Shoulders · Cable
Cable Standing One Arm Face Pull
How to do the cable standing one arm face pull, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPull
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Set a cable pulley to about head height and grip the handle with one hand, stepping back so your arm is extended. Pull the handle toward your face by driving your elbow back and out, rotating your hand so your knuckles finish near your temple, then return under control.
- 1Rear delt and mid-back pulling the elbow high and back
- 2Shoulder blade rotating as you finish the pull at your face
- 3Core bracing to resist your torso twisting toward the cable
Common mistakes
- Yanking with momentum or your whole body instead of the shoulder
- Letting the shoulder shrug up toward your ear
- Twisting your torso to cheat the rep across
Muscles worked
The cable standing one arm face pull mainly works the rear delts and mid traps, with the lower traps, external rotators, forearms, upper abs, and obliques assisting.
- Rear DeltsPrimary
- Mid TrapsPrimary
- Lower TrapsSupport
- External RotatorsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- BicepsMinor
- LatsMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the cable standing one arm face pull for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.