Band resisted face pulls8/17/2023 ![]() While pulling towards your forehead will result in more input from your shoulder external rotators (largely infraspinatus), pulling lower towards your chin would likely result in more posterior deltoid, traps and rhomboids activation. While the name of the exercise makes things pretty clear (i.e., you should be pulling to your face), pulling towards your forehead versus your chin can have a different feel to it, regardless of cable height. Maybe we can chat about that another time. Off the subject a little, upright rows are not in the same league as face pulls when it comes to shoulder health though. Take the cable too far down and you’ve got yourself an upright row, which at the extreme represents how a change in cable angle can alter muscle activation and shoulder mechanics. This would result in more scapula elevation, upper trap and medial delt activation. On the other hand pulling so the cable has more of an upward angle will have the opposite effect in creating an upward rotation moment. In essence you’ll activate more muscle south of your scapula. Pulling so the cable has more of a downward angle will create a downward rotation moment at the shoulder, and depression of the shoulder complex as a whole. You don’t have to set it here though, as changing the direction of the cable can influence what goes on at the shoulder complex. For example if you pull the cable towards your nose then I’d recommend setting the cable off the floor at a similar height. Another important question is where you should pull towards.įor most I recommend setting up a cable (or band) in a position so the pull is parallel to the ground. One of the most common questions about face pulls is how high the cable should be in relation to your shoulders. But first, here’s why cable position matters… If you want proof try just a few sets of heavy face pulls at the start of every workout this week and see how you get on – guaranteed this time next week your shoulders would never have felt so great! Here are 10 face pull variations you can start using right way. Related: Learn more about the exact coaching system that eliminates the guesswork, keeps you lazer-focused on doing the right things, and will work WITH you to build the body of your dreams! Some of my clients have felt the benefits when programming face pulls in this exact way. In fact, you can use them nearly every day of the week if you really wanted to. Or you are trying to force yourself into a range of motion that you don't currently have.Face pulls are the #1 exercise you should be adding to your programming right now to develop stronger and healthier shoulders. If you cannot coordinate the elbow and wrist moving as a unit you are either using too heavy of a band. The elbows and wrists should move together! This again helps you avoid an internally rotated position with the elbow above 90 degrees helping you avoid impingement at the shoulder. The biggest error people make is leading with their elbows and leaving their wrist behind. Which more times than not just irritates the shoulder when done for sets and reps.īe sure to use a thumbs back grip as this drives supination which leads to external rotation which helps us open our chest and use the muscles of our back and rotator cuff. But also places the arms in more of a internally rotated position generally. ![]() ![]() This almost removes the rotator cuff from the exercise and makes it more rear delt. Too many people use a low attachment point which causes an awkward upright rowing moment. Which when done correctly is at about the level of your forehead. To keep safety on the rotator cuff and not irritate the shoulder we should also be aware of the attachment point. Also, the resistance should never compromise form.Ī better alternative as you increase the load is a cable machine with the proper attachment because the resistance will be equal throughout the exercise. This means the most tension is at the highest position of difficulty.įor that reason, going lighter then you'd think is a good idea when starting out using bands. However, you must consider that the tension of the band increases as you get further into the movement where the hardest point of the exercise is. Many people choose to use bands, especially in rehab because so many physical therapy places just have bands. The problem is that a lot of people do them poorly and actually irritate the shoulder or upper back when performed incorrectly. ![]() Face Pulls are on the top of my list for upper back exercises to help someone have healthy shoulders, back and neck.
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