How To Do

1. Attach the resistance band to a secure anchor point at about your shoulder height while standing.
2. Hold the handles of the resistance band with an overhand grip (palms facing down).
3. Position yourself far enough away from the anchor point that there is tension in the band while your arms are extended.
4. Kneel with one of your shins resting on the ground to enhance lower body stability.
5. Maintain an upright posture with your core engaged and your back straight. Your shoulders should be down and back.
6. Begin the movement by pulling the handles towards your face, leading with your elbows. Your elbows should flare out to the sides.
7. As you pull the band, squeeze your shoulder blades together. Your hands should come to the level of your ears or slightly higher. Your upper arms should be parallel to the floor.
8. Hold the position briefly when your hands are near your face, ensuring your shoulder blades are squeezed together.
9. Slowly extend your arms to return to the starting position, keeping tension in the band throughout the movement.
10. Repeat as necessary, depending on your workout style.

Tips From Expert

• Remember, the exercise is called a face pull and not a clavicle (collarbone) pull. Drive the resistance band towards your face and not your chest to maximize the effect of the exercise.
• Make sure that your hands reach the end position of this exercise before your elbows. This will help to enhance external rotation through the shoulder joint.
• At the top of the movement, work to squeeze your shoulder blades together as much as possible. This will help increase the involvement of the rotator cuff and trapezius muscles in the movement.

Optimal Sets and Reps

First, let’s talk about incorporating the resistance band face pull into your workout regime. We’ll start by covering the ideal number of sets and reps for each training style, as listed below.

How to Put in Your Workout Split

The resistance-band face pull targets several upper-body muscle groups, namely the deltoids and trapezius muscles. This exercise helps improve shoulder stability, upper back strength, and posture, making it a valuable addition to any routine. 

The resistance band face pull can fit various workout splits based on physique goals. Since it requires minimal equipment, it can also easily be added to at-home shoulder workouts.

Here are a few split options for integrating the resistance band face pull:

• Push/Pull/Legs — A push/pull/leg split is an effective workout routine that balances muscle development and optimizes recovery. The resistance band face pull is an upper-body pull exercise that can be programmed into a 3-workout week. Followed it up with an upper-body push day and a leg day.
• Shoulder And Upper Back — People with more time to spend in the gym can benefit from targeted training. A shoulder/upper back day is a session focused on exercises that target the deltoids, trapezius, and rhomboids. This workout split can be programmed into a workout week that also includes chest day, legs day, and arms day.

Other factors that can impact the effectiveness of your workouts are loading ranges and rest. 

For example, endurance training should involve lighter weights and longer rest times. Below, 1RM refers to your single repetition maximum, essentially the maximum weight you can lift for a single repetition.

Strength Training Focus:

• Weight: Heavy, 80%–100% of 1RM.
• Rest: Two to three minutes between sets.

Hypertrophy Training Focus:

• Weight: Moderate to heavy, 60%–80% of 1RM.
• Rest: 60–90 seconds between sets.

Endurance Training Focus:

• Weight: Light to moderate, 40%–60% of 1RM.
• Rest: 30–60 seconds between sets.

Power Training Focus:

• Weight: Heavy, 80%–90% of 1RM.
• Rest: Two to three minutes between sets.