Move · Videos · Technique · 7 min

Face Pulls With a Band: Setup and Angles

Face Pulls With a Band: Setup and Angles — video by Citizen Athletics Play · 6:32

Video by Citizen Athletics on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A physical therapist shows how to set up face pulls with resistance bands, including a two-band trick that works like a rope handle, and how anchor height shifts the focus between rear delts, traps and rotator cuff.

  • 7 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • resistance band
Open in VideosLog it in Train

Step by step 6

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Anchor the band securely, wrapped around something solid, so it can't snap back at your face. 0:47
  2. Two-band trick: loop a second band through so it acts like a rope handle and you don't hit your face. 1:30
  3. The pull: draw the hands back and rotate them outward as the arms come apart against the bands. 2:11
  4. Anchor at face height, like a classic face pull, to bias the rear delts and mid-back muscles. 3:03
  5. Anchor around chest height to work the whole upper back plus the rotator cuff; lower still is mostly rotation. 3:45
  6. A high anchor, pulling down and back, puts more work on the lower traps. 5:06

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Anchor the band securely so it can't snap back at you
  • Pull back and rotate the hands outward as the arms come apart
  • Set the anchor around chest height to work the whole upper back and rotator cuff

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 1 take load

  • Shoulders takes loadband face pulls, pulling back and rotating out
  • Elbows movespulling the band back
  • Wrists & hands movesgripping the band handles

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

More like this

Browse all 764 videos

Video by Citizen Athletics; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety