Smooth cable tension up the front delts and traps.
Lead with the elbows and keep the bar close, stop at shoulder height to spare the shoulder joint.
Pulling a straight bar up your body from a low pulley drags the elbows out and up, which is side delt and trap territory, with the biceps helping to bend the arm along the way. The cable's constant tension is the difference maker: there is no dead spot at the bottom like there is with free weights, so the delts work through the entire pull. Done to shoulder height and no higher, it stacks vertical pulling volume onto your shoulders that raises alone cannot match.
The risky version is a narrow grip yanked up to the chin. Grip around shoulder width, stop when your elbows reach shoulder height and control the descent, and it is a solid delt and trap builder for most lifters. If it pinches, widen the grip or pick a different movement.
The cable keeps tension on through the bottom half of the rep where a bar goes light, and it feels smoother on the joints. The barbell lets you load heavier. This is the better strict, constant tension option.
You are likely pulling too high or shrugging as you lift. Lead with the elbows out to the sides, keep your shoulders down away from your ears, and cap the pull at shoulder height.
