Back to Basics!
Push-Up & Pull-Up Regimens
photography by Keith Munyan
Few men want to spend all day in the gym. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do some solid resistance training. A combo plan of basic pull-ups and push-ups provides a great pump. And by varying the arm angles of each exercise you can hit all the upper body muscles. On these pages are complete push-up and pull-up programs. You can do all of them or just a few. Either way you won’t have to worry about going soft.
ONE-ARM PUSH-UPS
(Shoulders & Triceps)
Place the right palm flat on the ground under the head, and grasp the right wrist with the left hand. Proceed to push up until the right arm is straight. Pause, then lower to starting position. Perform sets with each arm working.
ELEVATED PUSH-UPS
(Chest & Shoulders)
This is a basic push-up, except your feet are elevated on a bench or other suitable object. Once in place, with hands under shoulders and body aligned, proceed to push up until arms are straight. Pause, then lower to starting position.
REVERSE PUSH-UPS
(Triceps)
Begin with hands behind you grasping a bench, bar or other suitable object, fingers forward. Beginning with arms bent at a 90-degree angle, and keeping legs straight throughout, proceed to push up until arms are straight. Pause, then lower to starting position.
CLOSE-HAND PUSH-UPS
(Inner Chest)
Begin with hands flat on the ground, close together and directly under the chest. Proceed to push up until arms are straight. Pause, then lower to starting position.
SLANT PUSH-UPS
(Back & Shoulders)
Begin with arms bent at 90-degree angles, hands at sides facing forward. Proceed to push up until arms are straight. Pause, then lower to starting position.
WRIST
PUSH-UPS
(Wrists & Forearms)
Begin with hands palms up on the ground, fingers facing each other, directly under the chest. Proceed to push up until arms are straight. Pause, then lower to starting position..
BEGINNER PULL-UPS
This exercise develops the muscles used in regular pull-ups and is for those men who cannot do full sets of regular pull-ups. Begin by using a chair or having someone boost you up to the starting position, which is with the head over the bar and hands at a medium to wide grip (1). Slowly lower yourself until arms are bent at 90-degree angles (2), and hold for a few seconds. Then lower until arms are straight (3) and hold for a few seconds. Then drop down, rest briefly and do another repetition. Perform as many reps as possible, and work up to a point where you can do regular pull-ups.
PARTIAL PULL-UPS
Another exercise for beginners. Grasp the bar with hands shoulder-width apart, palms forward. Pull yourself up until your head clears the bar. Pause, then lower to where arms are bent at 90-degree angles. Pause, then pull up again.
OFFSET PULL-UPS
Grasp the bar with fingers interlaced. Pull yourself up until your head is by one side of the bar. Pause, then lower to starting position, and next pull up to the other side of the bar.
NARROW-GRIP PULL-UPS
Grasp the bar with hands as close as possible, palms forward. Pull yourself up until your head clears the bar. Pause, then lower to starting position.
WIDE-GRIP PULL-UPS
Grasp the bar with hands as wide as possible, palms forward. Pull yourself up until your head clears the bar. Pause, then lower to starting position.
‘L’ PULL-UPS
This one brings the abdominal muscles into play. Grasp the bar with a shoulder-width grip, palms forward. Raise legs until thighs are parallel to the ground, with knees slightly bent. Pull yourself up until your head clears the bar. Pause, then lower to starting position.