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Exercises

Face pull alternatives for the gym, dumbbells and bands

Published October 23, 2026

In a gym, the best face pull alternative is the reverse pec deck or a rear delt cable fly: both train the same rear delts and upper back with the cable rope out of the picture. With dumbbells, the bent-over dumbbell face pull copies the movement, driving your elbows high and wide until the dumbbells reach your face. At home, a band face pull anchored in a door is the same exercise, and band pull-aparts work anywhere. Keep the load moderate and the reps at 12 to 20, the way face pulls are meant to be trained.

What a face pull alternative has to replace

The face pull trains your rear delts and the muscles between your shoulder blades. It finishes with your upper arms turning outward, which also works the small rotator cuff muscles at the back of your shoulder. All of it happens with your elbows high and wide, pulling toward your face.

A replacement should keep your arms moving out and back at shoulder height, with a load light enough to do it cleanly. If it skips the turn at the end, add an external rotation to the same session.

How to do the face pull

Cables and machines

If the face pull station is busy or has no rope, these train the same muscles with the equipment next to it.

Gym swap when the cable is taken

Reverse Pec Deck

Shoulders

The machine sweeps your arms out and back at shoulder height, which trains the same rear delts as a face pull with nothing to set up. It skips the face pull's turn at the end, so add an external rotation if you want that part.

How to do it

  1. Set the handles to the rear position, sit facing the pad, and adjust the seat so the handles are at shoulder height.
  2. Hold the handles with arms straight in front of you, palms down or facing in.
  3. Sweep your arms out and back in a wide arc until they are in line with your body.
  4. Return slowly, stopping just before the weight touches the stack, and repeat.

Cues

  • Wide arc, not a row
  • Arms almost straight
  • Keep the stack off the rest

Common mistakes

  • Pulling the elbows back like a row: the arms move out to the side.
  • Too much weight with jerky reps: these grow on 12 to 20 controlled reps.
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Cable swap with no rope

Rear Delt Cable Fly

Shoulders

Crossed cables at chest height pulled out to your sides. You keep constant cable tension on your rear delts, like a face pull, using the plain handles every crossover has.

How to do it

  1. Set both pulleys at about chest height and stand in the middle of the crossover.
  2. Cross your arms: your right hand takes the handle on the left side, your left hand the one on the right.
  3. With straight arms, pull the handles out and back until your arms are in line with your body.
  4. Return slowly until your hands cross again.

Cues

  • Reach for the walls
  • Arms long, shoulders down
  • Stop when your arms line up with your body

Common mistakes

  • Squeezing your shoulder blades hard together: that shifts the work to the upper back. Let the arms move and the blades stay quiet.
  • Too much weight: the rear delt is small; if your elbows bend to finish, go lighter.
Build a session with Rear Delt Cable Fly

Cable swap for the lower traps

Cable Y Raise

Shoulders, Upper Back

Raising your arms up and out into a Y trains the muscles that pull your shoulder blades down and back, which the face pull also works. Use it light, next to a rear delt fly.

How to do it

  1. Set both pulleys at the bottom and cross the cables so each hand holds the opposite handle.
  2. Step back to center with your arms crossed low ahead of your hips.
  3. Raise both arms up and out into a Y, thumbs pointing up.
  4. Bring the arms back down and across in front of your hips.

Cues

  • Thumbs up
  • Up and out
  • Light weight

Common mistakes

  • Raising straight forward: the arms should travel out at about 30 degrees from your head.
  • Arching your lower back at the top: brace and stop when your arms are overhead.
Build a session with Cable Y Raise

Dumbbells

Dumbbells cannot pull toward your face, so you replace the face pull by bending over or lying chest-down on a bench and raising or rowing out to the sides.

Best swap with dumbbells

Dumbbell Face Pull

Shoulders, Upper Back

Bent over, you drive your elbows up and out until the dumbbells reach face level: the face pull's high, wide pull with no cable. Pick it when dumbbells and a bench are all you have, and add external rotations for the turn it leaves out.

How to do it

  1. Hold a light dumbbell in each hand and hinge until your torso is close to parallel to the floor, back flat and knees soft.
  2. Let the dumbbells hang under your shoulders with your palms facing behind you.
  3. Pull your elbows up and out to the sides as high as they go, so the dumbbells travel toward your face, not your hips.
  4. Hold the top for a second, then lower slowly to straight arms without standing up.

Cues

  • Elbows out and high
  • Hands toward the face
  • Hold the hinge

Common mistakes

  • Rowing toward your belly: that turns it into a lat row, so aim the dumbbells at your forehead.
  • Swinging heavy dumbbells with your hips: use a pair light enough to pause at the top of every rep.
Build a session with Dumbbell Face Pull

Simplest dumbbell swap

Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

Shoulders

Seated and folded over your thighs, you raise light dumbbells wide until your arms reach shoulder height. It isolates the rear delts and needs only a bench or chair.

How to do it

  1. Sit on the end of a bench holding a light pair of dumbbells and lean your chest toward your thighs.
  2. Let the dumbbells hang beside your calves, elbows just unlocked.
  3. Raise them out wide until your arms reach shoulder height.
  4. Lower slowly to the start.

Cues

  • Lead with the pinkies
  • Chest stays down
  • Small weight, slow reps

Common mistakes

  • Sitting up as you lift: stay folded over your legs.
  • Going too heavy: these work best with light weights and 15 to 25 reps.
Build a session with Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

Dumbbell swap you can load heavier

Dumbbell Rear Delt Row

Shoulders

A one-arm row with your elbow flared out wide shifts the work from your lats to your rear delts and upper back. You can use more weight than on any fly, which makes it the pick if your dumbbells are heavy.

How to do it

  1. Put one knee and one hand on a flat bench with your back flat.
  2. Let the dumbbell hang under your shoulder, palm facing your feet.
  3. Pull it toward your upper chest with your elbow pointing out to the side.
  4. Lower it to a long arm, finish the set, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Elbow out wide
  • Pull to the chest line
  • Flat back

Common mistakes

  • Tucking the elbow to your side: that makes it a lat row instead of a rear delt row.
  • Twisting the torso open at the top: keep the shoulders square to the floor.
Build a session with Dumbbell Rear Delt Row

When your lower back tires bent over

Incline Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise

Shoulders

Your chest rests on an incline bench, so nothing but your shoulders moves the weight. It is the cleanest dumbbell rear delt exercise and the hardest to cheat.

How to do it

  1. Set a bench to about 45 degrees and lie chest-down with a light dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging and palms facing each other.
  2. Keep your elbows softly bent and sweep both arms out wide until they reach shoulder level.
  3. Pause for a second at the top with your shoulder blades pulled together.
  4. Lower under control to a full hang and repeat.

Cues

  • Chest stays on the pad
  • Arms out wide, not back
  • Pause at the top

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows more as you tire, which shortens the lever and cheats the rep: keep the angle fixed and lower the weight.
  • Using so much weight that the dumbbells stop short of shoulder height: full range with a light pair beats half range with a heavy one.
Build a session with Incline Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise

The rotation part, on its own

Dumbbell External Rotation

Shoulders

The face pull ends with your upper arms turning out. This trains exactly that turn with a light dumbbell, so pair it with any fly or row that leaves it out.

How to do it

  1. Stand holding a light dumbbell with your elbow bent to 90 degrees and tucked against your side.
  2. Keep the elbow pinned there throughout; a rolled towel under it helps.
  3. Rotate your forearm outward, away from your belly, as far as it goes without the elbow leaving your side.
  4. Return slowly to the start.

Cues

  • Elbow pinned
  • Turn, do not lift
  • Small weight, full turn

Common mistakes

  • Letting the elbow drift away from your side: the shoulder takes over; keep it touching your ribs.
  • Going heavy: a cuff exercise works with the lightest dumbbell you own.
Build a session with Dumbbell External Rotation

Bands and suspension trainers

A band or a set of straps lets you do a true face pull at home, or the closest thing to it.

Best swap with a band

Band Face Pull

Shoulders, Upper Back

The same exercise with a band anchored in a door at face height: pull toward your forehead and split your hands apart. Pick it for a home gym, where it is the closest you get to the cable version.

How to do it

  1. Anchor a band at about face height in a door and hold an end in each hand, palms facing down.
  2. Step back until there is tension with your arms reaching forward.
  3. Pull the band toward your forehead, splitting your hands apart and lifting your elbows high and wide.
  4. Pause, then let the band return under control.

Cues

  • Elbows high and wide
  • Hands finish beside your ears
  • Pause at the face

Common mistakes

  • Pulling to the chest with the elbows low, which turns it into a row: aim the hands at your eyes.
  • Leaning back to move the band: stand tall and use a lighter band.
Build a session with Band Face Pull

Anywhere, with one light band

Band Pull-Apart

Shoulders, Upper Back

Pull a band apart at chest height with straight arms. It trains the rear delts and upper back with no anchor, so you can do it at home, at work or while traveling.

How to do it

  1. Hold a light band at chest height, arms long, hands about shoulder-width apart, palms down.
  2. Pull your hands apart and wide until the band touches your chest.
  3. Hold for a second with your shoulder blades squeezed together.
  4. Return slowly to the start, keeping tension on the band, and repeat.

Cues

  • Arms stay straight
  • Band to the chest
  • Shoulders stay away from the ears

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows to make it easier: narrow your hands on the band instead.
  • Arching your lower back to finish the rep: keep your ribs down and stand tall.
Build a session with Band Pull-Apart

Suspension trainer face pull

TRX Face Pull

Shoulders, Upper Back

Leaning back on the straps and pulling your face to your hands is a face pull with your bodyweight as the load. Walk your feet forward to make it harder.

How to do it

  1. Set the straps to about chest height, hold a handle in each hand, and walk your feet forward so you lean back with straight arms.
  2. Brace so your body forms one line from your heels to your head.
  3. Pull your face toward the handles with your elbows out and up, until your hands are beside your forehead.
  4. Lower yourself back to straight arms slowly and repeat.

Cues

  • Body like a plank
  • Hands finish by your temples
  • Slow on the way back

Common mistakes

  • Letting your hips sag so they lead the pull: squeeze your glutes and keep the line.
  • Pulling with low elbows, which turns it into a row: keep the elbows at shoulder height or above.
Build a session with TRX Face Pull

Suspension trainer row for rear delts

TRX Rear Delt Row

Shoulders, Upper Back

A wide-elbow row on the straps, with your bodyweight as the load. It loads heavier than the TRX face pull, so use it when that gets easy.

How to do it

  1. Set the straps to about chest height, grip the handles with your palms turned in, and lean back with straight arms and your body in a straight line.
  2. Row your chest toward the handles by driving your elbows out to the sides.
  3. Stop when your upper arms are level with the floor and pinch your shoulder blades in.
  4. Lower back to straight arms with control and repeat.

Cues

  • Elbows out to the sides
  • Upper arms level at the top
  • Body stays straight

Common mistakes

  • Tucking the elbows to your ribs: keep them wide to keep the rear delts working.
  • Starting so upright that the row is too easy: walk your feet forward until 15 reps is hard.
Build a session with TRX Rear Delt Row

Rows and pulldowns to pair with them

Face pulls are a finishing exercise. The example sessions open with a row or pull for your whole back, then use the swaps for your rear delts.

Vertical pull, to pair in the gym

Lat Pulldown

Lats

Rear delt work is the smaller half of a pull day. The pulldown trains your lats so the session covers your whole back.

How to do it

  1. Set the thigh pad so your legs are locked under it, then stand up and take the bar a little wider than your shoulders, palms forward.
  2. Sit down with your arms fully stretched overhead and lean back only slightly.
  3. Pull the bar to your upper chest by driving your elbows down toward your hips.
  4. Let the bar rise until your arms are straight and your shoulders lift toward your ears, then pull again.

Cues

  • Elbows to your back pockets
  • Bar to the top of the chest
  • Let the stack lift you at the top

Common mistakes

  • Leaning far back and rowing the bar to your stomach: stay nearly upright so it remains a vertical pull.
  • Stopping with the arms still bent at the top: the stretch overhead is half of what makes the pulldown work.
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Row, to pair in the gym

Chest-Supported Row

Upper Back, Lats

A heavy row with your chest on a pad trains your mid back and rear delts together without your lower back limiting the set.

How to do it

  1. Set the seat so the handles are at chest height and the pad sits against your upper chest.
  2. Grab the handles with arms straight and your shoulders stretched forward.
  3. Pull the handles back by driving your elbows behind you until your hands reach your torso.
  4. Return slowly to straight arms and repeat without lifting off the pad.

Cues

  • Chest stays on the pad
  • Wide elbows for upper back, tucked for lats
  • Full stretch each rep

Common mistakes

  • Pulling your chest off the pad to finish reps: the set is over when you cannot finish with the chest down.
  • Setting the seat too low so you pull toward your neck: handles should line up with your mid-chest.
Build a session with Chest-Supported Row

Row, to pair at home

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Lats, Upper Back

The dumbbell row is the heavy pull of a home upper-back session; the rear delt swaps then finish what it starts.

How to do it

  1. Put one hand and the same-side knee on a bench, or your hand on a chair seat with both feet on the floor, so your back is flat.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in the other hand with your arm hanging straight.
  3. Pull your elbow back toward your hip until the dumbbell reaches your ribs.
  4. Lower it until your arm is straight again, finish all reps, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Elbow to your hip
  • Back flat as a table
  • Full stretch at the bottom

Common mistakes

  • Twisting your chest open to lift the dumbbell higher: keep both shoulders level.
  • Shrugging the shoulder up toward your ear: pull the elbow back, not the shoulder up.
Build a session with One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Vertical pull, to pair with a bar

Pull-Up

Lats

With bands and a bar at home, pull-ups are the heavy back exercise and the band work fills in the rear delts.

How to do it

  1. Hang from the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than your shoulders, arms fully straight, feet off the floor.
  2. Set your shoulder blades low first, then bend your elbows and drive them toward your back pockets.
  3. Keep pulling until your chin clears the bar, with your chest rising toward it.
  4. Lower yourself all the way to straight arms over two seconds before the next rep.

Cues

  • Shoulders down before elbows bend
  • Chest to the bar
  • Dead hang between reps

Common mistakes

  • Kicking or swinging to reach the bar: cross your ankles, squeeze your glutes and stop the set when you can no longer pull cleanly.
  • Cutting the bottom short: a rep starts from straight arms, or the lats miss their stretch.
Build a session with Pull-Up

Example sessions without the face pull

Session 1

Gym, cable station always taken

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets24 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentLat Pulldown, Seated Row Machine, Fly Machine, Dumbbells +1

You train in a busy gym where the cable stack for face pulls is never free.

A pulldown and a chest-supported row cover your lats and mid back, then the reverse pec deck and an incline dumbbell raise replace the face pull with equipment that is usually free. 12 working sets.

Pull
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Lat Pulldown1 warm-up set first 3 × 8–12 2 2 min
Chest-Supported Row 3 × 8–12 2 2 min
Reverse Pec Deck 3 × 12–20 1 1 min
Incline Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise 3 × 12–15 1 1 min
How to run it
Use it as your pull day, once or twice a week.
How to progress
On the pulldown and row, add the smallest weight jump once every set reaches 12 reps at 2 RIR. On the rear delt work, add reps up to 20 before adding weight.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Home with dumbbells and a bench

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets24 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells

You train at home with a set of dumbbells and a bench, and no cable.

A heavy dumbbell row leads, then the dumbbell face pull and rear delt row train your rear delts two ways, and external rotations add the turn the face pull ends with. 12 working sets.

Upper back
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
One-Arm Dumbbell Row1 warm-up set firstSets are per arm. 4 × 8–12 2 90 s
Dumbbell Face Pull 3 × 12–15 1 1 min
Dumbbell Rear Delt RowSets are per arm. 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
Dumbbell External RotationSets are per arm. 2 × 12–15 1 45 s
How to run it
Run it as an upper-back session twice a week, or add the last three exercises to the end of a push day.
How to progress
Add reps until every set reaches the top of its range, then move up a dumbbell. Keep the rotation light and add reps only.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Bands and a pull-up bar

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets30 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentPull-Up Bar, Resistance Bands

You have a doorway pull-up bar and a couple of resistance bands.

Pull-ups are the heavy back work, then band face pulls and pull-aparts cover the rear delts at high reps with short rest, since bands get hard only near the end of a set. 10 working sets.

Upper back
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Pull-Up 4 × 5–10 2 2 min
Band Face PullPause at your face. 3 × 15–20 1 45 s
Band Pull-Apart 3 × 15–25 1 45 s
How to run it
Two or three times a week. Pull-aparts can also go between sets of any pressing exercise.
How to progress
Add a pull-up rep each week until you reach 10 on every set. On the band work, add reps to 25, then move to a thicker band or step farther from the anchor.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What can I do instead of face pulls?

In a gym, the reverse pec deck or a rear delt cable fly. With dumbbells, a bent-over dumbbell face pull or rear delt row, and at home, band face pulls or band pull-aparts.

What is a good face pull alternative at home?

Anchor a resistance band in a door at face height and do band face pulls, the same movement. With dumbbells only, do bent-over dumbbell face pulls; with nothing anchored, band pull-aparts.

Are face pulls really worth it?

Yes, as a cheap way to add rear delt and upper-back work that most pressing-heavy programs lack. Any of the swaps here does that job if face pulls don't fit your setup.

Should I go heavy on face pulls?

No. Use a weight you can pull to your face with your elbows high for 12 to 20 reps. If you have to lean back or your elbows drop, the stack is too heavy.

How many face pulls should I do?

Two to four sets of 12 to 20 reps, two or three times a week, is plenty for most people. Stop each set one or two reps short of failure.

Can band pull-aparts replace face pulls?

Mostly. They train the same rear delts and upper back, but skip the outward turn at the end; add external rotations if you want that part.

What muscles do face pulls work?

Mostly your rear delts and the muscles between your shoulder blades, plus the small rotator cuff muscles that turn your arm out at the end of the rep.