Push and Pull

A Push and a Pull – the 80% of strength work

Fundamental concepts to strength training – or resistance training, or body weight work, or calisthenics – are The Push and The Pull. These are two basic human movements that we do all the time, every day of our lives.

A PUSH – we’re moving ourselves away from something

30-day push-up challenge | Push up challenge, 30 day push up, Wall push ups

With A PULL – we bring something towards ourselves (or us to it)

  • starting position for a pull in a doorway
  • finishing position for bodyweight doorway pull

How does it Feel – to PULL, to PUSH?

Worth Checking: where in the body are pulls mostly felt? Usually, pulls are felt in the back of the body (posterior chain); pushes more the front of the body (anterior chain).

pulling – concept: posterior chain – usually show as “crossing” from left to right at the hips – pushing – what’s called the “anterior chain” – front of body shown in next image
Complementary Movement – Welcome to Dynamic Neuromuscular Assessment™

The WHOLE body is engaged in these moves – so we’re just talking about where you might want to check when practicing a move to be sure the basic awareness is there – you can find a load to pull or push that lets you feel that back/front connection.Pick up a piece of paper from a desk – you might not feel your back and the back of your legs turn on to execute that pull. What’s a PULL that feels like nothing in your hand? Using a Pen? Pick up a liter of milk – you may start to feel a little something in that pull. Where do you feel it? Try to pull a stuck door to? what changes?

Every Day Longevity – Can you think of three similar challenges for everyday pushes where you can feel the front part of your body engaged a little more with each load? Starting with the PUSH of these keys. What causes problems? TOO many pushes – not enough pulls back, up, rather than push, down, front. Ideas of slightly more challenging pushes? If you sit on the ground, how do you get up? Seriously – that movement is connected to length of life.

BONUS – try this assessment weekly.

Every day we do strength work – pushes – pulls – these are the foundations of strength.

Building strength? That’s leaning how to put these foundations together to work for you. Let’s go!