Band Face Pull
What Is the Band Face Pull?
Band Face Pull is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders, especially the rear deltoids, and also engages the rotator cuff muscles that turn the arm outward, the middle trapezius and the rhomboids. It is a beginner-level movement that needs only a resistance band anchored at about head height, around a rack upright, a sturdy post or a door anchor, which makes it easy to do at home, while traveling or as part of a gym warm-up.
The pull starts with the arms straight in front of the body and finishes with the hands at forehead height, just in front of the face, and the elbows high and out to the sides. Along the way the rear deltoids pull the upper arms back, the middle trapezius and rhomboids draw the shoulder blades together, and the infraspinatus and teres minor rotate the shoulders outward in the last part of the rep. That bent-elbow pull with external rotation at the end is what sets it apart from the Band Pull Apart and the Band Reverse Fly, which keep the arms nearly straight and train the rear delts and shoulder blade muscles without the rotation.
The band also changes how the load feels compared with other face pull versions. A band gets harder the further it stretches, so the pull is lightest with the arms out in front and heaviest when the hands reach the face, while the Cable Standing Face Pull keeps a steady load from the weight stack and is easier to load heavily. The Ring Face Pull and TRX Face Pull use body weight instead, with the load set by how far you lean back, which also makes the trunk work as it would in a plank.
Coaches most often program the Band Face Pull with a light band and high reps, either as a warm-up before pressing and overhead work or as an accessory at the end of an upper-body session to balance out pressing volume. It suits lifters of every level. If keeping the elbows high or finishing the rotation is hard, build the pieces first with the Band Shoulder External Rotation for the rotator cuff and the Band Pull Apart for the shoulder blades, then combine them in the face pull with a lighter band.
Muscles Worked
- Deltoid
- Primary
- Infraspinatus
- High
- Rhomboid Major
- High
- Teres Minor
- High
- Upper Trapezius
- High
- Lower Trapezius
- Medium
- Brachialis
- Low
- External Oblique
- Minimal
- Rectus Abdominis
- Minimal
Instructions
- Loop the middle of a resistance band around a rack upright or another sturdy anchor at about head height, and check that it is secure and free of nicks or tears.
- Face the anchor and hold one end of the band in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing down.
- Step back until the band is taut with your arms straight in front of you at shoulder height.
- Set a staggered stance with one foot forward and your knees slightly bent, stand tall, brace your core and keep your shoulders down away from your ears.
- Pull the band toward your face by driving your elbows back and out to the sides, keeping them at or slightly above shoulder height.
- As your hands near your face, pull them apart and rotate your shoulders outward so your hands finish at forehead height, just in front of your face, with your elbows high and wide.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for a second without shrugging or leaning back.
- Straighten your arms slowly back to the start, keeping the band taut and in control the whole way.
- Repeat for the desired reps, switching your front foot between sets if you like.
Common Mistakes
Anchoring the band too low
A band anchored at chest or waist height makes you pull upward, so the upper traps take over and the hands finish under the chin instead of up at forehead height.
Letting the elbows drop
Elbows that sink below shoulder height turn the pull into a row, shifting the work to the lats and biceps and away from the rear deltoids.
Skipping the outward rotation
Finishing with the hands level with or below the elbows leaves out the rotation that brings the forearms up toward vertical, so the rotator cuff does little of the work.
Shrugging the shoulders
Letting the shoulders rise toward the ears moves the effort into the neck and upper traps instead of the rear deltoids and middle back.
Leaning back with a band that is too strong
Rocking the torso back to finish each rep means the band is too heavy and turns a controlled shoulder exercise into a body swing that loads the lower back.
Letting the band snap back
Releasing the tension quickly on the way out skips the controlled return and pulls the shoulders forward with a jerk.
Injuries
Band Face Pull is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The load is light and the spine is not loaded, but the front of the shoulder can be irritated by forcing the outward rotation past a comfortable range or by fighting a band that is too strong, and shrugging during the pull loads the neck and upper trapezius instead of the rear deltoids. Leaning back to finish a rep shifts strain to the lower back.
Because the band is pulled toward the face, a band that breaks or slips off its anchor can snap back toward the eyes. Check the band for nicks, tears and worn spots before each session, wrap it securely around a stable upright or use a proper door anchor, and keep a grip on both ends until the band is slack again.
To make the movement easier, use a lighter band, step closer to the anchor or build up with the Band Shoulder External Rotation and the Band Pull Apart. To progress, use a stronger band, add a pause at the face or move to the Cable Standing Face Pull for heavier, steadier loading.
Stop if you feel a sharp or pinching pain at the front or top of the shoulder, pain that comes with clicking or catching in the joint, or numbness or tingling down the arm, and have it checked before continuing.
- Primary Focus
- Shoulders
- Equipment
- Resistance bands
- Modality
- Strength
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Alternative Exercises
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: How is the Band Face Pull different from a Band Pull Apart or Band Reverse Fly?
In the face pull the elbows bend and the hands travel toward the face, finishing at forehead height with the elbows high and the shoulders rotated outward. The Band Pull Apart and Band Reverse Fly keep the arms nearly straight and sweep them out to the sides, so they train the rear delts and shoulder blades without the rotator cuff rotation.
- Q: Is a band or a cable better for face pulls?
Neither is better for everyone. A band is portable, gets harder as it stretches and suits light, high-rep warm-up and accessory work, while the Cable Standing Face Pull keeps the load steady through the whole rep and makes it easier to add weight in small steps.
- Q: How high should I anchor the band?
Anchor it at about head height, around eye level or slightly above, so the band runs level with your face at the end of the pull. A lower anchor makes you pull upward and shifts the work to the upper traps.
- Q: Should I use an overhand or underhand grip?
The standard version uses an overhand grip with the palms facing down at the start. Some coaches use an underhand grip as a variation that some people find easier on the wrists and shoulders, usually with a lighter band and a slower tempo.
- Q: How many sets and reps should I do?
As a warm-up before pressing, 1 to 2 sets of 15 to 20 reps with a light band is common. As an accessory exercise, 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 20 reps with a pause at the face works well, stopping a couple of reps before your form starts to slip.