Stew Smith Pull-Up Push Workout
Double your Pull-ups – Try the Pull-up PUSH Workout!
Just trading notes earlier this week with Stew Smith and got some great tips from him on how to improve your pullups. If you dont know Stew he
is a top fitness trainer and former Navy SEAL who has written a ton of books to include “Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness. If you dont have a copy you need to order one now as it is essential reading for all fans of the Grinder PT.
This week, getting better at pull-ups is the subject of many people’s concern. As with the Pushup-Push Workout (linked below), this idea makes little sense physiologically, but it works. You never want to have an extended period of repeating the same exercises day after day, but you can do this workout for ten days, rest for three or four days of no pull-ups – then test on day 14 or 15. There you will find your increase to be as high as 50-100% from your previous max pull-ups. Here is the question from a Marine Reservist wanting to max his PFT of 20 pullups.
Where can I find your pull-up routines outlined? I am stuck at about 7 pull-ups and would like to get to 10-12.
Since the unbelievable success from the Stew Smith Pushup – Push Workout where people doubled their pushups in two weeks, I did the same test with students young and old with similar success on pull-ups. This workout works best on folks you can do 3-10 pull-ups. Many raised their pull-ups to 10-20 in two weeks.
Check out Stew Smith Navy SEAL training E-books HERE
Here is what you need to try for a two-week period:
Do your regular workout program, but for 10 straight days do an additional 25-75 pull-ups
If you can do less than 5 pull-ups – do 25 pull-ups for your daily plan below:
If you can do more than 5 pull-ups – do 50 pull-ups for your daily plan below:
If you can do more than 10 pullups – do 75 pullups for your daily plan below:
ODD DAYS: Supersets OR pyramids:
10 supersets:
repeat 10 times
pullups – max
pushups – 20
dips – 5-10
abs of choice – 30
pyramids: – see PT Pyramid article above
pullups – 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 – rest with
pushups – 2,4,6,8,10,12,14….2
abs of choice 5,10,15,20,25,30,35….5
alternating with NO rest from one exercise to the next
EVEN DAYS:
25- 50-75 pull-ups anyway you can throughout the day or in a single workout. Do small repetition sets until you reach 25- 50 pull-ups.
Rotate for the next ten days from odd day workout options and even day pull-up supplement, then take three-four days off from doing ANY pull-ups. Test on day 14-15 and let me know your results.
I am trying this for some female Marines at this time with the Flexed Arm Hang (FAH). If you want to try the same but applied to the FAH, here is what you do:
Do 25 or 50 or 75 seconds of FAH in as few sets as possible on ODD Days and add supersets of FAH for TEN sets of 15-30 seconds.
Good luck with the Pullup-Push Workout. Push yourself and you can quickly perform better on your pull-up test. You can fit this type of program into your present workout plan by just adding 25-50 pullups on your rest days so you do a ten-day routine of pull-ups.
Here is a question from one of our gym athletes.
Question: “What is a Stew Smith pyramid workout?”.
Check out this pyramid using pushups or pull ups.
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
you can alternate pushups and pull ups for a burly workout. Post your time in comments below.
Also check out Stew Smith’s book The Complete Guide to Navy Seal Fitness, Third Edition (Includes DVD): Updated for Today’s Warrior Elite
Questions from our readers online.
Question: What does Stew Smith say about how many pushups should you do? Check out the Stew Smith video above as he explains.
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May 21, 2014 @ 11:06 am
Awesome article coach! Can I add this in to my SGPT Coaching plan?
Cory
May 21, 2014 @ 11:17 am
This is s great article that I feel everyone could benefit from. I love reading, especially books written by SEAL’s. Pull ups are something I have always struggled with and can always improve on. Huge fan of the SEAL Grinder PT by the way.
May 21, 2014 @ 4:30 pm
Very similar to our program, which works very well.
May 21, 2014 @ 9:01 pm
Great article. Stew Smith’s advice does work.
May 22, 2014 @ 11:48 am
I’ll have to give this a try. I don’t have a problem doing 15-20 good pull-ups but, I would love to be able to do 30-40+. I’ll give this a try.
Also, here’s a good video for Scapular Pull-Ups ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG5B_aXsucY ) and learning to activate the muscles properly. After two shoulder surgeries for torn a rotator cuff, I can tell you than training the body in a synergistic manner is essential. As they say, you’re only as strong as your weakest link.
May 22, 2014 @ 7:01 pm
I wil give it my best effort, and report back. Pull ups are hard for me but I keep trying. Push ups and sit ups , I am doing more 15 and 15 I have lost 10 lbs in two weeks. Thank you for your help and encouragement. Pat
May 25, 2014 @ 8:49 am
If I can do more then 20 pullups and I Want to improve to 30 should I be shooting for 100 pullups in the odd day pyramid and even day pull up supplement?
May 31, 2014 @ 9:58 am
To increase pull ups I would..
use a variety of pull ups
Use negatives
Lose any unnecessary weight
Get appropriate rest
June 9, 2014 @ 11:40 pm
Coach M,
I’m training to put up some solid numbers for a PST at MEPS hopefully within the next 8 weeks, I am having issues breaking a push up wall, I keep burning out in the shoulders within 40-60 Range. I’ve tried variations, narrow, wide, tempo, weighted, EMOM, high volume, low volume, pyramids. I’ve done everything I can think of and for some reason my push ups are still incredibly challenging. Any suggestions?
Thanks so much
-Chris
June 25, 2014 @ 3:25 pm
Check out the tips in the article above and that should help you break through the wall for pushups.
June 10, 2014 @ 11:54 am
Coach M,
I’m training to put up some solid numbers for a PST at MEPS hopefully within the next 8 weeks, I am having issues breaking a push up wall, I keep burning out in the shoulders within 40-60 Range. I’ve tried variations, narrow, wide, tempo, weighted, EMOM, high volume, low volume, pyramids. I’ve done everything I can think of and for some reason my push ups are still incredibly challenging. Any suggestions?
Thanks so much
June 10, 2014 @ 3:46 pm
Check out Stew Smith tips above as he has helped many athlete break through to new levels.
June 17, 2014 @ 3:31 pm
Coach M–a question on push-up form for the Kokoro PST. While I’ve improved my push-ups a great deal and have been able to achieve the 50-push-ups in 2-minutes Standard in practice, it’s been just barely. No buffer zone. I’ve played a bit with speed to see what’s optimal in terms of not fatiguing to quickly but haven’t seemed to figure out anything definitive. Any advice you have on approaching this part of the actual Kokoro PST would be great.
June 25, 2014 @ 8:37 pm
Hello,
I have been enjoying doing the workout you outlined (the one that you explained you did on the navy ship to get fit for Seal training)…Thanks for a great workout utilizing the body only.
I am curious about one thing though. When I used to lift, I would do chest on Mon. and Thurs. for example – to give the muscles a chance to rest.
You have pushups (a chest exercise not unlike bench press) being done everyday. So do the muscles have enough time to rest and recuperate? Perhaps pushups is less stressful on the muscles?
Could you please give your insight into this?
Thank you,
dean
July 1, 2014 @ 11:01 am
Read the article above as Stew talks about how to do pushups every day and still see improvement.
Email me and I will send you a free audio.
July 17, 2014 @ 4:55 pm
Can you alternate between pull-ups and chin-ups? Or would it be better to just stick to regular (palms facing away from you) pull-ups?
July 17, 2014 @ 4:57 pm
Good question Alex-
Alternate types of pull ups to work your body in different ways. Check out our videos on YouTube to see variety of pull ups.
Email me and I will send you a free audio
Thnx
August 19, 2014 @ 10:09 pm
Hey,
I just ran through both the “pullup push” and “pushup push” programs at the same, and had pretty solid results. I could already do a fair amount of each (15 pull ups and 51 push ups), but after Stew’s program, I jumped to 19 and 64 respectively…not quite 50-100%, but I’m still pretty impressed.
Here’s the catch though…listen to what he says about not over-training. This regimen, even for only 10 days was hell on my shoulders and elbows. Take it easy, and approach with caution if you have any existing conditions like tendentious (I’m speaking from experience).
I did a full write up on the program (in the link on my name) if anyone’s interested in details, but I’ll just tell you, it does seem to work, despite not making any physiological sense, as Brad noted.
February 24, 2015 @ 11:40 am
Outstanding workout plan. I have Stew ‘s Pushup app and Navy SEAL app from Google play. Both apps give workout plans with the same philosophy. Great stuff!
October 22, 2015 @ 2:03 pm
Stew’s always got great tips (so do you, Brad–of course!)
But I had to giggle at “Abs of Choice” as my brain “heard” it as spoken by one of those late-night commercials you’d see with one of those men speaking in a really booming voice. “ABS OF CHOICE! ACT NOW FOR $29.95 AND WE’LL THROW IN A FREE SALAD TOSSER AND SOCK WARMER!” 🙂
I guess I’m feeling a bit goofy this morning.
October 22, 2015 @ 5:27 pm
Stew’s guidance is great. When I got serious about my fitness about 15 years ago I used Stew’s books as my guide. I started by being able to do four pull-ups max to now I give you 20 without a lot of effort. Same with push-ups. Now, at 49, I do 100 pull and 300 push as a quick workout and people think I’m crazy.
Thanks to you both for your service,
DPS
December 18, 2016 @ 8:30 pm
Day #30 – SGPT Pull Up program
Stew Smith Pullup Push Workout
Completed:
Repeat 10 times of the following set:
– 10 Pullups
– 20 Push Ups
– 5 Bar Dips
– 30 Situps
Done (48:56 minutes)