If I'm a Beginner and Only Do Face Pulls for Rear Delts Will They Actually Grow

Yes, Face Pulls Work-But Not How You Think

To answer your question, 'if I'm a beginner and only do face pulls for rear delts will they actually grow'-yes, they absolutely will, but only if you follow a specific protocol of 3-4 sets of 12-20 reps and understand they are just the starting point. You're asking this because you've seen face pulls everywhere and want a simple, direct path to building those stubborn rear deltoids without a complicated routine. You're tired of your shoulders looking flat from the side and want that rounded, 3D look. The good news is that face pulls are one of the best exercises a beginner can do for this. They not only build the muscle but also fix the postural issues that make your rear delts weak in the first place. However, relying on this single exercise forever is a recipe for hitting a plateau in about 8-12 weeks. Think of face pulls as the perfect gateway exercise: they will wake up the muscle, build an initial base of strength and size, and improve your shoulder health. But to keep growing long-term, you will eventually need to add more tools to your toolbox. For now, focusing on mastering this one movement is the smartest first step you can take.

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Why Your Rear Delts Are So Hard to Grow (And Why Face Pulls Help)

You're not imagining it. The rear deltoids are notoriously stubborn. This isn't because you're doing something wrong; it's about anatomy and modern life. Your shoulder has three heads: the anterior (front), lateral (side), and posterior (rear). Most traditional pressing movements, like the bench press and overhead press, hammer your front delts. Even your posture from sitting at a desk, driving, or looking down at your phone constantly shortens the muscles on the front of your body and lengthens and weakens the ones on the back, including your rear delts. When you try to train them with big, heavy compound movements like barbell rows, larger muscles like your lats and traps often take over, leaving the small rear delt under-stimulated. This is where the face pull shines. It's an isolation exercise that puts the rear delt in a mechanically advantageous position. By pulling the rope towards your face and externally rotating your shoulders, you force the rear delt and smaller supporting muscles (like the infraspinatus and teres minor) to do the work. It's less about lifting heavy weight and more about perfect execution and creating a mind-muscle connection with a muscle you've likely neglected for years. For a beginner, this is critical. You're not just building muscle; you're teaching your body how to even fire that muscle correctly. That's why it's such a powerful starting point.

You now understand the anatomy. You know the rear delt is a small, stubborn muscle that needs high reps and perfect form. But knowing that and actually executing 3 sets of 15 reps with perfect form, twice a week, for 12 straight weeks are two different things. How can you be sure you're adding just enough stress to grow without just swinging the weight?

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The 8-Week Face Pull Protocol for Visible Growth

Forget guessing. Follow this exact plan for the next 8 weeks to guarantee progress. This is designed for a beginner who wants to see real change by focusing on one key movement.

Step 1: Find Your Starting Weight (The 15-Rep Rule)

Your goal is not to lift heavy. Your goal is to feel the muscle work. Go to a cable machine and set the pulley at about eye level. Select a light weight-for most beginners, this will be between 20 and 40 pounds. The rule is simple: you should be able to complete 15 reps with perfect form, where the 15th rep is difficult but not impossible. If you can easily do 20 reps, the weight is too light. If you can't get 12 reps, it's too heavy. Your ego doesn't build your rear delts; perfect reps do. Start light and earn the right to go heavier.

Step 2: Master the Form (It's Not a Row)

This is the most important step. Bad form will work your traps and back, not your rear delts.

1. Grip: Grab the rope handles with an overhand grip, thumbs pointing towards you.
2. Stance: Take a step or two back so the weight is lifted off the stack. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, chest up, and shoulders down and back.
3. The Pull: Initiate the movement by pulling the ropes towards your face. Think about pulling your hands apart as you pull back. Your elbows should go high and wide.
4. The Target: Aim to bring the center of the rope towards your nose or forehead.
5. The Squeeze: At the peak of the movement, your hands should be slightly behind your ears. Squeeze your shoulder blades together for a full second. This is where the growth happens. Imagine trying to crack a walnut between your shoulder blades.
6. The Return: Control the weight back to the starting position slowly. Don't let the stack slam. A 3-second negative (the return) is ideal.

Common Mistake: Using your body weight to rock back and forth. Stay rigid. The only things that should be moving are your arms and shoulder blades.

Step 3: The Weekly Schedule and Volume

Your rear delts are a small muscle group and can recover quickly. You will perform face pulls 2 times per week. A Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday schedule works well. Do not do them on back-to-back days.

• Workout A: 3 sets of 12-15 reps.
• Workout B: 3 sets of 12-15 reps.

Your total weekly volume will be 6 sets. This is the minimum effective dose for a beginner to stimulate growth without causing recovery issues.

Step 4: How to Progress (This is Non-Negotiable)

Muscles grow because they are forced to adapt to increasing stress. This is progressive overload. For face pulls, this is simple.

• Weeks 1-4: Your goal is to add reps. Start with 3 sets of 12. Each week, try to add one rep to each set. By week 4, you should be aiming for 3 sets of 15 reps with the same starting weight.
• Weeks 5-8: Once you can comfortably perform 3 sets of 20 reps with perfect form, and only then, you have earned the right to increase the weight. Add the smallest possible increment (usually 2.5 or 5 pounds on the stack). With this new, heavier weight, drop your reps back down to 12 and repeat the process. This ensures you are always challenging the muscle in the optimal rep range for hypertrophy.

Your Rear Delts in 30 and 90 Days: A Realistic Timeline

Here is what you should honestly expect if you follow the protocol without skipping workouts. Progress isn't instant, but it is predictable.

In the First 30 Days:

You will feel a significant improvement in your mind-muscle connection. You'll be able to actively squeeze your rear delts, likely for the first time. After your workouts, you'll feel a pump in the back of your shoulders. Your posture will start to improve; you may notice you're standing taller without consciously thinking about it. Visually, you won't see dramatic growth yet, but if you take a picture from the side, you might notice the back of your shoulder has a slightly rounder curve than before. You should be able to lift about 2-4 more reps per set than when you started.

In the First 90 Days:

This is where the visible changes become undeniable. After 12 weeks of consistent training and progressive overload, you will have a visible 'cap' on the back of your shoulder. In the mirror, your shoulders will look wider and have a more 3D appearance. Your strength will have increased significantly; you will have likely increased the weight on the stack at least once or twice. This is also the point where you might start to notice progress slowing down. Your body is now adapted to face pulls. This is the signal that it's time to add a second rear delt exercise, like bent-over dumbbell raises or a reverse pec-deck machine, to provide a new stimulus and continue growing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Face Pulls With a Resistance Band

Yes, you can absolutely do face pulls with a resistance band. Anchor the band to a sturdy object (like a squat rack or a door anchor) at face level. The form is identical. To progress, you can either use a thicker band or add more reps. Bands are great because the tension increases as you pull, forcing a strong contraction at the peak.

The Best Rep Range for Rear Delts

The rear delts are predominantly composed of slow-twitch muscle fibers, which respond best to higher repetitions and more time under tension. That's why the 12-20 rep range is so effective. Going too heavy with low reps often leads to other, stronger muscles taking over the lift.

Face Pulls vs. Reverse Pec-Deck

Both are excellent. Face pulls are arguably better for overall shoulder health because they also train external rotation, which is crucial for posture and injury prevention. The reverse pec-deck machine offers more stability, allowing for pure isolation of the rear delt. A great intermediate routine would include both.

Adding a Second Rear Delt Exercise

After 8-12 weeks of only doing face pulls, your progress may slow. This is the perfect time to add a second exercise. A good choice would be Bent-Over Dumbbell Raises for 3 sets of 10-15 reps. This will provide a different angle of stimulus and force new growth. Perform this new exercise after your face pulls.

How Often to Train Rear Delts

Because they are a small muscle group that recovers quickly, you can and should train rear delts 2-3 times per week for optimal growth. Hitting them with 6-10 total sets spread across the week is a solid target for continued progress after your initial beginner phase.