If you are looking for a simple and effective way to train your upper body muscles, you might want to try a push day workout. A push day workout is a type of training split that focuses on exercises that involve pushing a weight away from your body, such as the bench press, the overhead press, and the push-up. By doing this, you can target your chest, shoulders, and triceps muscles, which are the main muscles involved in pushing movements.
A push day workout has many benefits for your strength, muscle growth, and overall fitness. In this article, we will explain what a push day workout is, why you should do it, how to design your own push day routine, and what are some of the best push day exercises to include in your training.
What is a Push Day Workout?
A push day workout is a single session in your weekly training schedule that is dedicated to upper body pushing exercises. It is usually paired with a pull day workout, which focuses on upper body pulling exercises, such as the row, the pull-up, and the bicep curl. Together, these two workouts form a push-pull split, which is one of the most common and effective ways to divide your muscle groups for training.
A push-pull split allows you to train each muscle group with enough frequency and intensity to stimulate optimal growth and recovery. It also helps you avoid overtraining and muscle imbalances by balancing the opposing muscle groups. For example, by training your chest and back on separate days, you can prevent one from overpowering the other and causing posture problems.
A typical push-pull split looks something like this:
Monday: Push Day (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Pull Day (Back, Biceps)
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Push Day (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Pull Day (Back, Biceps)
Of course, you can adjust this schedule according to your preferences and availability. Some people prefer to train three times a week instead of four, while others like to add a leg day or a full-body day to their routine. The important thing is to find a balance that works for you and your goals.
Why Should You Do a Push Day Workout?
A push day workout has many benefits for your fitness and physique. Here are some of the main reasons why you should do a push day workout:
It trains your major upper body muscles. A push day workout targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps muscles, which are some of the largest and most visible muscles in your upper body. By training these muscles regularly and effectively, you can improve your strength, power, endurance, and appearance.
It improves your performance in other activities. A push day workout can help you perform better in other sports and activities that require pushing movements. For example, if you play basketball, football, or tennis, you need strong chest and shoulder muscles to throw or hit the ball. If you do martial arts or boxing, you need powerful triceps to punch or strike your opponent.
It enhances your health and well-being. A push day workout can also benefit your health and well-being in various ways. For instance, it can improve your posture by strengthening your upper back muscles and preventing rounded shoulders. It can also reduce your risk of injury by improving your joint stability and mobility. Additionally, it can boost your mood and confidence by releasing endorphins and making you look more fit and attractive.
How to Design Your Own Push Day Routine
Designing your own push day routine is not difficult if you follow some basic principles. Here are some steps to help you create an effective push day workout:
Choose your goal. Before you start planning your push day routine, you need to decide what your goal is. Do you want to build muscle mass? Do you want to increase strength? Do you want to improve endurance? Depending on your goal, you will need to adjust your volume (number of sets and reps), intensity (amount of weight), rest periods (time between sets), and exercise selection.
Choose your exercises. The next step is to choose the exercises that will make up your push day routine. Ideally, you want to include at least one compound exercise for each muscle group (chest, shoulders, triceps), as well as one or two isolation exercises for extra stimulation. Compound exercises are those that involve multiple joints and muscles at once, such as the bench press or the overhead press. Isolation exercises are those that target a single muscle or joint at a time, such as the tricep extension or the lateral raise.
Choose your order. The order in which you perform your exercises is also important for maximizing your results. Generally speaking, you want to start with the most demanding exercises first when you have the most energy and strength, and finish with the easier ones when you are more fatigued. For example, you can start with a heavy bench press for your chest, then move on to a lighter overhead press for your shoulders, and end with a cable tricep pushdown for your triceps.
Choose your sets and reps. The number of sets and reps you do for each exercise depends on your goal and your experience level. As a general rule, if you want to build muscle mass, you should aim for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps per exercise, with 60 to 90 seconds of rest between sets. If you want to increase strength, you should aim for 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 reps per exercise, with 2 to 3 minutes of rest between sets. If you want to improve endurance, you should aim for 2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps per exercise, with 30 to 60 seconds of rest between sets.
Choose your frequency. The frequency of your push day workout depends on how many times you train per week and how you split your muscle groups. If you follow a push-pull split, you can do a push day workout twice a week, with at least two days of rest between sessions. If you follow an upper-lower split, you can do a push day workout once a week, as part of your upper body day. If you follow a full-body split, you can do a push day workout once or twice a week, as part of your full-body routine.
The Best Push Day Exercises
There are many exercises that you can include in your push day routine, but some are more effective and efficient than others. Here are some of the best push day exercises that you should consider
The best push day exercises are those that target the major muscles involved in pushing movements, such as the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Some of the most effective and popular push day exercises are:
Bench press:
This is a classic exercise that works the chest, shoulders, and triceps. It can be done with a barbell or dumbbells, and can be performed on a flat, incline, or decline bench to emphasize different parts of the chest. The bench press is one of the best exercises for developing strength and power in the upper body.
Overhead press:
This is another staple exercise that works the shoulders, triceps, and upper back. It can be done with a barbell or dumbbells, and can be performed standing or seated. The overhead press is one of the best exercises for building shoulder size and strength.
Push-up:
This is a bodyweight exercise that works the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. It can be done on the floor or on an elevated surface, and can be modified by changing the hand position, width, or angle to target different muscles. The push-up is one of the best exercises for improving muscular endurance and stability.
Tricep extension:
This is an isolation exercise that works the triceps, the muscles on the back of the arm. It can be done with a cable machine, a dumbbell, a barbell, or a resistance band. The tricep extension is one of the best exercises for enhancing tricep definition and shape.
Lateral raise:
This is an isolation exercise that works the lateral deltoid, the muscle on the side of the shoulder. It can be done with dumbbells, a cable machine, or a resistance band. The lateral raise is one of the best exercises for increasing shoulder width and symmetry.
These are some of the best push day exercises that you can include in your workout routine to build muscle and strength in your upper body. You can choose one or more exercises from each category (horizontal pressing, vertical pressing, tricep extension, and lateral raise) and perform them for 3-5 sets of 8-15 repetitions each. You can also vary the intensity, volume, frequency, and order of these exercises to suit your goals and preferences. Remember to warm up properly before starting your push day workout and to rest adequately between sets and sessions. Happy pushing!
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