Shoulders · Rear delts
Seated Face Pull
The Seated Face Pull mainly trains your rear delts and upper back.
One cable
Stool or box
Stable
How to do it
- Seat one step in front of the pulley, sit tall
- Elbows high, pull the handles toward your ears
- Hands apart, thumbs pointing back
- Return slowly without tipping forward
Coach’s tip
Seated, the upper body can’t cheat. The best exercise against rounded desk shoulders.
Setup
Pulley
One pulley at head height when seated
Grip
Both single handles on the same cable
Load
One cable
You need
Stool or box
Stability
A bench, the floor or the frame takes the counterforce, or the cable pulls straight up or down. Good for heavy sets.
Alternatives
Other exercises for the same movement (rear delts). In DCFT you can swap with one tap, and the app only offers what your equipment allows.
Questions about this exercise
What muscles does the Seated Face Pull work?
Mainly the rear delts and upper back.
How do I set up the cable machine for the Seated Face Pull?
Pulley: One pulley at head height when seated. Grip: Both single handles on the same cable. You also need: Stool or box.
What can I do instead of the Seated Face Pull?
For the same movement: Face Pull, Cross-Cable Reverse Fly and Face Pull with Two Handles. In DCFT you swap with one tap.
DCFT
The Seated Face Pull in DCFT
In the app this exercise comes with your weight: the plate to pin, what you lifted last time and a rest timer that starts by itself.
Free on the App Store for iPhone. Pro is a one-time purchase with no subscription.