Strength Training: The Benefits of Training Pull Before Push

Can I train pull before push?

Yes, you absolutely can train pulling movements before pushing movements in your workout. While the traditional sequence often places pushing exercises first, strategically prioritizing pulling can offer significant benefits, particularly for addressing muscle imbalances, enhancing posture, and promoting overall shoulder health.

Introduction

In the realm of resistance training, the "push-pull" paradigm is a fundamental concept, categorizing exercises based on the primary direction of force. Pushing movements involve extending limbs away from the body (e.g., chest presses, overhead presses), while pulling movements involve drawing limbs or resistance towards the body (e.g., rows, pull-ups). The question of sequencing these movements often arises, with many lifters defaulting to a push-first approach. However, a deeper understanding of biomechanics and individual needs reveals that altering this order can be a powerful tool for optimizing training outcomes.

Understanding Push and Pull Movements

To make informed decisions about your workout sequencing, it's essential to understand the muscle groups primarily engaged in each type of movement:

• Pushing Muscles: These are primarily located on the front of your body and include the pectorals (chest), anterior deltoids (front of shoulders), and triceps (back of upper arm). Exercises include bench press, overhead press, push-ups, and triceps extensions.
• Pulling Muscles: These are predominantly on the back of your body and include the latissimus dorsi (lats), rhomboids, trapezius (upper, middle, and lower back), posterior deltoids (rear of shoulders), and biceps (front of upper arm). Exercises include pull-ups, lat pulldowns, various rows (barbell, dumbbell, cable), and biceps curls.

The Traditional Approach: Push Before Pull

The common practice of starting with pushing exercises often stems from several rationales:

• Perceived Demand: Many compound pushing movements, like the bench press or overhead press, are often seen as requiring maximal power and stability, making them a priority when energy levels are highest.
• Sport-Specific Bias: In some sports, pushing strength (e.g., throwing, striking) is heavily emphasized, leading to a natural prioritization in training.
• Historical Precedent: Simply following established gym routines without critical evaluation.

While effective for many, this traditional sequence can, over time, exacerbate existing muscle imbalances, especially in individuals with sedentary lifestyles or desk jobs that promote internal shoulder rotation and rounded posture.

The Case for Training Pull Before Push

Deliberately training pulling movements before pushing movements can be a highly effective strategy, offering several distinct advantages:

• Addressing Muscle Imbalances: A common imbalance sees stronger pushing muscles (chest, front deltoids) relative to weaker pulling muscles (upper back, rear deltoids). This imbalance can lead to poor posture (e.g., "hunched shoulders") and increase the risk of shoulder injuries. Prioritizing pulling exercises when you are freshest allows you to dedicate more energy and focus to these often-underdeveloped muscle groups, helping to restore balance.
• Optimizing Posture: Strong upper back and posterior shoulder muscles are crucial for maintaining proper posture. By leading with pulling movements, you strengthen the muscles responsible for retracting the scapulae (shoulder blades) and pulling the shoulders back, directly combating the forward-rounded posture often associated with modern lifestyles.
• Enhancing Shoulder Health and Stability: The posterior deltoids and rotator cuff muscles, heavily involved in pulling movements, play a vital role in stabilizing the shoulder joint. Strengthening these muscles before engaging in heavy pushing can improve overall shoulder stability and potentially reduce the risk of impingement or other injuries during pressing movements.
• Targeting Weaknesses: If your pulling strength is a limiting factor in your overall development or performance, training it when your central nervous system is fresh can lead to greater force production, better form, and ultimately, more significant strength gains in those movements.
• Variety and Psychological Benefits: Simply changing your routine can provide a fresh stimulus, preventing training plateaus and increasing motivation. It can also help you mentally "reset" your approach to a workout.

Considerations for Sequencing Your Workout

The optimal sequence for your workout depends on several individual factors:

• Training Goals: If your primary goal is to improve a specific pulling movement (e.g., achieve more pull-ups or increase your row strength), then prioritizing it makes logical sense. If it's general strength and hypertrophy, balancing push and pull is key, and the order can be varied.
• Individual Weaknesses/Imbalances: As discussed, if you have noticeable weaknesses in your back or posterior deltoids, starting with pulling exercises can be highly beneficial.
• Energy Levels and Fatigue: Consider your personal energy curve. If you find your pulling performance suffers significantly when you're already fatigued from pushing, then switching the order might be advantageous.
• Workout Volume and Intensity: If you plan to perform very high-volume or high-intensity work for both push and pull movements in the same session, be mindful of how one might impact the other. For instance, heavy pulling could fatigue stabilizing muscles that are also used in pushing.
• Specific Exercise Selection: Compound movements (like rows or pull-ups) should generally be performed before isolation movements (like biceps curls), regardless of whether they are push or pull.

Practical Application: How to Implement

If you decide to train pull before push, here's how you might integrate it:

• Dedicated Pull Day: If following a push/pull/legs split, you already have a dedicated "pull day" where all your pulling exercises are grouped. On this day, you naturally train pull before any push.
• Upper Body Day: On an upper body day, you could start with 2-3 compound pulling movements (e.g., pull-ups, barbell rows) followed by 2-3 compound pushing movements (e.g., bench press, overhead press), then finish with isolation exercises as needed.
• Alternating Compound Movements: You could alternate between a compound pull and a compound push exercise within the same session, giving each muscle group a brief recovery while the other works. For example, Barbell Rows then Bench Press, followed by Pull-ups then Overhead Press.

The Importance of Balanced Training

Regardless of the specific order you choose, the overarching principle remains: balanced training is paramount. Neglecting either pushing or pulling movements can lead to muscular imbalances, postural issues, and increased risk of injury. A well-rounded program incorporates adequate volume and intensity for both movement patterns. Regularly assess your strengths and weaknesses, and be willing to adjust your training strategy to ensure comprehensive development.

Conclusion

Training pulling movements before pushing movements is not only permissible but can be a highly effective and strategic approach for many individuals. It offers a powerful means to address common muscle imbalances, enhance postural alignment, and promote robust shoulder health. By understanding your body's specific needs and intelligently structuring your workouts, you can unlock new levels of performance and contribute to long-term fitness and well-being. Experiment with this sequencing, pay attention to how your body responds, and integrate it as a valuable tool in your comprehensive training regimen.