Sheri’s Workouts: Push/Pull 1

A reminder that these sets are for intermediate to advanced exercisers with weight room experience –  it’s assumed you know the basics.  Talk to your coach, get a good book on weight training or hire a trainer if any of this doesn’t make sense to you, okay? This is serious stuff, weight training, and you don’t want to get hurt.

In the torso, there are about 26 muscles that wrap around (mostly diagonally) and work together to operate as what we call your ‘core’.  Your core consists of NOT only your abs but the entire torso structure.  Some muscles are for pushing, some are for pulling.   In strengthening your core, you need to train those muscles to work together more efficiently which means not only weight training, but body weight training, stretching and balance work as well.

This workout covers the the weight training portion of core training.  You’ll use classic bodybuilding weight exercises but in a pushing and pulling sequence – the way that the torso was designed to move.

WARM UP with 10 to 15 minutes on a cardio machine (go easy – this is NOT cardio!) – or better yet, a brisk walk.  This gets your blood moving and your muscles prepped for work.  Do not skip it, or you’ll find yourself half way through your workout before your energy really kicks in.

Four sets of every set of exercises.  First set is 15-20 reps, second is 15-12 reps, following sets are 12-10 reps.  Remember, that means a weight heavy enough that you can’t possibly do MORE than the recommended rep count, okay?

Set One

PUSH:

PUSH-UPS

60 second rest and then:

PULL:

CABLE ROWS

Set Two

PUSH:

INCLINE FLYES

60 second rest and then:

PULL:

LAT PULLDOWNS

Set Three:

PUSH:

CHEST PRESS, flat bench

60 second rest and then:

PULL:

BENT OVER BARBELL ROWS

That should do it.  Afterward, spend some time stretching your torso!