SCHEDULE & WORKOUT

SCHEDULE & WORKOUT

 PUSH-UP PULL-UP IMPROVEMENT

Hey,
Welcome to your 6-week push-up pull-up training guide.

Regardless of what type of training you do Push-ups and Pull-ups will always be two
of the most important fundamental exercises for upper-body strength. They are
ultimate performance testers, yet I know so many who really struggle to increase
these two areas, myself included.

In this guide you will find a clear defined plan of attack to really help you start seeing
those results. I have utilized some of the different variations and come up with the
perfect combo that works and will get you seeing those increases fast.

Not only are these two exercise important I have also included a guide to core
circuits that will boost your performance overall. A strong core is vital in all of your
training and especially for that big testing day.

On the following pages you will find all the information you need to implement and
get the best results. It is different, I'm sure, to any other add on plan you have
performed before so please make sure you go over the explanations carefully.

Thanks again for jumping on board and enjoy your training.

 INTRODUCTION

No matter your current level, this 6-week plan is designed to help walk you
step by step through the process of increasing your overall max push-up and
pull-up count. Before you begin I want you set up for success. Please read over
the following pages carefully so you can grasp a true understanding of how to
perform this plan and achieve your best results.

There are 3 small workouts per week for each exercise and each session
should take you approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. Choose which days
best suit you to add this into your schedule as long as you perform all 3
workouts required per week for that exercise.

I recommend performing them with 1-2 days in-between so your muscles have
time to recover. You can do both the push-up and pull-up days together, in fact
I recommend performing it that way in order to allow for days off in between.

This plan is not designed as a complete workout so to add this into your
schedule I recommend performing this from your other training if
possible, so your muscle are fresh and not fatigued.

At the end of this training plan you will find a section with core workouts.
These core workouts that are provided are not compulsory, however they will
give you a boost and strengthen the required muscles to aid your push-up and
pull-up performance.

It’s now all up to you…..

Please be aware that like any kind of training, persistence is key. You will need
to follow this plan exactly to get the best possible results, and I cannot
guarantee your results if you do not stick to it. If you can nail these two
foundation exercises, you will have a fool proof way to improve your workouts,
physique and dominate your testing days.
 CORRECT FORM

To begin with we need to remember that correct form is everything. It doesn't

matter if you can perform push-ups and pull-ups all day long if your form isn't
correct, I can assure you that you aren’t going to be strengthening the correct
muscles. This will only waste your time and hinder your preparation for testing
day. Even If you think you have a grasp on correct form I encourage you to read
over these tips to refresh, sometimes we all need to be reminded of the basics.

Here are 7 key points to watch for when Correct form is vital for pull-ups. Before
performing your push-ups, to keep that you begin make sure you are using a
form in check. stable bar that is ideally two feet above
your head.
1) Straight head and neck position However, if you need to perform these at
Focus on keeping in a neutral position, home in your bedroom and only have a
don’t look up or down. doorway attachment that is fine.
2) Keep shoulders down
Keep them away from your ears, they Quick tip, I do recommend putting
should be down, back and stable. some padding down underneath you, as
3) Correct hand position I have seen these break frequently and
Keep you hands inline with your chest, by coming down on your knees isn't fun.
your ears is not helping.
4) Protect your wrists Follow these next steps in order to
Focus on keeping the pressure on the perform the perfect pull-up.
outside of your palm, it will help take the
extra strain or pressure off your wrists. 1) Reach up and grasp the bar
5) Straight hips and torso slightly wider than shoulder width.
Don’t get lazy, keep your hips inline with 2) Raise your feet off the floor by
your torso. Not too high and not too low. bending your knees and bringing
You really want to focus on engaging your your feet up behind you.
core muscles as well. 3) Hang with straight arms.
6)Use a full range of motion 4) Pull by engaging the back and
With every rep aim to get your chest to driving your elbows down to the
come within an inch from the ground, then floor.
extend so your arms are straight (not 5) Keep your elbows in tight to the
locked out). body.
7)Control the tempo 6) Pull until your chin has passed the
A one second up two second down count is bar and hold for a moment.
ideal, unless you are purposely changing 7) Lower yourself down slowly until
up the tempo. you are in a deadhang position
with your arms straight again.
8) Breathe and repeat.
 WORKOUT STRUCTURE

During this plan you will be performing variations of push-ups and pull-ups. Your
training has been developed this way to add variety and strengthen all of the muscles
needed for a greater performance equally.

For the push-up portion of this plan we will be using regular push-ups, wide push-
ups and diamond push-ups. Regular push-ups are explained previously, and there
are only slight differences in your hand positioning in order to perform wide and
diamond push-ups.

In order to set up for wide push-ups start To set up for these push-ups, you will
by lying flat on the ground on your chest need to start on your knees. Make a
and place your hands down slightly wider diamond with your hands by spreading
than shoulder width. From here move your thumb from your index finger and
them out one more hand width. This is place your hands directly under your
how wide your hands should be. (We are chest. Although we will call these
not trying to be drastic here by having our diamond push-ups, just have your hands
hands 5 foot apart). together as close as is comfortable for
you. Having your hands too close can
When performing wide push-up a aggravate some peoples shoulders so
common fault is having your upper arms don’t be afraid to move them out slightly
at the wrong angle, at a 90 degree angle to wider.
your body so you look like a “T”. If you can
imagine when you perform regular push- When lowering make sure to tuck your
ups you should look like an “Arrow” with elbows into your sides and keep your
your arms at around 45 degrees from your shoulders down. As a note, when
body. With wide push-ups you want your lowering yourself your thumbs should be
arms to sit in-between that 90 degree “T” in line with the bottom of your chest.
and 45 degrees, so more of a 60-70 degree
angle. The reason I have included this variation
is for the opposite reason of the wide
The reason I have included wide push-ups push-up. Diamonds places more
is they place more emphasis on the chest emphasis on your triceps and
and strengthen this area while taking away strengthens this area while taking away
some of the stress on the triceps to allow some of the stress on your chest.
them to recover.
 WORKOUT STRUCTURE

For the pull-up portion of the plan we will be using Regular grip pull-ups, wide
grip and Chin-ups. Regular pull-ups are explained previously, and there are only
slight differences you need to make to perform wide pull-ups and chin-ups.

These are performed exactly the same Similar again to regular pull-ups
as regular , however this time with a except you will have your hands
wider grip. To work out your grip reach facing toward you and your grip will
up as before. Note where your pinky be slightly in more to shoulder width.
finger is on the bar, from here move
your index finger to this position so If you are struggling to find your grip
your hands are approximately one hand width, try this tip. Stand below the bar
width wider than usual. After a while with good posture (shoulders back)
this will become natural and you will and perform an imaginary bicep curl.
know where to put your hands From there shoot your arms straight
immediately. up and grasp the bar. Now perform
the exercise as you would regular pull
I have included wide grip pull-ups as -ups.
these focus more on strengthening your
back muscles and put slightly less stress I have included this exercise as it
on your biceps. requires greater emphasis from your
biceps and forearms. It is rarely
tested, but is still great to be
proficient in and who doesn't want
bigger biceps.
 PROGRESSION

We all begin at different levels. To alter this plan to your level I have included a list
below of the variations you can work through starting from very beginner up to
elite. Choose from the list below where you feel you are at, and use that scaling
option for that days workout.

Note: Don’t be afraid to use this guide to help you take that step back to
strengthen those muscles more and build up into achieving the normal level for
both. In turn if the normal is too easy for you, make sure you push yourself with
the advanced options below.

Level 1 = Inverted Rows

These are performed with a bar that is between waist and shoulder height. Your
feet will remain on the floor and you should position them so that when you pull
yourself towards the bar, the bar will make contact with a point on your body just
below your upper chest at the completion of the rep.

Level 2 = Assisted Pull-ups

Invest in resistance bands and use them to assist you while performing the pull-
ups or find a partner to either hold your feet to take some of the weight off or get
them to push up slightly from your lower to middle back as a spotter.

Level 3 = Negative Pull-ups

To perform a negative pull-up, jump to the top position and slowly lower yourself
for 2-3 seconds.

Level 4 = Regular Pull-ups

**These are performed as described earlier.

Understand although I have

detailed advanced exercises,
Level 5 = Weighted Pull-ups this plan is developed for
These are performed the same as regular pull-ups but Military / Law Enforcement
with extra weight attached to your body in order to and other Servicemen so I
create more resistance and build your strength. Use a will not be including any trick
weighted vest or a Dip/Chin belt with a weight plate or exercises. We are focusing
kettle-bell attached. on performing the basics to
an elite level.
 PROGRESSION

Level 1 = Kneeling Push-ups

Perform as the original description, however your knees remain on the floor. Make
sure to still keep your core tight when performing kneeling push-ups.

Level 2 = Push-ups w/ your hands raised

Instead of having your hands placed on the floor, place them on a bench or box
that is between knee and hip height.

Level 3 = Knees elevated push-ups

For this exercise, you will find a bench or box that is knee height or lower and place
your knees near the edge. Make sure it is stable! From here you will perform push-
ups.

Level 4 = Negative push-ups

To perform this exercise, you will raise yourself to the starting position of a regular
push-up then slowly lower yourself to the ground in 3-5 seconds. And repeat.

Level 5 = Regular push-ups

These are performed as described at the beginning but can be done with many
different hand positions. We will be focusing on Narrow, Shoulder width and Wide
positions.

Level 6 = Explosive Push-ups

These should only be performed sparingly. If you wish to add these in to the
program, you should use them in workout ONE. These can be performed in many
different ways but I recommend two variations.

Clap push-ups - Perform your normal push-up then at the top (with momentum)
quickly lift your hands off the ground and clap them underneath your body before
placing them back into position for your next push-up.

Simplified - Explode off the ground. When you reach the top of your push-up, like
above, only don’t clap keep your arms straight in the same position. This is used
often when you can’t get enough height or don’t have the speed to perform a clap
and resume the normal position before you hit the ground again. We don’t want
any broken faces!

Level 7= Loaded Push-ups

If you want to go full-blown meathead and get super strong then these are for you.
Simply focus on the normal push-up form while using anything that increases the
resistance such as;
• Bands
• Chains
• Weighted vests
• Plates loaded on your back
 PRE– TESTING

Before we start you need to know your current max reps of regular push-ups and
regular Pull-ups. This will be used as a base for your training so need to be tested before
you begin this plan. To begin, make sure your upper body is completely warmed up and
ready to go as we want to prevent injury.

Push-ups
Perform the maximum amount of strict push-ups you can do in one go, without pausing
or stopping for a break. Record that number. That will be your current max.
Max regular push-ups= ________

Pull-ups
Perform the maximum amount of pull-ups you can do in one go, without pausing.
Record that number. This will be your current max.
Max Regular Pull-ups (Shoulder width grip) = ________

perfect form.
It is good to know what to aim for
when beginning any sort of new plan/
challenge. I have laid out below the
Clap in front of you, explode as fast as performance indicators and elite
possible on each rep. Continuous reps. It military standards for you to challenge
does not count if you must rest in the top yourself towards.
position.
Please note that these standards
are of the military elite so do not
expect to be here overnight.. This is
This test was a requirement for foreign just something to aim for and
special forces, as the weight is what they visualise yourself achieving.
are carrying at most times on their body
when performing operations. If you stick to this program
consistently and put 100% intensity
into your sessions, then you can
expect to push yourself to this next
level.
 PUSH-UP SCHEDULE

Throughout this plan you will be working with 3 different variations of Push-
ups. Regular Push-ups, Wide Push-ups and Diamond Push-ups. You will pair
each type of Push-up with 1 workout (I, II, or III) for that week. Then rotate the
workout each week. Eg…

Week 1 Week 2
Regular push-ups for workout I Wide push-ups workout I
Wide push-ups workout II Diamond push-ups workout II
Diamond push-ups workout III Regular push-ups workout III

Work from the table below and perform all three workouts in your week. Track
your progress by writing your stats in the table below, or in a notebook book
somewhere. This is so important so please take time to do this.

Workout I Workout II Workout III

Week 1 Regular Wide Diamond

Week 2 Wide Diamond Regular

Week 3 Diamond Regular Wide

Week 4 Regular Wide Diamond

Week 5 Wide Diamond Regular

Week 6 Diamond Regular Wide

Final stats MAX reps for regular push-ups ______

 PUSH-UP WORKOUT I

Rest 5 secs

Rest 10 secs

Rest 15 secs
Perform sets of 2/4/6/8/10/12..
and so on until you can not keep Rest 20 secs
up.
Rest 25 secs
Start by performing 2 push-ups
then rest with your knees on the Rest 30 secs
ground for 5 seconds. Then
perform 4 push-ups and rest for
10 seconds. 6 push-ups, rest 15 Rest 35 secs
seconds and so on.
Rest 40 secs
**Refer to the table to the right
as your example so you don't Rest 45 secs
have to do the maths yourself.**
Rest 50 secs

Rest 55 secs

Rest 60 secs

Rest 65 secs

Remember to keep breathing, Rest 70 secs

many people will rush into this
and start pumping out the Rest 75 secs
reps but not focus on
controlling their breathing and
therefore tire out very quickly.
 PUSH-UP WORKOUT II

Take your score for your max push-ups, (your current max repetitions we
recorded at the beginning) Then cut it in thirds. For example if your max push-
up score is 30 repetitions, for this workout you will use 10 repetitions.

Start a stop watch, Perform a set of “1/3 Max” repetitions. Continue to perform
sets on the minute every minute until you can do no more.

If you are still going at the 15 minute mark, we have made this too easy and
you need to STOP. Next time you do this workout with one of the advanced
push-up options.

Perform 10 push-ups, it takes you 15 seconds. You now have 45 seconds to

rest until you start your next set. Start your next set and perform 10 push-ups
which take you 20 seconds, you now only have 40 seconds to rest before you
start the next set.

Perform all movements in a

controlled fashion, if you do all
of the push-ups with poor form
very quickly, you will have
more time to rest. However
you're only cheating yourself.
 PUSH-UP WORKOUT III

For this workout you will perform 5 sets of as many strict

push-ups as you can. Rest = 2 minutes between sets.
Now record your highest number of reps, as it will become your
new max reps, which next weeks Workout II will be based on.

Today is very simple and straight-forward. Perform as many reps

as you possibly can. Rest for 2 minutes. Then repeat four more
times.

With the other workouts you can

get away with not performing a
thorough warm-up. With this
workout as you are going straight
into a max set, I recommend at
the very least getting warm and
performing some dynamic
stretches for the shoulders / chest
before you begin.
 PULL-UP SCHEDULE

Throughout this plan we are working with 3 different variations of Pull-ups.

Regular Grip Pull-ups, Wide Grip Pull-ups and Close Grip Chin-ups.

Just the same style as the push-ups, we are going to pair each type of Pull-up
with 1 workout for the week then rotate the workout each week.

Week 1= Week 2
Wide grip pull-ups for Workout I Regular pull-ups for workout I
Regular Pull-ups for Workout II Close grip chin-ups for workout II
Diamond push-ups Workout III wide pull-ups workout III etc..

Work from the table below and perform all three workouts in your week. Track
your progress by writing your stats in the table below, or in a notebook book
somewhere. This is so important so please take time to do this.

Workout I Workout II Workout III

Close Grip
Week 1 Wide Regular
Chip-up
Close Grip
Week 2 Regular Wide
Chin-up
Close Grip
Week 3 Wide Regular
Chin-up
Close Grip
Week 4 Wide Regular
Chin-up
Close Grip
Week 5 Regular Wide
Chin-up
Close Grip
Week 6 Wide Regular
Chin-up

Final stats MAX reps for regular pull-ups ______

 PULL-UP WORKOUT I

Rest 10 secs

Rest 20 secs

Rest 30 secs

Rest 40 secs

Rest 50 secs

Rest 40 secs
Perform a Pyramid of Pull- ups
starting from 1 repetition working
Rest 30 secs up to 5 repetitions then back
down to 1 again. You will then rest
2 minutes and perform the
Rest 20 secs pyramid once more.
Equalling 50 total repetitions.

Rest 10 secs Example:

Perform 1 Pull-up then rest 10
seconds, perform 2 Pull-ups then
rest 20 seconds, you will do this all
the way up to 5 repetitions then
back down to 1.
 PULL-UP WORKOUT II

Take your score for your max pull-ups (your current max repetitions). Then cut
it in thirds. For example if your max pull-ups score is 9 repetitions, for this
workout you will use 3 repetitions.

Start a stop watch, perform a set of “1/3 Max” repetitions.

Continue to perform sets on the minute every minute until you can do no
more.
If you are still going at the 15 minute mark, this is too easy for you STOP. Next
time you do this workout you will either slow down the tempo of the
repetitions or wear a weighted vest.

Perform 3 pull-ups, it takes you 10 seconds. You now have 50 seconds to rest
until you start your next set. Start your next set and perform 3 pull-ups which
take you 12 seconds, you then only have 48 seconds to rest before you start
the next set.
 PULL-UP WORKOUT III

Today you will perform 5 sets of Max repetitions. Rest will be 2

minutes between sets. You will need to make sure to record your
highest number of reps as it will become the new baseline which
Day II will be based on.

Today is very simple and straight-forward. Perform as many reps

as you possibly can. Rest for 2 minutes. Then repeat four more
times.

With the other workouts you can

get away without performing a
thorough warm-up. With this
workout as you are going straight
into a max set, I recommend at
the least getting warm and
performing some dynamic
stretches for the shoulders/lats
before you begin.
 CORE WORKOUTS

As much as you will strengthen your core by purely performing push-ups and
pull-ups, it is always good to add in extra exercises that specifically contribute to
improving your performance in these exercises.

The following will be a number of core workouts that you can add on to the end
of the push-up / pull-up sessions to speed up your results and also improve
your all round effectiveness on the battlefield.

50 each side

1 minute each side

15 each side

1 minute each side

Hands overhead then touch feet.

With 2 sec hold at top.

 BONUS CHALLENGE

The following is a small plan to add muscle fast to your chest, back, shoulders and
upper arms. Designed to be used only at times when an upper body boost or a
challenge is required. This upper body builder plan, is Ideal for those on exercise or
deployment who are looking to increase muscle mass in those 4 key upper body
areas.

This should not be done at the

same time as the push-up pull-up
Perform the following for 21 days improvement plan and is a
5 days on / 2 days off completely different style of
training.

I do not recommend implementing

this for improved performance in
the weeks leading up to a testing
day as you will only fatigue your
muscles hindering performance.

The above is your requirement for each working day. Choose to split these reps up
into as many sets as you require but make sure each set does not go to failure, stop
and rest 1-2 repetitions short of failure. We want to do this to make sure we prevent
burn out from happening. Reps can be split over the whole day or done in one single
session.

Example:
Split the reps in half, perform 50 Push-ups and 25 pull-ups in the morning and
repeat in the afternoon.

During this time make sure you only take your final set of each day to failure in order
to prevent burnout. The majority of the time you will stop the set 1-2 repetitions short
of failure.
 ✓
Congratulations, you have made it through the entire 6—weeks of training. By
now you should be performing push-ups and pull-ups with ease and crushing
any tests that come your way.

If your push-up and pull-up performance is still your priority and you need to
keep crushing it then yes, you definitely can work through this plan again. I
would however, recommend taking at least a full 7 days off this training before
you start it again to give your muscles time to rest and recover.

…………………………………………….

This training plan was designed to be used as an add-on to your current

training, as a way to increase your performance. If you want to really step up
your game and are ready for a full training plan then I recommend checking out
our Tactical Athlete Plan.

Tactical Athlete.
Best for those who want to really focus on getting their performance levels up,
it’s our most job specific training. Perfect training to prepare you to perform
beyond that testing day.

For any other questions or help I am here to support you feel free to reach out
to me here at [email protected]