The push vs. pull exercise debate usually comes down to which you enjoy more: do you like bench presses or deadlifts? Does a push-up bring you unadulterated joy, or are pull-ups your thing?
In all honesty, your body doesn't care which you prefer—both types of exercise are important for developing and maintaining a healthy musculoskeletal system. Here's everything you need to know about push and pull exercises, including tips on how to get the best results from your workout.
Breaking down push and pull exercises
No major shocks here. Push exercises entail any movement that forces your body to push weight away from your body, mainly targeting the chest, shoulders, triceps, quads and glutes. Pull exercises are the opposite, with movements focused on bringing weight towards you. This targets the biceps, forearm and back muscles.
Is it possible to forgo one in favor of the other? According to London-based personal trainer Lewis Paris, it doesn't quite work that way. “It depends on what you are looking to achieve,” says Paris. “They are the yin and yang of fitness—doing both provides symmetry. One can’t work without the other. You need both for balance.”
“Neither is inherently better than the other,” says Sergii Putsov, Head of Sports Science at Torokhtiy Weightlifting. “They complement each other, and both must be included in a comprehensive workout routine to achieve better results.”
Benefits of push exercises
Any self-respecting training plan should incorporate push exercises, as the list of muscles targeted is significant. From pectorals, deltoids and triceps up top, to quads and glutes further down, push exercises provide great all-round development.
It's not just looks that are improved by push exercises, with posture and functional movement benefitting immensely from getting your push on. “Their functionality helps us to lift heavy objects from the floor and raise them above our heads,” says Jason Smith, founder of Fit in Midlife, who likes to link all exercise to everyday movement. “Imagine fixing a bicycle to a car’s roof rack.”
One issue with push exercises is that it's easy to overdo it in the name of aesthetics—after all, everyone wants big shoulders and a broad chest, right? “While push certainly has its place, if we only focus on push exercises, we’re overworking certain muscles (often for vanity!) with exercises such as bench presses,” says Paris. “That said, push provides good quad, tricep and shoulder strength. Working on chest muscles will open up tightness in that area, whereas quad work can support ankle and knee strength—which is vital for runners to minimize injury with strengthening tendons.”
Benefits of pull exercises
One major benefit to remembering your pull exercises is the effect they have on strengthening the muscles hindered by our modern lifestyles. “I always consider real-life scenarios when working with my clients," says Paris. “Many are hunched over laptops all day, with weak or overstretched back muscles, so I encourage people to work on those muscle groups that aren’t always visible or front of mind.
“Pull exercises support the posterior chain—all of the superior muscles including the rear delts, traps, rhomboids, glutes, hamstrings and calves. Keeping these muscle groups strong will help you minimize injury, manipulate weight better, and provide support and stability.”
Pull exercises are also great for echoing the movements we make day to day. “Pull exercises enhance the strength of the back, forearms, and biceps. They also improve posture and enhance functional movements by mimicking daily activities such as door pulling,” says Putsov.
“Pull exercises help us develop the lats, traps, biceps, core, and hamstrings. They will help us lift and carry heavy bags and move objects around. They also develop grip strength,” adds Smith.
Push vs. Pull: which is better?
The little spoiler in the introduction tells us what we all suspected, but to make it clear: both are important for a balanced, functional body. “Push and pull exercises are complementary and work best when used together as part of a balanced workout routine,” says Sarah Carrino, founder and CEO of Just Flex. “They target different muscle groups and movements that are both important for overall strength and fitness.”
For the best result, incorporate both push and pull exercises into your weekly workout regime. Carrino suggests a push/pull split structure, where you dedicate separate days to each form of exercise, giving your body enough recovery time between sessions. “This balanced approach helps prevent muscle imbalances, improves overall functional strength, and allows for adequate recovery between workouts targeting specific muscle groups,” she adds.
The best push and pull exercises
Want to add push and pull exercises to your workout routine? Here are some of the best exercises to include, courtesy of our experts.
Sarah Carrino:
- Push-ups: Start in a plank position, lower your body by bending your elbows, then push back up.
- Bench press: Lie on a bench, lower a barbell to your chest, then press it back up.
- Overhead press: Standing or seated, press a barbell or dumbbells overhead from shoulder level.
Sergii Putsov:
“The best push exercises include tricep dips. Place your hands on a bench or dip bar, arms straight. Carefully lower your body until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle. Push back to the starting position and repeat.”
Sarah Carrino:
- Pull-ups: Hang from a bar with palms facing away, pull your body up until your chin clears the bar.
- Bent-over rows: Bend at the hips, keep your back straight, and pull a barbell or dumbbells up to your lower chest.
- Lat pulldowns: Sit at a cable machine, grasp the bar with wide grip, and pull it down to your upper chest.
Sergii Putsov:
“To perform deadlifts, stand with your feet hip-width apart, barbell on the floor. Bend at your hips and knees to grip the barbell. Lift the bar by straightening your hips and knees while keeping your back straight. Lower it back down to the floor and repeat.”
This story originally ran on British GQ.