3 Day Push Pull Powerlifting Workout

This 3 day push/pull (and yes, legs) powerlifting workout is a great way to build strength, power, and muscle.

Goal Of This Workout

Most powerlifting workouts train the big 3 lifts in the 5 or less rep range but this workout will train in the 8-12 rep range and produce results fast.

This routine is meant to be run for at least 12 weeks. If you are not planning a powerlifting competition or do not plan on competing any time soon, run this indefinitely.

Equipment Needed

There are no fancy equipment requirements other than what a gym usually has.

If you are working out at home, be sure you have these things available to you:

• Pull up bar OR ability to t-bar row
• Have a way to do dips… These are pretty important
• Adjustable bench would be nice
• Heavy enough dumbbells to push you to complete 8+ reps

Diet and Nutrition Tips

I would recommend going on a slow bulk for this routine to get the most out of it. It is easier to cut some fat afterwards than trying to make strength gains on a calorie deficit.

If you keep your weight consistent and need some tips to add calories into your diet, here are some of the best and healthiest ways to do so:

• Butter
• Cream cheese
• Sour cream
• Whole milk
• Heavy cream
• Cheese on everything
• Protein shakes
• Peanut butter
• Olive oil
• Extra dressing

These all add flavor and healthy fats to your diet. Personally, I prefer adding calories through this means instead of going to McDonalds and smashing a couple McDoubles.

You will feel better, have more energy, and your stomach will thank you.

Note: A little bit goes a long way, so be sure to know how many calories you are adding.

Recommended Supplements

Without a good diet, supplementation is mostly a waste of money. I will be the first to tell you to spend money on some good meats than a jug of protein.

For those who have their diets in check, here are the supplements I would use with this routine.

Pre-Workout

MTS Nutrition Clash

I personally like apple mango, but all flavors are good.

This is a great blend without too many stimulants.

Protein

MTS Machine Whey Protein: 5lbs

This is in my opinion the best tasting protein on the market. Period.

Great blend with no secrets, no amino spiking, and it is some of the best in the industry.

So far I’ve had Red Velvet, Cookies and Cream, and Key Lime. All are A+.

BCAA

MTS Nutrition Machine Fuel

Marc Lobliner has his sweetening on point with these supplements.

I’ve used mixed berry and grape and I love them both.

Creatine

Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine

I have a review of Optimum Nutrition’s Creatine and it’s a tried and true supplement. It will help with performance and recovery. I highly recommend this.

Cardio and Conditioning Schedule

Conditioning is one of the most important things you can work on to improve your lifts, endurance, and stamina. Improving conditioning also improves life out of the gym.

This particular routine focuses a bit on conditioning, core strength, and mobility.

Once you start lifting relatively heavier weights, you’re going to start breaking form because of muscle weaknesses, lack of conditioning/muscle endurance and mobility issues; so lets address them here.

Warming Up

For your pre-workout warm up, start by walking for 3 minutes and follow-up with a 30 second balls-to-the-walls high intensity sprint. Finish off with 90 seconds of walking.

This “shock” is going to prime your body to train hard and helps get your core body temperature up.

Post Workout Conditioning

I’m not big on citing research materials and I sure as hell am not interested in doing the scientific leg work, but doing high intensity interval training will help improve your muscle and strength gains.

The Plan:

• 5 minutes brisk walking
• 30 seconds jogging
• 30 seconds walking
• 30 seconds sprinting
• 30 seconds walking
• 45 seconds sprinting
• 1 minute walking
• 1 minute jogging
• 1 minute walking
• 30 seconds full sprinting
• 1.5 minutes walking slowly tapering down to finish

Cardio and Conditioning Tips

This sounds like some special formula but it isn’t; this is a template, if you don’t follow it exactly, you’re fine.

What I want to make you aware of is warming up and priming your body for high intensity training.

Don’t get stuck on the numbers, if you have poor conditioning, add longer walk (resting) periods and strive to recover faster.

Push Pull Powerlifting Routine Schedule

This routine is works by cycling 2 heavy weeks and 2 moderately heavy weeks.

For heavy weeks: You will use an 8 rep scheme.

For moderately heavy weeks: You will use a 12 rep scheme.

But what about training for strength?

Think about it, if you can bench 135 for 8 reps and after a week of training you can bench 135 for 10 reps… you’ve gotten stronger, right?

This is the principle I’m going to work off of; getting stronger in a higher rep range will carry over to your 1 rep max when done correctly.

I typically recommend this type of training to beginners and early intermediates. If you compete in powerlifting (which I highly suggest anyone doing) this is best done in an off-season prep for a meet at least 6 months out.

Calculating Starting Weight of Big 3 Lifts

We’ll calculate your starting weight by a percentage of your known 1 rep or 5 rep max, but mileage may vary. (This means use this as a guideline but not the definitive answer)

Ideally if you know your 5 rep max, you are going to be able to get a better starting point for your training than knowing your 1 rep max.

If you have a known 5 rep max

For heavy weeks, take your known 5 rep max and take 85% of that and use this as your starting work weights.

• Protip: (5 rep max) * .85 = Starting weight

For moderately heavy weeks, take your known 5 rep max and take 75% of that and use this as your starting work weights.

• Protip: (5 rep max) * .75 = Starting weight

If you have a known 1 rep max

For heavy weeks, take your known 1 rep max and take 75% of that and use this as your starting work weights.

• Protip: (1 rep max) * .75 = Starting weight

For moderately heavy weeks, take your known 1 rep max and take 65% of that and use this as your starting work weights.

• Protip: (1 rep max) * .65 = Starting weight

Heavy and Moderately Heavy Week Cycling

Cycle your heavy and moderately heavy blocks every 2 weeks.

12 Week Example:

• Week 1: Heavy
• Week 2: Heavy
• Week 3: Moderately Heavy
• Week 4: Moderately Heavy
• Week 5: Heavy
• Week 6: Heavy
• Week 7: Moderately Heavy
• Week 8: Moderately Heavy
• Week 9: Heavy
• Week 10: Heavy
• Week 11: Moderately Heavy
• Week 12: Moderately Heavy

Workout Schedule

This is a 3 day routine and you can do them whenever your schedule permits… but I would recommend 1 rest day in between each workout and a 2 day rest period between your weeks.

• Monday – Push Routine
• Tuesday – Off
• Wednesday – Pull Routine
• Thursday – Off
• Friday – Legs*
• Saturday – Off
• Sunday – Off

* – Skipping this day automatically will make you weak.

Workout Progression

This routine works off of the basic principle of progressive overloading.

Striving to add 5-10 pounds to the bar every week, recover properly, and eating right will guarantee that you make massive strength and muscle gains.

If you hit a plateau 2 weeks in a row and cannot complete your reps at the new weight, deload for one week.

You will be surprised how much easier the weight moves after a deload.

The Push Pull Powerlifting Routine – Heavy Weeks

The Push Pull Powerlifting Routine – Moderately Heavy Weeks

Workout Tips

Form: The goal of this routine is to get stronger and become more efficient at the big 3 lifts. Form is important and needs to be the focus of this routine if you want to get stronger.

ALAP: As Long As Possible. Hold these as long as you can. The trick here is to increase muscle endurance and strength.

AMAP: As Many As Possible. (Think: Burnout sets)

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