Lying Face Pull (Cable)
A strict isolation exercise performed lying face down on a bench to target the rear deltoids and upper back. By stabilizing the torso, this variation eliminates momentum to improve shoulder health and posture.
Face pulls are often performed with excessive momentum, reducing their effectiveness for the smaller stabilizers of the shoulder. AI coaching analyzes your load and RPE to ensure you aren't compensating with your lower back, while tracking recovery metrics like HRV to prevent overtraining the rear delts after heavy compound pulling days. If you report shoulder impingement history, the app can monitor frequency and suggest this supported variation to ensure safe external rotation mechanics.
Form Cues
- Lie prone on a bench set in front of a low pulley.
- Lead the pull with your elbows, keeping them high and wide.
- Externally rotate your hands so your knuckles face the ceiling at the end of the rep.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together firmly while keeping the ribcage down.
- Don't arch your lower back to help move the weight.
- Don't let your elbows drop below shoulder height.
- Don't jut your head forward to meet the rope.
- Don't use momentum to swing the weight up.
Common Mistakes
- Using too much weight
- Turning the movement into a row
- Lack of external rotation
- Lifting the chest off the bench
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily targets the posterior deltoids and the rotator cuff muscles, specifically forcing external rotation which is vital for counteracting rounded shoulders. It also engages the middle trapezius and rhomboids for scapular retraction, while the lying position removes reliance on the lower back.
Primary
Secondary
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