Suspension Face Pul
- Target muscle
- Deltoid Posterior
- Synergist muscles
- Brachialis, Brachioradialis, Deltoid Lateral, Infraspinatus, Pectoralis Major Sternal Head, Teres Minor, Trapezius Lower Fibers, Trapezius Middle Fibers
- Equipment
- Suspension
- Body part
- Shoulders
- Type
- Strength
The Suspension Face Pul is a bodyweight pulling exercise performed with a suspension trainer that primarily targets the rear deltoid, with supporting work from the lateral deltoid, infraspinatus, teres minor, trapezius, brachialis, and brachioradialis. Adjusting body lean controls resistance, making it suitable for developing posterior shoulder strength and upper-back stability.
How to do the Suspension Face Pul
- 1Set the suspension trainer handles to roughly face height and stand facing the anchor point.
- 2Grip both handles with a neutral or pronated grip, palms facing the floor, arms extended in front of you.
- 3Walk your feet forward under the anchor until your body leans back at an angle that challenges you — the more horizontal your body, the harder the exercise.
- 4Brace your core and keep your body in a straight line from head to heels throughout the set.
- 5Inhale, then pull your hands toward your face by driving your elbows out to the sides and slightly upward, reaching a position where your elbows are roughly at ear height.
- 6At the top of the pull, hold for one second and focus on squeezing the rear deltoids and upper back.
- 7Exhale as you extend your arms under control back to the starting position, keeping tension in the straps throughout.
- 8Complete all reps without letting your hips sag or your lower back hyperextend.
Form tips
- Keep your wrists neutral and avoid curling them — all the pull should come from the shoulders and upper back, not from the hands.
- Lead with your elbows, not your hands; thinking about driving the elbows upward and outward helps isolate the rear deltoid and reduces biceps dominance.
- A slower eccentric — two to three seconds lowering — increases time under tension and rear deltoid recruitment without adding load.
- If your lower back arches or your hips drop, walk your feet backward slightly to reduce the lever arm until your core can hold position.
Common mistakes
- Pulling with the elbows too low and close to the torso: this shifts the movement into a row pattern that emphasizes the lats and mid-back rather than the rear deltoid and external rotators.
- Using momentum by swinging the hips: swinging unloads the target muscles and puts stress on the lower back; the body should remain rigid throughout each rep.
- Letting the straps go slack on the way down: controlled eccentric tension is what drives rear deltoid adaptation — releasing tension early cuts the effective range of motion in half.
- Gripping the handles too tightly and shrugging the shoulders toward the ears: this activates the upper trapezius and removes emphasis from the middle trapezius and rear deltoid.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Suspension Face Pul work?
The primary muscle is the rear deltoid (deltoid posterior). Synergists include the lateral deltoid, infraspinatus, teres minor, trapezius middle and lower fibers, brachialis, brachioradialis, and the pectoralis major sternal head, which assists in stabilizing the shoulder joint during the movement.
How do I make the Suspension Face Pul easier or harder?
Walk your feet backward (body more upright) to decrease resistance, or walk forward (body more horizontal) to increase it. Because bodyweight percentage determines the load, no additional equipment is needed to progress.
How does the Suspension Face Pul differ from a cable or band face pull?
The suspension version requires you to stabilize your entire body against a lean, which adds core demand and changes the loading curve across the range of motion. Cable and band variants allow more precise load selection but lack the full-body bracing component.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Two to four sets of 10–15 controlled reps works well for most goals. Because the rear deltoid is a smaller muscle, higher rep ranges with a slow tempo and a brief pause at peak contraction tend to be more effective than very low rep, high-load sets.
Where should the Suspension Face Pul fit in a workout?
It works well as an accessory movement in an upper-body or shoulder session, typically after heavier pressing and rowing movements. It can also serve as a warm-up activation drill to pre-engage the rear deltoids and external rotators before overhead pressing.
