Face pulls are a compound pulling exercise that focuses on the muscles that retract your shoulder girdle, but face pulls do not involve the lats. Instead, face pulls target other muscles in the upper-back and posterior deltoids. The face pull is an isolation movement for these specific muscle groups, so it’s important to choose wisely when selecting a face pull alternative.
As the saying goes, variety is the spice of life. And when it comes to your workouts, that adage couldn’t be more true. While face pulls are a great exercise for targeting your posterior muscles, there are plenty of other exercises that can offer an equally challenging and rewarding workout. Here are 9 alternative exercises to face pulls that will help you achieve the best results possible!
9 Best Face Pull Alternative Exercises
Seated cable rows:
Seated cable rows are a great face pull alternative because they also target the muscles that retract your shoulder girdle. In addition, they work the biceps and help to build back thickness.
Lat pulldowns:
Lat pulldowns are another excellent compound pulling exercise that targets the lats. However, face pulls are an isolation movement that is meant to hit specific muscles in the upper-back and posterior deltoids, so lat pulldowns can help you achieve a more complete back workout than face pulls alone could ever accomplish!
Chest supported rows:
If seated cable rows aren’t quite challenging enough for you, try adding in chest supported rows. This exercise is a great face pull alternative because it really targets the muscles in the upper-back and posterior deltoids.
Bent over lateral raises:
Bent over lateral raises are a great way to target the medial deltoid, which is a muscle that is often left out of other shoulder exercises. They’re also a great face pull alternative because they work the posterior deltoids as well.
Hammer curls:
Hammer curls are an excellent way to add in some bicep work while you’re targeting your shoulder muscles. They’re a great face pull alternative because they help to build overall arm size and strength.
Rear delt flyes:
Rear delt flyes are a great face pull alternative because they isolate the posterior deltoids. This is a muscle that is often left out of other shoulder exercises, so rear delt flyes can be really beneficial in terms of building overall shoulder strength and size.
Seated dumbbell overhead press:
The seated dumbbell overhead press is a great face pull alternative because it targets the anterior and medial deltoids. It’s also a great exercise for building overall shoulder strength and size.
Upright row:
The upright row is an excellent face pull alternative because it works the traps, which are muscles that help to retract your shoulder girdle. In addition, it’s a great exercise for building overall shoulder strength and size.
Shrugs:
Shrugs are another face pull alternative that targets the traps. They’re an excellent way to add in some additional mass and definition to this muscle group.
So there you have it! 9 alternative exercises to face pulls that will help you achieve the best results possible. Mix and match these exercises to create a varied and challenging shoulder workout that will help you reach your fitness goals!
Do you have a favorite face pull alternative? Share it in the comments below!