A push-pull training program can benefit beginners or seasoned weightlifters. The program promotes muscle growth and helps prevent overtraining by grouping the muscles you train each day into a pushing or pulling muscle group. Pushing muscles are those used in pushing motions such as your chest, triceps, front deltoids, calves and quadriceps. Pulling muscles are those used in pulling motions such as your back, lateral deltoids, rear deltoids, trapezius muscles, hamstrings, abs and biceps. In a three-day push-pull training split, the thighs and abs often are trained on their own day, separate from training days for the upper body and calves.
Push-Pull Training Split
Beginners should start with strength training three days a week on nonconsecutive days. For example, complete the push workout on Monday, train your thighs and abs on Wednesday and do the pull workout on Friday. Advanced trainees can repeat each workout twice in one week so that you are training six days a week. For example, do the push workout on Monday and Thursday, thighs and abs on Tuesday and Friday and the pull workout on Wednesday and Saturday. Make Sunday your rest day. Begin each workout with a thorough five- to 10-minute aerobic warmup to get the blood flowing in the muscles and conclude every workout by stretching each of the muscles you trained.
Day 1: Push Workout
Begin your push workout routine with at least one warmup set of bench presses or dumbbell chest presses to warm up your chest and arms. Increase the weight on your bench press to a resistance that fosters muscle fatigue with six to eight repetitions for three sets, resting about two minutes between sets. Next, complete three sets of incline bench presses for six to eight reps and dumbbell fly exercises for eight to 12 reps. Train your front deltoids and triceps with three sets of eight to 12 reps of Arnold presses, close-grip bench presses and dumbbell kickbacks. Finish with calves using three sets of six to 10 reps of standing calf raises and three sets of 15 to 20 reps of seated calf raises. Keep rest periods between sets at 60 seconds or less for all exercises performed after the bench press.
Day 2: Thighs and Abs
Complete two warmup sets of barbell squats for eight to 10 reps with progressively increasing weight. Do not use a weight on warmup sets that may bring you to muscle failure. Perform three working sets of six to eight reps of barbell squats. Follow with three sets of eight to 12 reps of hack squats or leg presses, straight leg deadlifts and step-ups, resting 90 seconds between sets. Conclude your workout with abs by completing three sets of 15 reps of hanging leg raises or captain's chair knee raises, leg lifts and crunches, resting less than 30 seconds between sets.
Day 3: Pull Workout
Start your workout with three sets of pullups for at least five reps or until muscle fatigue occurs. Use an assisted pullup machine or a spotter if you cannot complete any pullups. Add a weight belt if you can complete more than 10 reps for three sets. Complete three sets of six to eight reps of cable rows, upright rows, cable or dumbbell lateral raises and rear delt fly exercises on the pec dec machine. Finish your workout with biceps, doing three sets of eight to 12 reps of barbell curls and single arm cable curls, resting 30 to 60 seconds between each set.
References
- ExRx.net: Pull/Push/Thighs
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2000
- "Strength Training Anatomy"; Frederic Delavier; 2001
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