Face Pulls: The Ultimate Guide to Bigger Rear Delts

Face Pulls: The Ultimate Guide to Bigger Rear Delts

If I had to choose one exercise that has saved my shoulders and helped me carve out real 3D shape in my delts, it would be the face pull.

For bodybuilders, this isn’t just an accessory move or a warm-up drill. The face pull is a rear delt hypertrophy tool, a shoulder health essential, and one of the most effective ways to balance your physique.

Most lifters hammer pressing — bench, incline, overhead — which leaves the front delts overdeveloped and the rear delts flat. That imbalance doesn’t just kill your look; it wrecks your posture and sets you up for injury.

The face pull is the antidote. It trains your posterior delts, traps, rhomboids, and external rotators — muscles that make your shoulders look wider, thicker, and healthier. Done correctly, it adds both size and longevity to your lifting career.

In this guide, I’ll break down everything you need to know: anatomy, setup, technique, variations, programming strategies, and practical takeaways to make face pulls one of the most valuable tools in your arsenal.

Why Face Pulls Deserve a Spot in Your Routine

Most lifters think of face pulls as “shoulder prehab,” but they’re more than that. Here’s why they should be treated like a mainstay exercise, not just a warm-up drill:

1. Rear Delt Growth

The posterior delts are notoriously stubborn. They don’t get enough stimulation from chest pressing, and even rows often shift tension toward lats and traps. The face pull directly targets the rear delts with constant tension and a perfect resistance curve.

2. 3D Shoulder Aesthetics

Big front delts and wide side delts look incomplete without rear delt development. When your rear delts pop, your shoulders look truly round and “3D” — from the side, the rear, and even on stage in a front pose.

3. Shoulder Health & Stability

Face pulls hammer the rotator cuff and the muscles that stabilize your scapulae. These are the structures that keep your shoulders safe during heavy benching, pressing, and even pulling. Skip them, and you’re asking for nagging pain later.

4. Posture Correction

Most lifters spend hours hunched over desks or hammering chest day. That leads to forward shoulder roll. Face pulls strengthen the muscles that pull your shoulders back and open up your chest, restoring balance.

Bottom line: face pulls build size, strength, and longevity all at once.

Muscles Worked

Understanding what you’re actually training makes it easier to lock in mind-muscle connection:

• Primary: Posterior Deltoid (rear delt)
• Secondary: Traps (mid/lower), Rhomboids, Rotator Cuff (infraspinatus, teres minor)
• Stabilizers: Core, Forearms

This unique mix makes face pulls both a hypertrophy builder and a rehab exercise — rare for one lift.

How to Do Face Pulls (Step by Step)

Here’s how to perform them with strict form for maximum delt engagement:

1. Setup

• Attach a rope to a cable machine at upper-chest or eye level.
• Grip with palms facing inward, thumbs pointing behind you.
• Step back to create tension, using a staggered stance for balance.

2. Execution

• Pull the rope toward your forehead/upper face.
• Lead with your elbows driving out and back (not tucked).
• As you reach your face, rotate hands outward so knuckles flare out.
• Squeeze your rear delts and traps hard at the peak.
• Return slowly under control, keeping constant tension.

3. Rep Ranges

• Hypertrophy: 3–4 sets of 12–15
• Prehab/Accessory: 2–3 sets of 15–20
• Strength/Power: 3–5 sets of 8–10 (with strict form and moderate weight)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even advanced lifters butcher face pulls. Here are the big errors:

❌ Pulling too low → turns the movement into a row, shifting tension to lats.
❌ Going too heavy → traps dominate, delts miss out.
❌ Skipping external rotation → missing the rotator cuff and rear delt activation.
❌ Arching the lower back → compensating instead of isolating.
❌ Short ROM → failing to reach full contraction robs you of growth.

Fix: Think “elbows out, rotate wide, squeeze hard.”

Variations of Face Pulls

To keep your training fresh and cover all angles, rotate in these variations:

1. Seated Face Pull – Stricter form, no leg drive.
2. Single-Arm Face Pull – Corrects imbalances and increases range of motion.
3. Resistance Band Face Pull – Perfect for home training, warm-ups, or pump sets.
4. Incline Bench Face Pull – Lying chest-supported removes momentum.
5. Overhead Face Pull (High Pulley) – Shifts tension for more lower-trap recruitment.

Programming Face Pulls

When to Train Them

• At the end of a pull day (after rows and pull-ups).
• On shoulder day, paired with lateral raises.
• As a primer before pressing (lighter weight, higher reps).

Frequency

2–3 times per week works best. Rear delts can handle higher frequency due to their small size and recovery speed.

Pairing Ideas

• For Hypertrophy: Combine with rear delt flys, lateral raises.
• For Strength: Pair with wide-grip rows or overhead presses.
• For Health: Superset with external rotation band work.

Sample Face Pull Workouts

1. Rear Delt Hypertrophy Finisher

• Face Pulls – 3×15
• Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly – 3×12–15
• Cable Lateral Raise – 3×12–15

2. Strength + Health Combo (Pull Day)

• Wide-Grip Row – 4×8
• Pull-Ups – 4×AMRAP
• Face Pulls – 3×12–15
• Reverse Pec Deck – 3×12

3. Shoulder Prehab Circuit (great warm-up)

• Band Pull-Aparts – 2×20
• Face Pulls – 2×20
• External Rotations – 2×15 each side

Advanced Training Strategies

Once you’ve mastered the basics, use these bodybuilding techniques to push face pull progress:

• Pause Reps: Hold the contraction for 2–3 seconds at forehead level.
• 1.5 Reps: Pull to face, return halfway, pull again = one rep.
• Drop Sets: Go heavy for 8–10, strip weight, rep to 20.
• Superset with Lateral Raises: Builds both rear and side delts in one pump.
• Giant Sets: Pair face pulls with 2–3 rear delt variations for insane volume.

Practical Takeaways

Here’s how to think about face pulls in your training:

• Treat them as a staple, not an afterthought.
• Focus on rear delt contraction and external rotation, not load.
• Train them 2–3x per week for best growth and shoulder health.
• Use a mix of strict hypertrophy sets and lighter prehab work.
• Pair with lateral raises and rows for complete shoulder development.

Conclusion

When it comes to building big, healthy shoulders, the face pull is non-negotiable. It’s not just a pump exercise. It’s not just “rehab.” It’s one of the most powerful tools for hypertrophy, balance, and longevity.

If you’ve been overlooking it or just rushing through it at the end of your session, now’s the time to rethink your approach.

Train it with intent, progressive overload, and variety — and you’ll see the payoff not only in rear delt growth, but also in pressing strength, posture, and injury-free training longevity.

The face pull isn’t just an accessory — it’s a cornerstone.