How do I make the TRX Face Pull harder or easier?

Walk your feet closer to the anchor to lean back further and lift more of your body weight, or step away from it to stand more upright and make it easier. A pause at the finish or a slower lowering phase adds difficulty without changing the angle.

How is the TRX Face Pull different from a cable face pull?

On the Cable Standing Face Pull you stand upright and add plates to progress, while on straps you hold a rigid plank and progress by changing your lean, so the trunk works harder and very heavy loads are not practical. The Ring Face Pull is the same body-weight idea on rings, which swivel more freely.

What is the difference between a TRX Face Pull and a TRX Row?

The TRX Row keeps the elbows close to the sides and pulls the hands toward the ribs, which puts more of the load on the lats. The face pull raises the elbows to shoulder height, pulls the hands to the face and finishes with an outward turn of the upper arms, so the rear shoulders and rotator cuff do more of the work.

How many sets and reps should I do?

Because the goal is controlled upper-back and rear-shoulder work, face pulls are usually done for moderate to high reps, such as 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 20. Pick a lean that lets you hold the finish for a moment on every rep.

Can I do the TRX Face Pull with a sore shoulder?

It depends on the cause. The finish combines raised arms with outward rotation, which some shoulder problems do not tolerate, so stand more upright, limit the turn to a pain-free range, and stop if you feel pinching; persistent shoulder pain should be assessed by a physical therapist.

TRX Face Pull

What Is the TRX Face Pull?

TRX Face Pull is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders and also engages the upper back and rotator cuff. It is a beginner-level movement in which you hold the suspension handles, lean back on straight arms, and pull your hands to either side of your head with the elbows high and wide, turning the upper arms outward as you finish. Your own body weight is the resistance, so the load comes from how far you lean rather than from a weight stack.

The face pull trains the rear of the shoulder and the muscles that pull the shoulder blades back, an area that programs heavy on pressing tend to leave undertrained. It is commonly used as part of an upper-body warm-up, as an accessory on pulling or upper-body days, or as a light balance to bench press and push-up volume. The suspension version needs only an anchor point, which makes it easy to fit into home, outdoor and travel workouts.

The rear deltoids pull the upper arms back and out, the infraspinatus and teres minor rotate them outward at the finish, and the trapezius and rhomboids squeeze the shoulder blades together. In an EMG study of 28 healthy adults, a suspension high row, pulled from a 45-degree lean with the elbows out at shoulder height but without the outward turn at the end, worked the upper, middle and lower trapezius and the posterior deltoid at more than 60% of their maximal voluntary contraction. Holding a straight line from heels to head also keeps the trunk and back extensors working throughout the set.

The arm path is what separates this exercise from its close relatives. The TRX Reverse Fly keeps the arms nearly straight and opens them out to a T, the TRX Y Raise sends straight arms overhead into a Y, and the TRX Row drives the elbows back along the ribs. The face pull bends the elbows and adds outward rotation, so the rotator cuff does more of the work and the load is easier to control than with straight arms.

The TRX Face Pull suits beginners, lifters who want more rear shoulder and upper-back work, and anyone looking for a low-load pull to pair with pressing. Starting almost upright keeps it manageable for most people, and those who struggle to feel the rear shoulders working can build the pattern first with a Band Pull-Apart or a light Cable Standing Face Pull.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Deltoid: Primary
Infraspinatus: High
Lower Trapezius: High
Rhomboid Major: High
Teres Minor: High
Upper Trapezius: High
Biceps Brachii: Medium
Erector Spinae: Medium
Rectus Abdominis: Low
Gluteus Maximus: Minimal

Instructions

Adjust the straps to full length and stand facing the anchor point.
Hold a handle in each hand with a neutral grip, palms facing each other.
Walk your feet in, set them about hip-width apart, and lean back until your arms are straight and reaching up toward the anchor.
Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes so your body forms one straight line from heels to head.
Draw your shoulder blades slightly back and down, keeping your neck long.
Pull the handles toward your face by driving your elbows out to the sides, keeping them high and level with your shoulders.
As your hands pass your shoulders, rotate your upper arms outward so your hands finish beside your head with your forearms pointing up and your palms facing forward.
Pause and squeeze your shoulder blades together without shrugging; your body should now be close to upright.
Slowly straighten your arms to lean back into the start position, keeping your body in a straight line, then repeat.

Common Mistakes

Dropping the elbows
Letting the elbows sink toward the ribs turns the face pull into a row and shifts work away from the rear shoulders and rotator cuff.
Shrugging toward the ears
Lifting the shoulders as you pull moves the effort into the neck and upper traps instead of drawing the shoulder blades back and down.
Skipping the outward turn
Stopping with the hands in front of the chin and the forearms pointing forward leaves out the outward rotation that finishes the movement beside the head.
Sagging hips or arching the back
Breaking the straight line from heels to head lets the hips fold or the lower back arch, which reduces the load on the upper back and strains the spine.
Letting the straps pull you back
Dropping quickly into the start position jerks the shoulders forward and loses the controlled lowering phase that does much of the work.
Leaning too far too soon
Starting at a steep angle makes the load too heavy to finish each rep with high elbows and a full squeeze, so form breaks down early in the set.

Injuries

TRX Face Pull is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The load is a portion of your own body weight, and stepping away from the anchor reduces it at any point. The usual strain points are the neck and upper trapezius when the shoulders shrug toward the ears, the front of the shoulder when the elbows drop and the rotation is forced at the end, and the lower back when the hips sag or the ribs flare during the lean.

Test the anchor and the straps with a gentle lean before every set, and keep a firm grip so a handle cannot slip out of your hand mid-rep. Start close to upright, keep the body in one straight line from heels to head, and lower slowly instead of letting the straps pull your arms straight. Turn the arms outward only as far as is comfortable, since the finish position combines raised arms with outward rotation and can irritate a sensitive shoulder.

To regress, step back so you stand more upright, or build the pattern with a Band Pull-Apart or a light Cable Standing Face Pull. To progress, walk your feet closer to the anchor, add a pause at the finish, slow the lowering phase, or move to the Ring Face Pull.

Stop the set if you feel a sharp or pinching pain at the front or top of the shoulder, pain that worsens with each rep, or numbness or tingling down the arm. Pain that persists after training should be assessed by a physical therapist or physician before you continue.

Overview

Primary Focus: Shoulders
Equipment: Suspension trainer and body weight
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Beginner

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I make the TRX Face Pull harder or easier?: Walk your feet closer to the anchor to lean back further and lift more of your body weight, or step away from it to stand more upright and make it easier. A pause at the finish or a slower lowering phase adds difficulty without changing the angle.
Q: How is the TRX Face Pull different from a cable face pull?: On the Cable Standing Face Pull you stand upright and add plates to progress, while on straps you hold a rigid plank and progress by changing your lean, so the trunk works harder and very heavy loads are not practical. The Ring Face Pull is the same body-weight idea on rings, which swivel more freely.
Q: What is the difference between a TRX Face Pull and a TRX Row?: The TRX Row keeps the elbows close to the sides and pulls the hands toward the ribs, which puts more of the load on the lats. The face pull raises the elbows to shoulder height, pulls the hands to the face and finishes with an outward turn of the upper arms, so the rear shoulders and rotator cuff do more of the work.
Q: How many sets and reps should I do?: Because the goal is controlled upper-back and rear-shoulder work, face pulls are usually done for moderate to high reps, such as 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 20. Pick a lean that lets you hold the finish for a moment on every rep.
Q: Can I do the TRX Face Pull with a sore shoulder?: It depends on the cause. The finish combines raised arms with outward rotation, which some shoulder problems do not tolerate, so stand more upright, limit the turn to a pain-free range, and stop if you feel pinching; persistent shoulder pain should be assessed by a physical therapist.