Not only are full-body push/pull workouts simple to design, but they also can help you make progress. Rather than dividing your workout schedule into one day for each body part, full-body push/pull workouts allow you to train your entire body in just two sessions: one focused on pushing motions, and the other on pulling. Consult a medical professional before starting any exercise plan.
Push Days
Your push days on the full-body push/pull workout consist of exercises to perform a pushing motion to move weight, using exercises for your upper and lower body. A primary exercise for the upper body is the barbell incline bench press. The barbell incline bench press also works your triceps and shoulders and employs your biceps as stabilizers. An effective lower body push exercise is the squat, which a study performed by researchers at the Faculty of Medicine Ibn-El-jazzar, Sousse, Tunisia, found can improve jump performance and speed. The results were published in the November 2009 issue of "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research."
Pull Days
Pull days should include exercises for your upper and lower body that require pulling on the resistance to make it move. These motions tend to train different muscles than pushing exercises, so you can perform a pull workout the day after a push workout, or vice-versa. For your lower body, include the deadlift, as it trains a large number of muscles and can burn many calories, making it useful for strength or fat loss routines. An effective upper body pull exercise is the upright row, which works your back and arms.
Scheduling
Scheduling full-body push/pull workouts can be easy, because you don't have to juggle workout days for a large number of different body parts. Perform a heavy pull day, followed by a heavy push day, followed by a rest day. Then, perform a light pull day, a light push day and an off day before repeating the entire cycle. Such a setup can help you progress quickly, as you perform four workouts in a six-day period.
Benefits and Drawbacks
Full-body push/pull workouts have benefits, such as improved fat burn and physical fitness from the large number of workouts comprised of compound lifts. In addition, this type of workout trains functional movements that coordinate multiple muscle groups, so it can be beneficial for sports and everyday activities. However, because you are working out often and using many compound exercises, you can put a lot of stress on your body. To battle fatigue and injury, reduce workout volume by 50 percent every fourth week.
References
- Bodybuilding.com; The Deadlift: King of Exercises; Randy Herring
- MuscleMagFitness.com; Top 5 Chest Exercises; Lynn Glenn
- "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research"; Effects of a Back Squat Training Program on Leg Power, Jump and Sprint Performances in Junior Soccer Players; M.S. Chelly et al.; November 2009
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