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Face Pull strength standards

What is a good Face Pull?

The Intermediate Face Pull standard is about 106 lb (0.59x bodyweight) for a 180 lb man and 72 lb for a 140 lb woman. Advanced starts around 161 lb for men and 109 lb for women. Enter your bodyweight below for your exact standard. These are estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model, not averages of what people lift in the gym.

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Face Pull Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 29, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 10 30 62 105 156
120 13 35 69 114 167
130 16 40 76 123 178
140 20 45 82 131 188
150 23 49 88 139 197
160 26 54 94 146 206
170 29 58 100 154 215
180 32 63 106 161 223
190 35 67 112 168 231
200 38 71 117 174 239
210 41 76 122 181 247
220 44 80 128 187 254
230 47 84 133 193 261
240 50 87 137 199 268
250 53 91 142 204 274
260 56 95 147 210 281
270 59 99 151 215 287
280 62 102 156 221 293
290 64 106 160 226 299
300 67 109 164 231 305
310 70 113 169 236 311

The Face Pull standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Face Pull Standards by Age

How the Face Pull standards change with age, as a 1RM in lb. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 23 49 86 134 190
20 26 56 98 153 217
25 27 57 101 157 223
30 27 57 101 157 223
35 27 57 101 157 223
40 27 57 101 157 223
45 25 54 96 149 211
50 24 51 90 140 198
55 22 47 83 129 183
60 20 43 76 118 167
65 18 39 69 107 151
70 16 35 62 96 136
75 15 31 55 86 121
80 13 28 49 77 108
85 12 25 44 69 97
90 11 22 40 62 88

The Face Pull standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Face Pull Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male lifting 106 lbs (0.59x bodyweight) on the Face Pull is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

Over 40? Add your age and the calculator also shows an age-adjusted level and an age-30 equivalent, using the McCulloch age factor to scale your lift to peak age. Every age band is in the standards by age table above.

Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

of 100
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What the Face Pull Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are building the mind-muscle connection for the Face Pull, learning to initiate the pull with your back rather than your arms, and developing basic grip strength.

Novice

You can perform the Face Pull with proper scapular retraction and a controlled range of motion. You are progressively overloading and building back thickness and lat width.

Intermediate

Your Face Pull shows strong back engagement with minimal momentum. You use RPE to regulate pulling intensity and train strategically to balance horizontal and vertical pull volume.

Advanced

You have built substantial back development through the Face Pull with refined technique and heavy loads. Your grip is no longer a limiting factor, and you manage rowing and pulling fatigue across training blocks.

Elite

Your Face Pull strength is exceptional. You can handle loads that most lifters cannot move with strict form, and your back development reflects years of high-volume, periodized pulling work.

How to Progress Your Face Pull

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Face Pull to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Face Pull 2x per week, focusing on initiating the pull from your back, not your arms.
  • Use linear progression with strict form - no swinging or excessive body English.
  • Pause briefly at peak contraction to build the mind-muscle connection.
  • Develop grip strength in parallel to avoid it becoming a bottleneck.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Add a pull variation (different grip width, underhand, or single-arm) for balanced development.
  • Increase pulling volume to 10-15 sets per week across all back movements.
  • Program the Face Pull at RPE 7-8, saving RPE 9 work for top sets only.
  • Balance horizontal pulls (rows) with vertical pulls (pulldowns/pull-ups).
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week blocks with progressive overload on the Face Pull.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for heavy sets with calculated backoff work at RPE 6-7.
  • Add controlled eccentrics and paused reps to break through plateaus.
  • Total back volume of 15-22 sets per week, distributed across pull patterns.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize the Face Pull through advanced intensity techniques and precise volume management.
  • Use periodized blocks with planned overreaching and supercompensation phases.
  • Refine execution: squeeze at contraction, controlled stretch, zero momentum.
  • Your back development should reflect years of disciplined, high-volume pulling.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Face Pull

Face Pull demonstration
Primary Muscles Trapezius, Upper Back, Rotator Cuff, Posterior Deltoid
Equipment Cable Machine with Rope Attachment or Resistance Band
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound
  1. Attach a rope handle to a high pulley on a cable machine.
  2. Stand facing the machine, feet shoulder-width apart, grasping the rope with an overhand grip and arms fully extended.
  3. Engage your core and maintain a slight bend in the knees.
  4. Pull the rope towards your face, flaring your elbows out and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause briefly at the peak contraction, ensuring your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
  6. Slowly return to the starting position, maintaining control of the movement.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, exhaling as you pull and inhaling as you return.

Tips

  • Keep your core engaged to prevent arching your lower back.
  • Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together at the peak of the movement.
  • Avoid using momentum; control the movement throughout.
  • Adjust the height of the pulley to align with your face for optimal form.

Read the complete Face Pull guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Face Pull Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Face Pull table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Face Pull itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

  • Level tables: the FitnessVolt strength standards model, not meet data.
  • Method: Strength standards methodology - how the level tables are built and where each data source on the site comes from.
Cite this Fitness Volt strength standards model, 2026. Beginner to Elite levels are model values, not competition percentiles. https://fitnessvolt.com/strength-standards/methodology/

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Face Pull depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier on the Face Pull after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Face Pull table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

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Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.