Push It Real Good

“Coolin' by day then at night working up a sweat.”

- Salt-N-Pepa

Do you ever watch the videos from your favorite “fitfluencer” on Instagram and wonder how in the world they trained to flawlessly pull off the push-up variations, body weight sled push, or massive tire flip? We do. The “do it for the ‘gram” culture affects even the fitness industry.

Those 30-second videos are great sources of motivation. They can also be a bit daunting and dangerous if you try to jump right into them. So, what do you need to get on the level of your fave? That’s a loaded question. But one suggestion we have, push-pull training.

What is push-pull training?

Push-pull workouts focuses on working the muscles you use to move weight away from your body and the muscles that enable you to bring weight toward your body. Think alternating a chest press with a bent-over dumbbell row. The press focuses on your pectorals, while the row targets your upper back.  

Why is this form of training important?

Instead of just working particular body parts, push-pull training focuses on overall body movement, muscle balance, and helps protect the spine. Most important, it helps reduce over-training and prevents injury. This form of training is shown to aid in quicker recovery time and helps keep your body balanced.

Another positive that may sound good to your ears, push-pull training simplifies your training. This focused approach allows you to get in a good full-body workout while taking it back to the basic mechanics of a solid workout.

Ok, sounds good, but what exactly do I need to do? What would a push-pull workout look out?

Glad you asked! Check out this full-body push-pull workout and give it a try this week. We’ve divided upper-body, lower-body and core into combo sets. Go for 8-10 reps of each individual exercise and three sets of the full workout.