One push and one pull, the perfect combination of strength and curve

Although pursuing balanced physical development sounds simple, it is not so easy in practice. Fortunately, you can achieve comprehensive muscle development by following a push-and-pull training program.

Three major advantages: A set of "push and pull" exercises in different parts of the body can effectively and continuously exercise the upper body muscles and comprehensively strengthen the strength. During the exercise, different methods are used to exercise the muscles in the same part, which not only improves the exercise effect but also reduces the recovery time. Since this is a very balanced exercise program, you will quickly discover your body's strengths and weaknesses during practice, and can quickly take measures to correct and remedy them. In addition, this program can condense upper body exercises from 3 to 4 times a week into two times. After 4-6 weeks of training, you will begin to see results, including increased strength and improved body shape.

Exercise method: Do each set of exercises once a week. You can practice "Push" or "Pull" first, but be sure to arrange 1 day of rest between the two exercises to allow your muscles to recover. Of course, you can also train your lower limbs or do aerobic exercise between the two times. The order of exercises is to do multi-joint movements for large muscle groups first, such as chest and back presses and pulldowns, and then single-joint movements for small muscle groups, such as biceps and triceps curls and pressdowns.

How can I adapt this plan to my personal situation?

1. Only 30 minutes of training time each time - reduce the rest time between groups to 30-45 seconds, and then omit some similar movements, but make sure that each muscle group gets one exercise each time.

2. Want to grow muscle - keep the content unchanged, but increase the weight used and reduce the number of times per set. Choose the heaviest weight you can complete 6-8 sets with.

3. If you want to lose weight, you can arrange the whole set of movements into a circuit exercise to increase your heart rate and calorie consumption. Choose 5 exercises from each set of exercises, do 2 sets of the first exercise, 12 times each set, rest 10-15 times between sets, and then do 5 minutes of aerobic exercise at 80% intensity. Then complete the remaining 4 movements and aerobic exercise in the same way. Be sure to choose aerobic exercises that use the lower limbs, such as exercise bikes, to facilitate the balanced development of the upper and lower limbs.

4. Can you train your abdominal muscles every day? - Since the abdominal muscles are involved in various pushing and pulling movements, they have been exercised several times a week. You can choose a few different moves and take turns doing them each time. Or you can add abdominal exercises to your "push and pull" routine, such as training your abdominals on the "pull" day and other muscles responsible for stabilizing the torso, including the psoas, on the "push" day. You can use fitness balls, stability boards and other equipment to exercise your trunk muscles. The rectus abdominis is the main muscle that makes up the "six-pack" abdominal muscles. You can do exercises such as supine tucks, leg raise tucks, and hanging leg raises. Abdominal exercises can be done before or after the whole set of movements.

5. Can push-ups, pull-ups, and dips be used instead of machine exercises? If you are very strong, you can use these movements to replace exercises with the same effect, such as pull-ups and push-downs.

6. What to do if you feel bored? You can change the angle of use of the equipment, and use dumbbells, barbells and equipment alternately. You can even change two-handed exercises to one-handed exercises if your movements allow, just don't forget to follow the correct muscle exercise order.

"Push" exercises and action essentials

1. Dumbbell bench press (or barbell bench press chest press) - Lie on your back on a training bench and hold the dumbbells in both hands. Bend your elbows and keep your upper arms parallel to the ground. During the push-up process, the dumbbells move closer to the middle, and are lifted to the top until they are almost touching. After a pause, slowly lower them back to the original position.

2. Pulley chest press (or incline dumbbell fly) - Stand in the middle of the machine, hold the high pulley handles with both hands, bend your elbows slightly, and pull the handles to the midline of your body. The movement path is in an arc, as if hugging the tree.

3. Butterfly machine fly (or flat bench dumbbell fly) - hold the handles with both hands relative to each other, and keep your wrists, elbows and shoulders in a straight line. Keep your body upright and pull the handles in front of you. Be careful not to let your elbows drop. After the handles lightly touch each other, slowly return to the original position.

4. Dumbbell shoulder press (or machine shoulder press) - Sit on a training bench, hold the dumbbells on both sides of your ears with your palms facing forward. Push the dumbbells up, and slowly lower them back down when they are almost touching at the top. Be careful not to swing your body during the movement.

5. Dumbbell front raise (or pulley front raise) - stand with knees slightly bent and back straight. Hold dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing back. Lift the dumbbells in front of you to shoulder height or slightly above, then slowly lower them back to the starting position. Be careful not to sway your body.

6. Press down with the rope handle (or straight bar) puller - hold the rope handles with both hands, keep your elbows close to your sides and keep them still during the movement. Press down with your hands until your arms are almost straight. Slowly return to the original position and repeat.

7. Supine arm extension (or straight bar pushdown) - Lie on your back on a training bench, holding a barbell on your chest. Bend your elbows and lower the bar in front of your head, then straighten your arms to return to the original position.

8. Dumbbell wrist flexion and extension (or barbell wrist flexion and extension) - Sit on a bench, support your forearms on your legs, hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms down. Slowly extend your wrists to lift the dumbbells, then slowly lower them back to the starting position.

Pulling exercises and key points

1. Wide-grip pull-down (or pull-up, bent-over row) - hold the horizontal bar with your back straight. When pulling down, use as little strength as possible in your arms, pull the bar down to your chest and then slowly return to the original position.

2. Narrow-grip seated row (or one-arm bent-over dumbbell row) - sit with your knees slightly bent, shoulders down, chest up and waist in, and maintain this posture from beginning to end. Grasp the handles and pull them toward your body, keeping your elbows close to your sides and your shoulder blades together. Pause at the top for a moment and then slowly return to the starting position. Be careful to avoid using inertia during the movement.

3. Dumbbell lateral raise (or single-arm pulley lateral raise) - Stand with your knees slightly bent, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing inward. Use your elbow to lead your arm, slowly raise the dumbbell to the side to shoulder height, and return to the original position in a controlled manner.

4. Bent-over dumbbell lateral raise (reverse butterfly machine lateral raise) - sit at one end of the training bench, lean forward so that the chest and knees touch each other, and keep the waist and back straight and tight. Hold the dumbbells with both hands, bend your elbows slightly, lift the dumbbells until they are parallel to your shoulders, and slowly return to the original position. During the movement, use your peripheral vision to pay attention to whether the dumbbell's rising path is correct.

5. Barbell curl (or alternating dumbbell curl) - Stand with your knees slightly bent, hold the barbell in front of your body with your palms facing forward, with the grip narrower than your shoulders, bend the barbell upward to your chest and slowly return to the original position.

6. Straight-bar cable curl (or single-arm cable curl) - Hold the low-position cable with both hands, use your biceps to bend your elbows to pull the bar to your chest, and slowly return to the original position.

7. Single-arm dumbbell concentrated arch raise (or incline curl) - sit at one end of the training bench, spread your legs, lean forward slightly, and keep the exercise arm stable against the inner thigh. Hold the dumbbell in one hand, lift it to your chest, and then slowly return to the starting position.

8. Lifting the barbell and shrug (or upright rowing) - Stand with your knees slightly bent and hold the barbell with your hands at shoulder width. Lift your shoulders upward as if to touch your ears. Pause for a moment and then slowly return to the starting position.

9. Reverse grip dumbbell wrist flexion and extension (or reverse grip barbell wrist flexion and extension) - sit on a bench, place your forearms on your legs, hold the dumbbells with your palms facing up, slowly bend your wrists to roll up the dumbbells, and slowly return to the original position. Do 3 sets of all the above exercises, 12-15 times each set. Do 2 sets of 10 reps each to warm up before doing dumbbell bench press.