Push-pull training: the next generation

How to make the push-pull split even better

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/push-pull-training-the-next-generation

By Kyle Arsenault | 12/31/15

Here's what you need to know.

1. The classic push-pull program allows you to take advantage of a higher training frequency and volume. The problem is that you will start to feel localized fatigue.
2. If your shoulders and triceps are fatigued from other pressing exercises, then it's hard to use heavy weights in the following exercises.
3. The next generation of push-pull splits pairs lower body pressing exercises with upper body pulling exercises and lower body pulling exercises with upper body pressing exercises. This prevents localized fatigue in the smaller muscle groups from limiting your intensity on the larger exercises.
4. The next generation training split allows you to train multi-joint exercises at a higher frequency, higher intensity and higher volume than you could with the classic push-pull split.

The classic push-pull split

Push-pull training allows an exerciser to take advantage of higher frequency and volume. The exercises are split according to the muscles involved in pulling exercises and the muscles involved in pushing exercises, it's simple and effective. The traditional push-pull split could look something like this:

Day 1: Push (pushing exercises)

	Exercise	Sets
A1	Squats	4	5
A2	Vertical press	4	5
B1	Lunges forward	3	8/side
B2	Horizontal press	3	6-8
C1	Knee extension variation	3	10
C2	One-arm horizontal press	3	10/side

Day 2: Pull (pulling exercises)

	Exercise	Sets
A1	Deadlift	4	5
A2	Vertical pull	4	5
B1	Reverse lunges	3	8/side
B2	Horizontal pull	3	6-8
C1	Knee flexion variation	3	10
C2	One-arm horizontal pull	3	10/side

Note: If you are not familiar with the terms "horizontal" and "vertical" in this context, it should be mentioned that these refer to the position of the body. For example, a horizontal press would be a variation of the bench press and a horizontal pull would be a barbell row. An example of vertical pressing would be shoulder presses and an example of vertical pulling would be seated rowing.

This approach allows you to train four to six times a week, with each muscle group being trained at least twice a week. This provides the higher frequency and volume necessary for superior gains. While this approach is good, it could be even better. With the classic layout, you will quickly fall victim to specific fatigue, and specific fatigue will force you to use a lower intensity, which will compromise results.

The problem? Specific exhaustion

Specific fatigue means that an exerciser feels fatigue in specific muscle groups. If you look at the example day 1 above, you can see that you are likely to accumulate a significant amount of specific fatigue in the shoulders, triceps and quadriceps (and from a joint perspective, the elbows too). Similarly, day 2 will result in specific fatigue of the forearms, biceps, latissimus, hamstrings and wrists.

Although specific fatigue, or more accurately metabolic stress, can be a positive thing when it comes to muscle hypertrophy, specific fatigue will most likely interfere with the most important factor for strength and mass gains: mechanical tension. Mechanical tension is maximized by using high intensities - moving heavy weights.

Going back to the example from Day 1, if your shoulders and triceps are fatigued, it's hard to use a useful amount of weight on multi-joint pressing exercises like bench presses or shoulder presses, which causes high mechanical tension.

If you look at Day 2, you can imagine that it's hard to use maximal weights on exercises like pull-up variations, rowing variations, or deadlift variations because your forearms will almost certainly feel like you're going to tear off on the next effort.

While we can agree that specific fatigue is a mechanism responsible for muscle growth, it's not a good idea to compromise the intensity you can use during those all-important multi-joint exercises if you want to maximize strength and muscle mass. To still be able to train with a full-body push-pull split and prevent the specific fatigue of the smaller muscle groups from limiting your intensity, you should use the following modified, more logical split. Boosters can also be used to influence performance (e.g. the Godmode Booster). Supplements can also help to promote recovery.

The next generation push-pull split

The improved push-pull split involves one day dedicated to lower body push exercises and upper body pull exercises, while the next day is dedicated to lower body pull exercises and upper body push exercises. The whole thing would look like this:

Day 1: Lower body pushing exercises (push), upper body pulling exercises (pull)

	Exercise	Sets
A1	Squats	4	5
A2	Vertical pull	4	5
B1	Lunges forward	3	8/side
B2	Horizontal pull	3	6-8
C1	Knee extension variation	3	10
C2	One-arm horizontal pull	3	10/side

Day 2: Lower body pulling exercises (pull), upper body pushing exercises (push)

	Exercise	Sets
A1	Deadlift	4	5
A2	Vertical press	4	5
B1	Reverse lunges	3	8/side
B2	Horizontal press	3	6-8
C1	Knee flexion variation	3	10
C2	One-arm horizontal press	3	10/side

This format allows you to maximize the benefits of a push-pull split without compromising your overall progress. You will be able to perform the multi-joint exercises at a higher overall frequency and volume and you will also be able to maintain a high intensity during each session as the specific fatigue will be much lower than with the classic push-pull split.