Do you want to set a new PR for Max Push-Ups?
I just crushed my previous best for a single set of Max Push-Ups. How did I do it? With a plan of course!
Let’s take a step back and let me introduce you to Pavel Tsatsouline. Tsatsouline is a trainer who gained fame by brining many Russian training techniques to the masses. Among his credits are introducing Russian SPETSNAZ training to American Special Forces, and another little piece of training equipment that you are probably familiar with, the Kettlebell.
Tsatsouline also popularized a training technique known as the ‘Fighter Pull-Up Program’. The ‘Fighter Pull-Up Program’ was key to me crushing my Max Push-Ups.
I’m sure you are now wondering how I used Pull-Ups to get better at Push-Ups? I didn’t, but I did use the principals behind the ‘Fighter Pull-Up Program’ and applied them to Push-Ups.
So, what is the “Fighter Pull-Up Program”? It’s a 4 week training system designed to help you increase your Pull-Up volume gradually so that you can crush your max PR. Here’s the general outline of how it works:
4 weeks of training
Train 5 days straight, then a rest day
For athletes with lower 1RM, reps drop by 1 each set
For athletes with higher 1RM, reps drop significantly more because of the higher rate of fatigue
At the end of 4 weeks, take 2-3 days off then test your Max
Take for example an athlete that can do 5 strict Pull-Ups as their Max. The ‘Fighter Pull-Up Program’ progression would look like this below.
Now take for example an athlete that can do 12 strict Pull-Ups as their Max. The progression would look like this below.
As you can see the reps per set decline faster, but the overall daily volume is higher.
I applied these same principals for my goal of maxing out my Push-Ups in a short period of time, 30 days.
Side note - One thing that I changed for my Push-Up program was rather than train 5 days with 1 day off, I trained 2 days with every 3rd day off.
That’s not all! Pavel Tsatsouline also popularized another training technique referred to as “Greasing the Groove”. Tsatsouline contends that repeated movements of an exercise strengthen the neuromuscular motor pattern and makes the athletes muscle contractions more efficient. The more efficient the motor pattern becomes, the easier and more natural the movement becomes. With greater efficiency you can perform more reps of an exercise and thus the stronger you will become.
A couple key points about the “Greasing the Groove” method:
You should not exercise to muscle failure
You spread your reps out across the whole day
You should use fatigue as your guide
You should use more than adequate rest times between sets
I also applied the “Greasing the Groove” strategies to my Push-Up program. I rested at a minimum 10 minutes between sets, but often times it was much longer. I spread the sets out across the full day and generally would knock out one or two sets at the end of the night. Once I got up into the higher rep ranges, and the daily volume was getting higher, I would go until I started to feel fatigue and stop. Rest between 3-10 seconds and then finish the remainder of the reps for any given set.
Do you want to know how well I did applying these methods to Push-Ups?
I increased my Max Push-Ups by over 16%. I went from a previous best of 36 reps to a new best of 42 reps.
Here’s a disclaimer – I didn’t do all of the prescribed sets and reps during training!! I was working in these push-up reps in between my regular training program as accessory work. Injury, time, family and other responsibilities kept me from doing the program 100%. Could I have broken 50 or more reps? Maybe?
The program was designed for a total of 2,233 Push-Up reps over 30 days. I completed a total of 1,601 reps. That’s 71%.
I kept a diary of my training log to share how I trained.
Day 0 – (Test) 1x 36
Day 1 – 1x 35, 28, 21, 14, 7
Day 2 – 1x 35, 28, 21, 14, 7
Day 3 – Rest Day
Day 4 – 1x 35, 28, 21, 14, 7
Day 5 – 1x 35, 28, 21, 14, 7
Day 6 – Rest Day
Day 7 – 1x 36, 29, 22, 14, 7
Day 8 – 1x 36, 29, 22, 14, 8 (reversed order)
Day 9 – Rest Day
Day 10 – 1x 36, 29, 22, 14, 7
Day 11 – 1x 36, 29, 22, 14, 8
Day 12 – Rest Day
Day 13 – Skipped Training
Day 14 – 1x 37, 30, 22, 15(skip), 8
Day 15 – Rest Day
Day 16 – 1x 37, 30, 22, 15, 8
Day 17 – 1x 37, 30, 22, 15, 8 (reversed order)
Day 18 – Rest Day
Day 19 – Skipped Training
Day 20 – 1x 38, 30, 23, 15, 9 (reversed order)
Day 21 – Rest Day
Day 22 – 1x 38, 30, 23, 15, 9
Day 23 – 1x 38(skip), 30, 23, 15, 9
Day 24 – Rest Day
Day 25 – Rest Day
Day 26 – Skipped Training
Day 27 – Skipped Training
Day 28 – Rest Day
Day 29 – Skipped Training
Day 30 – 1x 39, 31, 23, 16, 10 (reversed order)
Day 31 – Rest Day
Day 32 – (Test) 1x 42
If you would like to try out this program I’ll give you a copy of my training spreadsheets for free! Actually, I have spreadsheets for Pull-Ups and for Push-Ups.
All you have to do is enter your 1 Rep Max, and then follow the daily rep scheme.
I have spreadsheets if you can do between 1-5 reps, and spreadsheets from 6-50 reps*.
*If you can do 25 Strict Pull-Ups Tsatsouline recommends you start over with weighted Pull-Ups.
Send me a message right here, and let me know if you want the spreadsheet for Push-Ups or Pull-Ups, or both! Also, be sure to let me know what your current Max is so that I can send you the correct spreadsheet.
Be sure to keep me posted on your training and how your Max Test goes at the end of the program.
Sources:
https://www.strongfirst.com/the-fighter-pullup-program-revisited/
https://www.strongfirst.com/how-to-increase-your-pull-ups-50-percent/
https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/get-stronger-by-greasing-the-groove/