Workout of the week: 25-min push and pull strength workout

21st March 2025

ALL LEVELS / push and pull strength workout / 25 minutes

Equipment: Incline chest press machine, dumbbells, lat pull-down machine, barbell & kettlebell

The push and pull routine is one of our favourite ways to create a strength training routine. This method involves separating two fundamental movement patterns — pushing and pulling — into different workout days. Since both primarily target the upper body, this split typically includes one or two leg days, depending on the number of training days in your plan.

For example, a 3-day push and pull routine would be like this:

Monday: Push day
Wednesday: Pull day
Friday: Leg day

Today, we’re bringing this approach into a single session — legs included. This push and pull strength workout consists of 6 exercises: 2 push movements, 2 pull movements, and 2 leg exercises. Each exercise has 12 reps across 5 rounds, with 40 seconds of rest between exercises. In total, this workout will take approximately 25 minutes to complete.

Incline chest press
Curl to shoulder press
Lat pull-down
Bent over row
Kettlebell deadlift
Kettlebell squat

Ready to push and pull? Let’s go!

WORKOUT SETUP

6 exercises (2 push, 2 pull, 2 legs)
12 reps
5 rounds
40 sec rest between exercises
25 minutes
Equipment: Incline chest press machine, dumbbells, lat pull-down machine, barbell & kettlebell

WORKOUT EXERCISE LIST

5 rounds

1 – INCLINE CHEST PRESS

12 reps

Lean back and press your feet actively onto the floor.
Find a symmetrical grip that lets your forearms stand almost parallel to the floor in the starting position.
Engage your core and press forward and up with as much as possible.
Make sure your back stays in contact with the cushion behind you.
Repeat.

2 – CURL TO SHOULDER PRESS

12 reps

Grab two dumbbells with adequate weight for your fitness level.
Standing up straight, have the dumbbells resting at your sides with the palms facing inwards.
Slowly raise your forearms forward until your wrist rests above your elbow.
Now, explosively lock out your arms and raise the dumbbells above your head.
Hold the position for a second and return to the starting point by reversing the motion.
Repeat.

3 – LAT PULL-DOWN

12 reps

Adjust the pad on your legs to reduce the movement.
Grasp the bar above your head with a wide grip. Keep looking forward with your torso upright.
Engage your shoulder blades, and then pull the bar down in front of you – upper chest level.
Squeeze your lats at the bottom of the move and avoid leaning back too much to facilitate the movement.
Slowly return up and repeat.

4 – BENT OVER ROW

12 reps

Stand over a loaded barbell, with the bar lining up with your toes.
Bend at the hips and a little at the knees, and grasp the barbell with hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Your back should be straight and close to horizontal.
Exhale as you pull the barbell up to your waist. Count to two and squeeze your back muscles.
Inhale as you lower the barbell in a controlled manner until it nearly touches the floor. Repeat.
Keep your back straight and close to horizontal; keep your elbows close to your body.
Pull with your back muscles, not your arms.

5 – KETTLEBELL DEADLIFT

12 reps

Grab a kettlebell and place it between your feet, which should be shoulder-width apart.
Slightly bend your knees, bend your upper body forward and grab the handle.
Now, tension your core and while keeping your back straight, lift the kettlebell to hip level.
At the top, you should be standing proud while keeping your shoulders, core and glutes under tension.
Now, slowly return down while keeping the tension in your body.
Repeat for the desired rep range.

6 – KETTLEBELL SQUAT

12 reps

Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
Pick a kettlebell with both hands and hold it.
Keep the kettlebell close to your chest, squat and keep your chest and back straight.
Make sure you keep your core tight.
Slowly come back up and repeat.