Cable Standing One Arm Face Pull

How to do the Cable Standing One Arm Face Pull

1. 1Set a cable pulley to roughly head height and attach a single handle.
2. 2Grip the handle with one hand and step back until the cable is taut, standing tall with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
3. 3Brace your core and let the working arm extend toward the pulley, keeping a slight bend in the elbow.
4. 4Pull the handle toward the side of your face, leading with your elbow and driving it back and slightly up.
5. 5As you pull, rotate your hand so your knuckles finish pointing back, squeezing your rear delt and shoulder blade.
6. 6Pause briefly at the end position with the shoulder blade retracted.
7. 7Lower the handle under control back to the start, resisting the cable the whole way.
8. 8Complete your reps on one side, then switch the handle to the other hand and repeat.

Form tips

• Keep the rep slow and controlled — face pulls reward steady tension, not heavy weight thrown with momentum.
• Lead the pull with your elbow rather than your hand to keep the work in the rear delt and upper back.
• Stand tall and avoid twisting your torso toward the cable; keep your trunk square and let the arm do the work.
• Set the pulley at or just above head height so the line of pull matches the muscles you want to train.

Common mistakes

• Using too much weight, which forces you to lean back and yank with your whole body instead of the shoulder.
• Pulling with the hand and biceps instead of leading with the elbow, which takes tension off the rear delt.
• Letting the shoulder shrug up toward the ear, which loads the upper traps rather than retracting the shoulder blade.
• Rushing the lowering phase, losing tension and the external-rotation cue that makes the exercise valuable.

Frequently asked questions