Cable Lying Face Pull

Cable Lying Face Pull Exercise Description

The cable lying face pull is a horizontal pulling exercise that emphasizes scapular retraction with shoulder external rotation. Lying prone on a bench removes body sway, helping you target the posterior deltoids, middle and lower trapezius, and rhomboids with consistent tension from the cable. The rope attachment allows the hands to separate as you pull, encouraging a strong “elbows high, rotate out” finish with the thumbs near the ears. This variation supports clean upper-back mechanics by cueing the shoulder blades to move back and slightly down while the upper arms abduct to roughly shoulder height. Expect a controlled, face‑level pull that reinforces stable shoulder positioning and precise movement through the upper back and rear shoulders.

Muscle Groups: Back, Delts, Shoulders, Traps
Target Muscles: Deltoid - Posterior, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
Assisting Muscles: Infraspinatus, Rhomboid Major, Rhomboid Minor, Teres Minor, Trapezius - Lower Fibers
Stabilizing Muscles: Iliocostalis, Longissimus, Serratus Anterior, Spinalis
Body Area: Upper Body
Body Parts: Back, Mid Back, Shoulders
Body Surface: Back
Body Symmetry: Bilateral
Equipment: Cable
Exercise Patterns: Pull
Exercise Type: Strength
Functional Grouping: Scapular Retractors, Shoulder Extensors
Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
Muscle Location: Mid Traps, Rear Shoulder
Movement Direction: Horizontal
Muscle Position: Posterior
Gender: Male

How To Do The Cable Lying Face Pull Exercise

‘- Attach a rope to a low pulley. Position a flat bench in line with the cable so the rope can travel under the bench toward your face.
– Lie prone with your chest supported and forehead just past the bench edge; feet planted, spine neutral, ribs down.
– Grasp each rope end with a thumbs‑up (neutral) grip; arms extended, shoulders slightly protracted.
– Inhale to brace. Pull the elbows out and back to about shoulder height while separating the rope.
– Finish by externally rotating so the thumbs move toward the ears/temples; forearms roughly vertical.
– Keep the shoulder blades retracted and slightly depressed; avoid shrugging or arching the low back.
– Return slowly: rotate to neutral as the elbows extend, allowing controlled scapular protraction.
– Maintain straight wrists and smooth motion; keep the rope path aimed at face level, not the chest.

Cable Lying Face Pull Tips

‘- Line the flat bench with the low pulley so the rope can travel straight under the bench toward your face.
– Lie prone with your chest supported and forehead just past the bench edge to give the rope clearance.
– Keep your feet planted, spine neutral, and ribs down as you set up on the bench.
– Grip each rope end with a thumbs‑up (neutral) grip, arms extended and shoulders slightly protracted at the start.
– Inhale to brace before you begin pulling.
– Pull the elbows out and back to about shoulder height while you separate the rope.
– Finish with “elbows high, rotate out,” externally rotating until the thumbs move toward your ears/temples and the forearms are roughly vertical.
– Keep the shoulder blades retracted and slightly depressed at the finish; avoid shrugging or arching your low back.
– Return slowly, rotating back to neutral as the elbows extend and allowing controlled scapular protraction.
– Maintain straight wrists and a smooth motion, keeping the rope path aimed at face level, not the chest.

Cable Lying Face Pull Beginner Introduction

The cable lying face pull is a cable‑machine back exercise performed face-down on a flat bench with a rope handle. With the chest supported and the cable traveling under the bench toward the head, the movement centers on drawing the rope toward face level while the hands separate. This setup minimizes body motion so the cable delivers a steady pull, highlighting controlled action through the shoulder blades and arms.

This variation targets the rear shoulders and upper back, including the area around the shoulder blades and along the mid-back. As the elbows travel outward and upward and the thumbs rotate near the sides of the head, the shoulders move through a strong, rotated finish that challenges stability around the joints. The emphasis rests on smooth, deliberate motion, steady wrist position, and a consistent path for the rope, reinforcing balanced shoulder mechanics and precise engagement of the upper back and rear shoulder muscles.