TRX Face Pull: how to do it right
In short: The TRX face pull isolates the rear delt by loading it to the max in the shortened position, when your elbows are pulled backward.
How to do it, step by step
- 1Step your feet back to lean your torso: the more horizontal you are, the harder it is.
- 2Start with arms straight, handles at face height, shoulder blades relaxed forward.
- 3Pull by bringing your hands to either side of your head, elbows high and flared.
- 4Squeeze the rear delt hard for 1 second at the end of the range, shoulder blades drawn together.
- 5Come back slowly over 2 to 3 seconds, controlling the lengthening, without losing tension.
The mistake to avoid
Don't drop your elbows: keep them at shoulder height to hit your rear delts.
Other common mistakes
- You pull with your biceps by bending your elbows hard toward your nose: keep the elbows high and flared to target the rear delt.
- You rush the end of the range without squeezing: hold the 1-second pause with shoulder blades together, that is the tension peak.
- You release the return too fast: control the lengthening over 2 to 3 seconds to keep tension.
- You shrug your shoulders toward your ears: keep the upper traps down and think low retraction.
Muscles worked
- Main:
- Rear delts
- Supporting:
- Traps
The posterior deltoid is the prime mover: it brings the arms backward and outward. The middle trapezius and rhomboids stabilize and draw the shoulder blades together. The external rotators of the shoulder (infraspinatus, teres minor) help at the end of the range as you open your hands.
What to replace it with
Same muscle, same part of the movement: these exercises do the same job.
- Band Face Pull ›
- Prone Y Raise on Floor ›
- Bent-Over Water Bottle Reverse Fly ›
- Band Rear Delt Fly ›
- Bent-Over Dumbbell Reverse Fly ›
Frequently asked questions
How do I do the face pull on the TRX?
Step your feet back to lean your torso, the more horizontal you are the harder it is. Start with arms straight, handles at face height, shoulder blades relaxed forward. Pull by bringing your hands to either side of your head, elbows high and flared, then squeeze the rear delt for a second. Come back slowly over 2 to 3 seconds without losing tension.
How far do I go?
Aim to bring the handles to the level of your temples, hands open toward the back. That end of the range is what counts, don't skim over it: that is where the posterior deltoid works the most. On the way back, let your arms lengthen fully and your shoulder blades move forward, but without releasing the tension.
Where should I feel the pull on this movement?
You should feel the back of the shoulder, the posterior deltoid, plus the middle traps drawing your shoulder blades together. If you only feel your biceps, you're bending your elbows too much toward your nose: keep them high and flared. If it pulls in your upper traps, lower your shoulders away from your ears and think low retraction.
What tempo should I use?
Pull firmly, then hold a real one-second pause at the end of the range, shoulder blades together. The return is braked over 2 to 3 seconds, controlling the lengthening. That pause in contraction is the real lever of this movement, not speed.