Intermediate Push-Pull Routine

[basskiller]

These routines are considered general workout plans for intermediate lifters. The routines are suited for improving strength or building muscle.


Push/Pull Workouts

Push (chest, shoulders, triceps)
1. Bench press
2. Shoulder press (or lateral and front raises)
3. Incline dumbbell or barbell bench press [optional]
4. Triceps exercise (skull crushers, tricep extensions, close grip bench or dips)
5. Crunches, sit ups, leg raises, or other ab exercise

Pull (legs, back, biceps, & calves)
1a. Squats
b. Deadlifts (see note on Squats/deadlifts)
2. Leg curls (or other glute/hamstring exercise) [optional]
3. Pull ups (or Lat pull downs)
4. Bent over rows (or other row exercise)
5. Calf raises (standing or seated)
6. EZ bar or Barbell curls (or dumbbell standing curls) [optional]
7. Side bends (or other oblique exercise)


Push/Pull Workout Schedules

Here is a schedule for doing 3 workouts per week doing each workout an average of 1.5 times per week. Each workout is done every 4-5 workouts.

Week 1 Week 2
Mon: Pull Push
Wed: Push Pull
Fri: Pull Push

A schedule for doing each workout twice a week for a total of 4 workouts per week is the following.

Mon: Pull
Tue: Push
Thur: Pull
Fri: Push

A reduced schedule with 4 workouts per week is.

Mon (pull): Squats, Bent over rows, Barbell curls, & Calf raises.
Tue (push): Bench press, Incline DB bench press, Skull crushers, & Crunches
Wed: agility and/or cardio day (or an off day)
Thur (pull): Deadlifts, Pull ups, Barbell curls, & Calf raises.
Fri (push): Bench press, Shoulder press, Dips, & Leg raises

Doing each workout more than 2 times a week for a long period of time is not recommended.


Push/Pull/Legs Workouts

Push (chest, shoulders, & triceps)
1. Bench press
2. Shoulder press (or lateral raises and front raises)
3. Incline bench press (with dumbbells or barbell) [optional]
4. Triceps exercise (skull crushers, tricep extensions, close grip bench or dips)
5. Sit ups, leg raises, or other ab exercise

Pull (upper back, biceps, & forearms)
1. Pull ups (or Lat pull downs)
2. Bent over rows (or other row exercise)
3. EZ bar or Barbell curls (or dumbbell standing curls)
4. Reverse grip curls or incline dumbbell curls [optional]
5. Shrugs [optional]
6. Side bends (or other oblique exercise)

Legs (legs, lower back, & calves)
1a. Squats
b. Deadlifts (see note on squat/deadlift)
2. Leg curls (or other glute/hamstring exercise)
3. Calf raises, standing
4. Calf raises, seated [optional]
5. Crunches (or other ab exercise) [optional]


Push/Pull/Legs Workout Schedules

One schedule for doing the 3 workouts is once a week with a monday, wednesday, friday arrangement. The workout days can be adjusted if needed. These workouts can be done 3 days in a row if required.

A schedule for doing each workout twice a week is listed below. The days can be shifted forward or back if required.

Sun: Pull
Mon: Legs
Tues: Push
Wed: Pull
Thurs: Legs
Fri: Push
Sat: rest

A twice a week schedule may lead to overtraining. If this is a problem, reduce workout volume by eliminating work sets either by dropping an exercise and/or decreasing the sets per exercise. The workouts in the second half of the week could be with light ones to allow better recovery. Another option is going the 1.5 times per week schedule below.

Another schedule that falls between the once and twice a week is listed below. This schedule does each workout 3 times every 2 weeks (1.5 times per week). This works out so each workout is done every 4-6 days.

Week 1 Week 2
Sun: Pull rest
Mon: Push Legs
Tues: Legs Push
Wed: rest Pull
Thurs: Pull rest
Fri: Push Legs
Sat: rest rest


General Notes for Routines

Do both squats and deadlifts or alternate them in pull workouts for more recovery time. Going lighter on one lift and normal on the other lift is another option to alternating them. Just alternate the lighter lift each workout.

If you have shoulder problems or prefer not to do them, replace shoulder press with lateral raises and front raises. Do the raises near the end of the workout.

Alternate exercises can be used for the exercises listed above. Some of the better exercises have listed above in the author's opinion.

The order pull ups and bent over rows is performed may be revered if desired.

Selection of the reps used should based on the lifter's goals. Sets of 1-6 reps are mainly for building strength. Sets of 8-12 reps are mainly for building muscle. Sets of 15 or more reps are mainly for improving muscle endurance. Do a minimum of 2 sets on each exercise. However, don't do so much volume that you can't recover by the next workout.

[liftsiron]

I sware by a push/pull routine although I do legs as a separate workout on their own.