Cable Standing Supinated Face Pull (with rope) exercise animation (Male)

Cable Standing Supinated Face Pull (with rope)

Target muscle
—
Equipment
Cable
Body part
Shoulders
Type
Strength

The cable standing supinated face pull (with rope) is a shoulder exercise that targets the rear deltoids and upper-back muscles that pull the elbows back and squeeze the shoulder blades together. Using a rope attachment on a cable set near face height with an underhand grip, it builds rear-shoulder strength and posture, making it a popular finisher and warm-up for pressing days.

How to do the Cable Standing Supinated Face Pull (with rope)

  1. 1Attach a rope to a cable pulley and set it to about upper-chest or face height.
  2. 2Grip each rope end with an underhand (supinated) grip, palms facing up, and step back until the cable is taut with your arms extended in front of you.
  3. 3Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees soft, core braced, and your chest tall.
  4. 4Pull the rope toward your face, leading with your elbows and driving them back and slightly up as you separate the rope ends.
  5. 5Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end of the pull, keeping your upper arms roughly level with your shoulders.
  6. 6Pause briefly with the hands near your forehead, feeling the contraction across the rear shoulders and upper back.
  7. 7Reverse the motion under control, letting the rope return to the start without letting the weight stack slam down.
  8. 8Complete your reps, then step in to set the weight down with control.

Form tips

  • Use a light to moderate weight so you can pull the rope all the way to your face without your torso heaving backward.
  • Think about pulling your elbows behind your body rather than just pulling with your hands.
  • Keep the tempo deliberate and pause at peak contraction to keep tension on the rear shoulders.
  • Keep your neck relaxed and shoulders down — avoid shrugging the weight up with your traps.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and leaning back to swing the rope, which shifts the work off the rear shoulders and strains the lower back.
  • Stopping the pull short of the face, which cuts the range of motion and reduces the squeeze in the upper back.
  • Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears during the pull, which loads the traps instead of the target muscles.
  • Letting the weight stack yank the arms forward on the return, which loses tension and risks tweaking the shoulder.

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the cable supinated face pull work?

It mainly works the rear deltoids and the upper-back muscles that retract the shoulder blades, such as the rhomboids and mid-traps. The underhand grip shifts the angle slightly compared with the standard overhand face pull.

How is the supinated face pull different from a regular face pull?

The supinated version uses an underhand grip with palms facing up, while the standard face pull uses an overhand or neutral grip. Both train the rear shoulders and upper back, but the underhand grip changes the elbow path and feel of the contraction.

How many sets and reps should I do?

Because it works smaller muscles, the face pull responds well to higher reps. Two to four sets of 12 to 20 reps with a controlled tempo is a sensible range for most lifters.

Where should I feel the cable supinated face pull?

You should feel it across the back of your shoulders and the muscles between your shoulder blades. If you mostly feel it in your traps or lower back, lower the weight and focus on driving your elbows back.

Related exercises