You Should be Doing Face Pulls Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training You Should be Doing Face Pulls by Bryan Krahn May 2, 2013November 24, 2021 Tags Bodybuilding, Powerlifting & Strength Face pulls are a staple in powerlifting circles, and they've trickled down to the general lifting population, where they've helped legions of guys fix jacked-up shoulders due to poor programming choices when they first started out. By serving to help offset all that horizontal and vertical pressing, the face pull can rejuvenate your lifting (or at least pressing) career while conditioning the rear delts, rhomboids, and external rotators. It can even help make your posture decidedly less Neanderthal-like, which is a plus unless you're dating a woman who's into the sloped-head, knuckle-dragging type. (I'm told they're out there.) Unfortunately, there's a problem. The typical gym rat performs face pulls so poorly it's a miracle they don't injure themselves further. Face pulls Aren t Power Exercises Use excellent form when doing face pulls. Here's what you should do: Attach a rope to a pulley station set at about chest level. Grasp both ends of the rope with a pronated (overhand) grip. Step back so you're supporting the weight with arms completely outstretched and assume a staggered (one foot forward) stance. Bend the knees slightly for a stable base. Have a partner (optional) place their fingers along your spine at about the mid-back height. This helps remind you not to use the low back to move the weight. Retract the scapulae (squeeze your partner's finger with your shoulder blades) and pull the center of the rope slightly up towards the face. A good cue is to think about pulling the ends of the rope apart, not just pulling back. As you near your face, externally rotate so your knuckles are facing the ceiling. Hold for one second at the top position and slowly lower. Notes Avoid using too much weight with face pulls. Going too heavy forces you to involve the lower back to complete the rep, completely defeating the purpose of the exercise and ratcheting up the potential for injury. Don't push your head forward to meet the rope. This bastardization looks like you're trying to fellate the Invisible Man. For the sake of the children, please don't do it. Don't drop the elbows. Keeping the shoulders-elbows-wrists in a straight line keeps the emphasis on the upper back musculature; dropping the elbows into "low row" position involves more lats. Don't go too fast. I know many big, strong bastards blast through their face pulls explosively, but for most this is a movement best hit with a slower, controlled tempo, especially at first. If you don't have a partner to keep your back in check, try filming a set to verify your technique. You might be surprised just how ugly your form really is. According to an article by Hartman and Robertson, an underhand grip may be a better choice than an overhand grip. If nothing else, I suggest playing around with both variations. Stretch the pec minor between sets. The standard "doorway pec stretch" will suffice. Wrap Up There's a reason the monthly muscle rags run arm training and bench press articles every month – this is what the average ham and egger gym guy wants to read, and it's certainly what they want to train. But you're not a kid anymore, and you're supposed to be wise. And a big part of training wisdom is knowing that what you need is more important than what you want. You really should be doing face pulls. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training The Truth About Olympic Lifts They can be a great tool for athletes and gym rats, as long as you know how to use them... and when to avoid them. Powerlifting & Strength, Training Nick Tumminello August 13 Training Do You Need to Squat Deeply Everyone says deep squatting is the only way to go. But is that right for your goals? Find out here. Squat, Training Dean Somerset July 18 Training 6 Uncomfortable Thoughts About Exercise Form Experienced lifters and coaches know that exercise form is highly individual and highly goal dependent. Here's why. Bodybuilding, Training Charles Staley May 22 Training Tip Kick Ass Rest a Little Kick Additional Ass Studies show that only one hour a week of this type of exercise works better for fat loss than seven hours a week of jogging. Get the workout here. Tips, Training Chris Shugart January 30