delts
Cable Face Pull
Works in
gym
Equipment
cable
Primary muscles
rear deltoid, upper traps
Why do it
Not the flashiest move, but one of the best things you can do for healthy, durable shoulders. I use it as rear-delt and upper-back work and as shoulder rehab, especially if your posture or bench pressing has your shoulders rolling forward. Pull to the forehead, elbows high, and squeeze.
How to do it
Set a rope attachment at roughly head height and pull it toward your face with elbows high and flaring outward. Rotate your hands so the knuckles point behind you at the end, then return under control. This targets the rear delts and the muscles that stabilize the shoulder blades.
What the science says
A review of cohort studies covering over a million people found that just 30 to 60 minutes a week of muscle-strengthening work was linked to a 10 to 17 percent lower risk of dying early and of heart disease, cancer and diabetes (Momma et al., 2022, British Journal of Sports Medicine).