How Many Times a Week Should I Do Face Pulls Reddit

The Real Face Pull Frequency (It's More Than You Think)

If you're on Reddit asking 'how many times a week should I do face pulls,' it’s because you feel that nagging ache in your shoulders and know something is off. The answer is to perform them 2-4 times per week, aiming for a total weekly volume of around 100 reps. This isn't a heavy, once-a-week lift like your deadlift; it's a high-frequency corrective exercise designed to undo the damage from sitting at a desk and focusing too much on pressing movements like the bench press. You're likely doing them once a week at the end of your back day, yanking a heavy weight, and wondering why your shoulders still feel like garbage. The problem isn't the exercise; it's that you're treating it like a muscle-builder instead of what it really is: physical therapy for your posture. The small, delicate muscles of your upper back and rotator cuff don't respond to heavy, low-rep sets. They need consistent, high-volume work to get stronger and pull your shoulders back into a healthy position. Forget the ego lift; the goal here is frequency and perfect form, not the number on the weight stack.

Build the strength you can't see.

Track your reps and weight. Know you're building a stronger, more stable foundation.

Why Your 1x a Week Face Pulls Aren't Working

The reason your current approach is failing comes down to simple anatomy. Face pulls target the rear deltoids, rhomboids, and external rotators of the shoulder. These are small, postural muscles designed for endurance. They hold your shoulders in place all day long. They don't respond well to being smashed with a heavy weight for 8 reps once every seven days. They respond to volume and frequency.

The number one mistake people make is going too heavy. When the weight is too heavy, your bigger, stronger muscles-the upper traps and biceps-take over the movement. You end up shrugging and curling the weight, completely missing the small muscles you're trying to target. You get a great arm pump and reinforce bad movement patterns, while your rear delts and rotator cuff get zero stimulus. This is why you feel nothing, or worse, you feel a pinching in the front of your shoulder.

Let's look at the math. A typical but ineffective approach is 3 sets of 8 reps once a week. That's 24 total reps for your upper back health. Now compare that to the Mofilo-recommended protocol: 3 sets of 15 reps, performed 3 times per week. That's 45 reps per session, totaling 135 reps per week. That's over 5 times the volume. This higher volume, spread across the week, is what forces these endurance-based muscles to adapt, grow stronger, and permanently improve your posture. You wouldn't brush your teeth for two minutes only on Sundays; you do it a little bit every day. Treat your shoulder health the same way. You have the logic now: high frequency, high volume, and light weight are the keys. But knowing this and actually accumulating 100+ perfect reps every single week are two different skills. Can you honestly remember how many reps you did last week? Or the week before? If you can't track the volume, you can't manage the progress.

Your progress, week after week.

Every face pull logged. Proof your posture and strength are improving.

Your 4-Week Protocol to Rebuild Your Shoulders

Stop guessing and start building. Follow this exact protocol for the next four weeks. Don't add weight unless specified. The goal is perfect form and accumulating volume, not chasing numbers on the stack. This is about rebuilding your shoulder girdle from the ground up.

Step 1: Master the Form (The First 5 Reps Matter Most)

Before you worry about sets and reps, you must feel the right muscles working. Go to a cable machine and set the pulley at forehead height. Use a rope attachment. Select a weight that feels absurdly light-maybe 20-30 pounds on a typical machine. This is about learning, not lifting.

• Grip: Grab the rope with a neutral grip (palms facing each other).
• Stance: Take a step or two back so the weight is lifted off the stack. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, chest up.
• The Pull: Initiate the movement by squeezing your shoulder blades together. Think about pulling them back and down. Then, pull the rope towards your face, aiming for your nose or forehead. As the rope gets close to your face, actively pull the ends apart and drive your hands back, as if you're trying to show off your biceps. This is the critical external rotation part of the lift.
• The Squeeze: Hold that squeezed, externally rotated position for a full second. You should feel a deep contraction in the muscles between your shoulder blades and on the back of your shoulders. You should feel almost nothing in your biceps or traps. If you do, the weight is too heavy.

Step 2: The Weekly Volume Goal (100 Reps)

Your mission for the next four weeks is to hit at least 100 total, perfect reps every single week. How you get there depends on your training split. Pick one of these options:

• Option A (3x Per Week): At the end of your three main workouts (e.g., Upper Body Day, Lower Body Day, Full Body Day), perform 3 sets of 12-15 reps. This totals 108-135 reps per week.
• Option B (4x Per Week): If you train four days a week, perform 2 sets of 15 reps at the end of every single session. This totals 120 reps per week.

Always do these at the end of your workout. They are pre-hab/rehab work. You don't want to fatigue these tiny stabilizer muscles before a heavy bench press or overhead press.

Step 3: Progressive Overload (Without Adding Weight)

For the first four weeks, you will not add weight to the stack. Progress is measured by form, control, and reps. Your goal is to go from doing 3 sets of 12 to 3 sets of 20 with perfect form and a 1-second squeeze on every rep. Only when you can successfully complete 3 sets of 20 with the starting weight should you consider adding a mere 5 pounds. Adding weight too soon is the fastest way to ruin your progress and revert to using your traps and biceps.

Step 4: No Cable Machine? No Problem.

If you train at home or in a gym without a proper cable setup, you can still get the work in. The best alternative is a resistance band.

• Banded Face Pulls: Anchor a light-to-medium resistance band to a squat rack or door anchor at face level. The form is identical to the cable version. The main difference is the resistance curve-it gets harder at the end of the rep, which is actually great for this exercise. Aim for the same rep and set schemes: 3-4 sets of 15-25 reps.
• Dumbbell Skier Swings: While not a direct replacement, these target the rear delts well. Hinge at your hips with a light dumbbell in each hand (5-15 lbs is plenty). Let the dumbbells hang down, then explosively swing them back and up, keeping your arms straight. Focus on squeezing the rear delts at the top.

Week 1 Will Feel Pointless. Here's What's Really Happening.

It's important to set realistic expectations. You've spent years developing poor posture; you won't fix it in one week. Here is the timeline of what real progress looks and feels like.

• Week 1-2: The "Is This Working?" Phase. The weight will feel embarrassingly light. You'll be tempted to add more. Don't. Your only job is to master the mind-muscle connection. You should feel a deep burn in your upper back and rear delts. For an hour or two after your workout, you might notice you're standing a little taller without thinking about it. This is your nervous system learning how to fire these dormant muscles again. This is the most important phase.
• Month 1 (Weeks 3-4): The Click. The movement will start to feel natural and powerful, even with the light weight. You'll be able to consistently hit your rep targets (e.g., 3 sets of 15-20) with a strong squeeze on every rep. You might notice that your shoulders feel less "crunchy" or painful during your bench press warmups. This is a sign that your shoulder joint is starting to sit in a more centrated, stable position.
• Month 2-3: Visible Changes. This is when the magic happens. You'll look in the mirror and see that your upper back has more thickness and definition. Your shoulders will naturally sit further back, and your chest will be up. Friends might ask if you've gotten taller. Your main lifts, especially pressing movements, will feel more stable and strong because you've built a solid foundation to press from. This is the payoff for the disciplined, light-weight work you did in the first month.

Frequently Asked Questions

Face Pulls at the Start or End of a Workout?

Always perform face pulls at the end of your workout. They target small stabilizer muscles. Fatiguing these muscles before you do heavy compound lifts like bench press or overhead press can compromise your stability and increase your risk of injury. Treat them as a finisher or an accessory movement.

The Best Grip for Face Pulls?

A neutral grip (palms facing each other) is generally best because it facilitates better external rotation at the end of the movement. However, an overhand grip (palms facing down) is also effective. The most important factor is choosing a grip that allows you to feel the target muscles working without any shoulder pain. Experiment with both and stick with what feels best.

Feeling Face Pulls in Traps or Biceps?

This is the most common mistake, and it means the weight is too heavy. Your body is defaulting to stronger muscles to move the load. Immediately drop the weight by 30-50%. Focus on initiating the pull by retracting your scapula (squeezing your shoulder blades together) before your arms even bend. Think "back first, arms second."

Can You Do Face Pulls Every Day?

Yes, you can do face pulls every day if you treat them as a mobility drill. This would mean using a very light band or weight for just 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps. However, for actual strength and muscle growth in the rear delts and upper back, 2-4 times per week is the optimal frequency to allow for adequate recovery and adaptation.