conservative, prioritizing control over load.
Face Pull alternatives
FAQ
- What height should the cable be set at for face pulls?
- Forehead height or slightly above tends to work best for most people. When the pulley is too low, the angle encourages the elbows to drop and turns it into more of a row. A higher pulley keeps the elbows tracking outward and upward, which is where the exercise gets its rear delt and rotator cuff stimulus.
- Why do my rear delts not feel the face pull?
- The most common reason is that the elbows are dropping or the weight is too heavy, both of which let the upper back take over. Try reducing the load significantly and focusing entirely on driving the elbows up and out while splitting the rope at the finish. Slowing the eccentric also helps establish a mind-muscle connection that is genuinely tricky on this exercise at first.
- Can face pulls replace rows for upper back work?
- Not really. Face pulls train the rear delts and rotator cuff in a specific external rotation pattern that rows do not prioritize, but rows cover a broader pulling pattern and load the lats and mid-back more substantially. The two movements complement each other rather than one replacing the other.
- How is a face pull different from a rear delt fly?
- The big mechanical difference is the external rotation component. A rear delt fly moves the arms in horizontal abduction but does not finish with that elbows-high, hands-wide externally rotated position that the face pull demands. The cable also provides constant tension, whereas dumbbells lose tension at the top of a fly when the arms are fully abducted.
- Is there a way to do face pulls without a cable machine?
- A resistance band anchored at forehead height replicates the movement reasonably well and is a practical home option. The tension curve is different since bands get harder as they stretch rather than staying constant, but the motor pattern translates and it is enough to learn the movement before accessing a cable stack.