Stew Smith Pullup Push Workout

May 21, 2014 by Brad 23 Comments

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.

Keep in touch and let me know if I can help you.

Also check out Stew Smith’s book The Complete Guide to Navy Seal Fitness, Third Edition (Includes DVD): Updated for Today’s Warrior Elite which has helped numerous athletes break through to new records.

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.