I did 100 face pulls every day for a week, and here's what happened to my body

Face pulls are one of the most overlooked exercises for shoulder strength and better posture, but I get it: why do face pulls when you can do bent-over rows, renegade rows, or reverse flyes instead?

Face pulls aren't the most exciting exercise in the gym, but here’s the thing: more often than not, it’s the less glamorous movements that deliver the biggest results. Fortunately, face pulls fall into that category.

Not only are they one of the most effective exercises for strengthening the shoulders and upper back — including the external rotators, posterior deltoids, rhomboids and middle trapezius — they’re also one of the best movements for counteracting rounded shoulders and upper-back tightness caused by long hours of sitting.

And lately, that sounds exactly like me. After spending more time sitting at my laptop, training for a half-marathon and scrolling more than I probably should, I started noticing a nagging tightness creeping into my upper back and shoulders.

I decided to take action. The plan? 100 face pulls a day for a week, just to see what would happen. Here’s what I noticed.

What muscles do face pulls work?

Imagine standing opposite a cable machine with a rope attachment and pulling the rope horizontally towards your face as you flare your elbows wide, drawing your hands toward your ears. As you do, you'll squeeze your upper back muscles together as your chest lifts and you naturally stand taller.

Face pulls primarily target the trapezius and rhomboids — muscles that help pull the shoulders back and help keep the upper back strong. They also target the rotator cuff muscles that support your scapulae and activate the rear deltoids (the backs of your shoulders), which are active when you perform many back exercises.

How to do face pulls

The face pull is exactly what the name suggests: a weighted pull towards your face. It’s performed on a cable machine most commonly, but you can adapt using dumbbells in the bent-over position.

Here’s how to do it:

• Attach a rope extension to the cable pulley and position it so it sits just above head height.
• Take each end of the rope in your hands using an overhand grip and step back so your arms are extended in front of you.
• Pull the rope toward you, keeping your elbows high and drawing them outward as you bring the handles towards your ears.
• Pause briefly, squeezing your shoulder blades together and engaging your rear shoulders.
• Slowly reverse the movement, extending your arms to the starting position, while allowing your shoulders to move forward slightly.
• Aim for three sets of 8-12 reps, focusing on controlled movement and good posture throughout.

Here's what happened when I tried face pulls every day

I noticed a few key changes.

1. I noticed a difference in my shoulders

Let’s start with my shoulders. Within a couple of days, they already felt noticeably better. If you spend hours hunched over a laptop as I do, you’ll recognize that creeping tightness that builds across the upper back and shoulders.

Face pulls quickly became my go-to to battle this. The movement pulls your shoulders back and promotes external rotation of the shoulder joints, which is the exact opposite of the rounded position most of us find ourselves in throughout the day.

2. My posture changed

Although lasting changes take longer than one week, by the end of the week, I noticed I was naturally standing taller. My shoulders felt more pulled back, my chest felt more open and the constant urge to reach my hands behind my back to stretch started to disappear. It turns out that the controlled movement of face pulls subconsciously encouraged me to stand better.

Then there’s the upper back. I’ve always loved the look of a strong, defined back — it’s one of those areas that instantly makes you look more athletic. Face pulls target the trapezius, rhomboids and rear delts, muscles that are often undertrained but play a huge role in posture and shoulder stability. After a week of daily reps, those muscles started to feel stronger and engaged, especially during other workouts.

3. It carried over elsewhere in training

Another unexpected benefit was how well face pulls carried over into my other lifts. Because they help strengthen the muscles responsible for stabilizing the shoulder joints, they can act as a primer for bigger compound movements like the push press or the wall balls you’ll have to tackle in a HYROX race.

When those stabilizing muscles are strong, the shoulders become far less prone to injury, which is something every lifter and runner should care about.

After a week of doing 100 face pulls a day, I can confidently say I’m a fan. And the best part? If I can’t get to my local gym to use the cable machine, I can easily do them at home with a resistance band or dumbbells, if needed. There’s always a way.

Just remember, although I aimed for 100 reps per day, 8-12 reps for several sets is enough to build strength and get results. This was a challenge, and I don't recommend 100 reps every day long-term; your muscles need time to recover, and if you're new to face pulls, start with less load and reps and build slowly.

Want more fitness ideas?

Follow Tom's Guide fitness below!

More from Tom's Guide

• Not sit-ups, planks, or crunches: I do this simple Pilates exercise every single day to build a strong and stable core and work on my hip flexor mobility
• I’m a registered dietitian and here are the 9 healthy foods I actually eat to keep my heart strong
• 'I’m a Pilates instructor, and I recommend these 5 core exercises to help older clients build strength and improve posture'

Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.