The 4-Day Push-Pull Workout Program
If you’re like most, you’ve hit the ground running this new year with a “cut the crap diet” and a “hit the gym” mentality. You’ve likely found a workout plan to follow; whether perusing the internet, using an app, or simply working out with a friend for the accountability. When you first start, your program works, and works well, as it’s been a while since your body felt this type of stimulus. As a result, you’ve seen some quick results; a little muscle growth and maybe some quick weight-loss. Hurray! For now.
After the newness of the program fades, your body will no longer be “pushed” on its endurance, strength, and power. Your muscles and cardiovascular ability will have reached a new baseline, and your new found results will slow likely to a screeching halt. Then what? Spoiler alert, you’ll give this workout a try.
The push-pull workout is nothing new. Bodybuilders and athletes popularized the workout style in the 40’s and 50’s. But why am I bringing it up now? Because it works.
Like you, I have hit the “reset” button time and time again. A few months ago, I reached out to my little/bigger brother to see what the latest and greatest workout was these days, as mine was stale and not giving me the results I was looking for. He turned me on to one of Andrew Hubermans podcasts (Associate Professor of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology at the Stanford University School of Medicine) who was hosting Dr. Andy Galpin (Professor of Kinesiology at California State University, Fullerton). and then sent me a workout he found on the web, mapping out the teachings of these two experts almost to the T. The results; my strength has exploded, muscle mass has increased, endurance has increased, and best of all, it takes almost no time for recovery.
If you’re into the physiology and info dump, by all means, listen to the podcast here.
But if you’d prefer the cliff notes to understand the program and why it works, keep reading…
When developing an effective program, there are a few variables that all should follow. There can definitely be variance, but most programs should include 3 components: primary movement patterns, train each muscle group at least 2x per week, and utilize the entire repetition spectrum.
What is Push-Pull Training?
Simply put, it divides your workouts into push days (targeting both upper and lower body push muscles) and pull days (focusing on both upper and lower body pull muscles). Typically structured as a 4-day split, it entails 2 push sessions and 2 pull sessions per week.
While there are numerous workout splits to choose from, the push-pull split encompasses it all. It serves as the ideal 4-day split, effectively incorporating all the primary variables we discussed earlier in a well-organized manner.
The Resistance Portion
The resistance training portion will focus on essential compound movements. More so, it will involve lifting heavier loads, specifically exceeding approximately 85% of your one-repetition maximum (1RM),
The Hypertrophy Portion
Your hypertrophy training will consist of smaller accessory compound movements as well as isolation work. For this, you will use loads of approximately 70%-80% of your 1RM and moderate reps.
Advantages of a Push-Pull Split
The push-pull split stands out as an ideal choice for lifters due to several reasons. Here are the key reasons why you should consider adopting a 4-day push-pull split:
Easy Organization: Effective training programs thrive on simplicity and organization. The push-pull split excels in this regard, as its name clearly provides focus on pushing and pulling movements. You can further break it down into upper and lower body for each session, streamlining your training to specific muscle groups like "upper pulling" or "lower pushing." This streamlined approach provides clarity about the exercises to be performed each day, enhancing overall organization.
Fatigue Management: Operating on a four-day weekly schedule, the push-pull split facilitates effective fatigue management. With three days of rest interspersed between resistance training sessions, you can mitigate fatigue. Additionally, the split categorizes movements into four quadrants—upper, lower, pushing, and pulling—allowing for further customization and fatigue distribution throughout the week.
Personalization: The push-pull split offers a high degree of personalization. While specific muscle groups are targeted on designated days, you have the flexibility to choose exercises and determine the rep scheme that aligns with your goals. Whether you're a beginner, elite athlete, bodybuilder, or powerlifter, the push-pull split can be adapted to suit diverse training objectives.
Ease of Modification: Similar to personalization, the push-pull split is easily modifiable to align with your fitness goals. If you encounter challenges or need adjustments during implementation, you can modify the split within the designated exercise groups. This flexibility empowers you to tailor the program to your specific needs, ensuring ongoing adaptability and effectiveness.
THE BEST 4-DAY PUSH-PULL WORKOUT SPLIT FOR STRENGTH AND MUSCLE MASS
Below is the 4 day push-pull workout program I am currently following. To ensure this program doesn’t get stale, be sure to build in progressive overload into this program. Remember, the exercises in this program can be modified or swapped for similar ones, what’s important is the compound movements, repetitions and number of times you hit each muscle group each week.
How to Implement this program
This program is meant to be run 4 days a week. That being said, you want these days to be spread out over the week. Do this in one of two ways;
Option A: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
Option B: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday
Some people tend to train better with shorter rest durations so having three 1-day rest periods is ideal; some like two. And remember, you can alter this as you go depending on your week.
Apply Progressive Overload
No matter how well-crafted a program is, its effectiveness hinges on the application of progressive overload by the individual following it. Progressive overload can be a separate blog post in itself, but simply put, it involves gradually increasing the weight lifted or the number of repetitions performed, creating a greater stimulus for growth. This principle serves as the driving force behind any training program, instigating the necessary adaptations. Three ways to do that with this program:
Change the exercise order
Swap the movements
Switch up the repititions
*Remember that it will not be linear forever when it comes to progressive overload. This means that it’s not a straight path. There will be moments where you’ll need to back off and lift a lighter weight. However, you should be able to notice an overall trend over time.
I think that’s about it, if you need any further help with implementing this workout program don’t hesitate to reach out!