Band Face Pull
How to Do It
Anchor a band at upper-chest or face height. Hold it with both hands, arms extended, and pull the band toward the face by driving the elbows high and out to the sides, externally rotating so the hands finish beside the ears. Squeeze the upper back, then return under control. Keep the ribs down.
Why It Works
Trains the rear delts, external rotators, and scapular upward rotators together, strengthening the often-weak posterior shoulder and improving the rotator-cuff balance and posture that protect the shoulder joint.
Hockey Transfer
Builds rear-shoulder and rotator-cuff strength that stabilizes the shoulder for shooting and checking and reduces shoulder injury risk; supports a strong, square upper-body posture on the ice.
Coaching Cues
- "Elbows high and wide"
- "hands to the ears, rotate"
- "ribs down, squeeze the back"
Common Mistakes
Pulling low to the chest (losing the high-elbow path); shrugging; using momentum
Progression / Regression
heavier band or pause/external-rotation hold
lighter band or reduce range
Primary Muscles
Energy System
Strength/neural
Put it to work
on the ice.
This exercise is part of a fully periodized 12-week off-ice program — built by a sport scientist who coaches at the national level.
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