Push/Pull

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uwouldluvme2
uwouldluvme2 Posts: 188 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Has anyone ever heard of push/pull method of working out? Does anyone use it? Is it effective?
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  • jmule24
    jmule24 Posts: 1,382 Member
    edited November 2015
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    Any lifting program which includes progressive overload will be effective. i.e. - add 5lbs/ sessions , add 1 set/ week, etc.

    Push/Pull/Legs is a 3x/week routine to break up what parts of your body is all.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Are you talking about push/pull/leg splits? Meaning one day of push exercises, one day of pull exercises, one day of leg exercises?
  • uwouldluvme2
    uwouldluvme2 Posts: 188 Member
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    @jemhh yes sort of @jmule24 cool thanks

    Two trainers were at the gym debating yesterday about whether or not their client should do back & biceps or back & shoulders and then started talking about whether mixing pull & push body parts together was effective as opposed to just using all pull or all push. Just wanted to get others opinion.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    I prefer to alternate push / pull lifts within the same workout so that I get a higher volume per workout as I don't need as much recovery between lifts (or alternatively I can get my workout done in a shorter time). Also seems better for me in avoiding aggravating injuries.

    The balance of progressive overload, volume and fatigue is very much a personal thing and also depends on training experience and goals.

    There's not really one single method that is optimal for everyone.
  • uwouldluvme2
    uwouldluvme2 Posts: 188 Member
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    @sijomial that makes sense...I've been doing the push/pull method but I didn't even know it. It just seems to work for me as I have less injuries.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    sijomial wrote: »
    I prefer to alternate push / pull lifts within the same workout so that I get a higher volume per workout as I don't need as much recovery between lifts (or alternatively I can get my workout done in a shorter time). Also seems better for me in avoiding aggravating injuries.

    The balance of progressive overload, volume and fatigue is very much a personal thing and also depends on training experience and goals.

    There's not really one single method that is optimal for everyone.

    This is what I do as well. I workout at home so I can easily go back and forth between my push and pull exercises. It saves time and I find that the fact that it saves time spurs me on to do a few more sets than I would if I couldn't superset things.
  • jmule24
    jmule24 Posts: 1,382 Member
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    Agree with @sijomial . Most "trainers" subscribe to "bro-science." 99% of lifters are non-competitive and drug free lifters. Here is some great information by a well respected expert.

    http://weightrainer.net/training/rules.html
    http://weightrainer.net/training/beginners.html
  • uwouldluvme2
    uwouldluvme2 Posts: 188 Member
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    jmule24 wrote: »
    Agree with @sijomial . Most "trainers" subscribe to "bro-science." 99% of lifters are non-competitive and drug free lifters. Here is some great information by a well respected expert.

    http://weightrainer.net/training/rules.html
    http://weightrainer.net/training/beginners.html

    Thank you so much!!! This is why I love MFP
  • jmule24
    jmule24 Posts: 1,382 Member
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    uwouldluvme2 wrote: »
    jmule24 wrote: »
    Agree with @sijomial . Most "trainers" subscribe to "bro-science." 99% of lifters are non-competitive and drug free lifters. Here is some great information by a well respected expert.

    http://weightrainer.net/training/rules.html
    http://weightrainer.net/training/beginners.html

    Thank you so much!!! This is why I love MFP

    You are very welcome.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    yes...my programming looks like this:

    A:
    Oly work (snatches)
    Plyo work
    Legs (squat variations)
    Horizontal Push (upper body)
    Horizontal Pull (upper body)
    Single leg movement (i.e. step ups, etc)
    triceps
    core

    B:
    Oly work (Cleans)
    Plyo work
    Legs (dead lift variations)
    Vertical Push (upper body)
    Vertical Pull (upper body)
    Lunges
    biceps
    core


  • FrankWhite27330
    FrankWhite27330 Posts: 316 Member
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    I also do mixed push pulls.. I feel like you have to. Bench and rows push pull overhead press and pull downs.
  • donnelly5
    donnelly5 Posts: 2 Member
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    Current split is legs/pull/push/legs/pull/push/arms/rest
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    I think it's all semantics and personal preference, just my opinion of course. If the programming is solid, the lifter is motivated, and the recovery is good then the progress will be good regardless if it's a Push/Pull split, body-part split, or full-body split; I just don't think it matters all that much as long as what the lifter is doing compliments their goals.

    I train full body but I make sure that my posterior muscles get trained as much as my anterior muscles; I love training my upper back, it's my favorite feature on me. :smile:
  • uwouldluvme2
    uwouldluvme2 Posts: 188 Member
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    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    I think it's all semantics and personal preference, just my opinion of course. If the programming is solid, the lifter is motivated, and the recovery is good then the progress will be good regardless if it's a Push/Pull split, body-part split, or full-body split; I just don't think it matters all that much as long as what the lifter is doing compliments their goals.

    I train full body but I make sure that my posterior muscles get trained as much as my anterior muscles; I love training my upper back, it's my favorite feature on me. :smile:

    Yeah I see your point too. That was my approach when I first started- make sure I'm training full body in a way where i don't get injured.
  • uwouldluvme2
    uwouldluvme2 Posts: 188 Member
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    donnelly5 wrote: »
    Current split is legs/pull/push/legs/pull/push/arms/rest

    that's a good split - do you work abs on certain days as well or everyday?
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    uwouldluvme2 wrote: »
    Has anyone ever heard of push/pull method of working out? Is it effective?

    For what goal?
  • utahmomof10
    utahmomof10 Posts: 133 Member
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    My workout schedule is a hybrid variation of push/pull/legs and Wendler 5/3/1 that I put together as I can really only get to the gym 3 days a week instead of the 4 that Wendler typically calls for. Here's what mine looks like:

    Push (Monday):

    Strength - OHP or bench press (I alternate these moves, one per cycle) as per Wendler progression
    Assistance -
    5 sets x5 reps @ 70% of working weight OHP or bench press (the one that isn't the strength move for that cycle)
    5 sets x10 reps Wall balls (using a medicine ball and standing on one leg as a running-specific move)
    Clean & jerk work
    5 sets x10 reps Triceps dips

    Legs (Wednesday):

    Strength - Back squat as per Wendler progression
    Assistance -
    Clean & jerk work
    5 sets x 5 reps Overhead squats (includes snatch work)
    5 sets x 8 reps Walking high-bar barbells lunges
    5 sets x 5 reps Front squats

    Pull (Friday):

    Strength - Dead lifts as per Wendler progression
    Assistance -
    5 sets x 10 reps Pull-ups (banded, no kipping)
    5 sets x 5 reps Bent-over barbell rows
    Snatch work
    5 sets x 5 reps Inverted row

    I do my assistance sets in a circuit, trying to keep it as high intensity as I can.

    I feel like this has been working great for me, since I focus primarily on compound movements. No significant isolation moves, as I'm not interested in body building - just in overall strength and fitness.
  • uwouldluvme2
    uwouldluvme2 Posts: 188 Member
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    utahmomof10 wrote: »
    My workout schedule is a hybrid variation of push/pull/legs and Wendler 5/3/1 that I put together as I can really only get to the gym 3 days a week instead of the 4 that Wendler typically calls for. Here's what mine looks like:

    Push (Monday):

    Strength - OHP or bench press (I alternate these moves, one per cycle) as per Wendler progression
    Assistance -
    5 sets x5 reps @ 70% of working weight OHP or bench press (the one that isn't the strength move for that cycle)
    5 sets x10 reps Wall balls (using a medicine ball and standing on one leg as a running-specific move)
    Clean & jerk work
    5 sets x10 reps Triceps dips

    Legs (Wednesday):

    Strength - Back squat as per Wendler progression
    Assistance -
    Clean & jerk work
    5 sets x 5 reps Overhead squats (includes snatch work)
    5 sets x 8 reps Walking high-bar barbells lunges
    5 sets x 5 reps Front squats

    Pull (Friday):

    Strength - Dead lifts as per Wendler progression
    Assistance -
    5 sets x 10 reps Pull-ups (banded, no kipping)
    5 sets x 5 reps Bent-over barbell rows
    Snatch work
    5 sets x 5 reps Inverted row

    I do my assistance sets in a circuit, trying to keep it as high intensity as I can.

    I feel like this has been working great for me, since I focus primarily on compound movements. No significant isolation moves, as I'm not interested in body building - just in overall strength and fitness.

    Ok so you have days dedicated only to push and days dedicated only to pull. Got it. Mine combines both push & pull together. I have 2 more weeks of this method and will try pull only and push only. Still trying to figure out what works best for my body.
  • uwouldluvme2
    uwouldluvme2 Posts: 188 Member
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    Cherimoose wrote: »
    uwouldluvme2 wrote: »
    Has anyone ever heard of push/pull method of working out? Is it effective?

    For what goal?

    I'm trying to burn fat and build more muscle. Is that what they call "cutting"? Still getting used to terminology.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    uwouldluvme2 wrote: »
    I'm trying to burn fat and build more muscle. Is that what they call "cutting"? Still getting used to terminology.

    Cutting is burning fat while retaining muscle. Burning fat is strictly from a calorie deficit - the scheduling of the body parts is irrelevant to fat loss. Any good strength program can retain muscle. If you want to gain more than 10 lbs. of muscle, you might consider a push/pull/legs split.. otherwise a full-body workout or upper/lower split works perfectly well, with less joint stress than most 3 part splits.

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