If you do the same exercises every single workout you'll hit a muscle-building plateau and get mind-numbingly bored. That's why you need to start push/pull training. Not only will it help you develop big, powerful muscles, but the innovative exercises you'll do during the push/pull workouts below will make your training a damn sight more exciting, too. Push/pull training is as simple as it sounds: one session you work solely on 'pushing' muscles – chest, shoulders, triceps – the next just on 'pulling' muscles – back and biceps.

'The push/pull workout below allows you to hit the major upper body muscles hard on days one and two before targeting your legs and core on day three,' says MF personal trainer Shaun Stafford. 'This gives each muscle group a full 48 hours off to recover and rebuild before being worked again.

'Splitting your sessions based on the different movements prevents the same muscle groups from being overtrained, which can lead to injury. But because you'll be exclusively training specific muscles, you'll be able to hit the gym more. It's the best way to build more muscle and burn more fat.'

Day 1: Pull
Pull-ups                 4 Sets     6 Reps
Bent-over rows        3 Sets     8 Reps
Barbell curls           3 Sets     10 Reps
Cable row              2 Sets     12 Reps
Lat pull-downs        1 Set      20 Reps

Day 2: Push
Bench presses          4 Sets     6 Reps
Decline b.presses      3 Sets     8 Reps
Incline b.presses       3 Sets     10 Reps
Shoulder presses      2 Sets     12 Reps
Clap press-ups         1 Set      15 Reps

Day 3: Legs/Abs
Deadlifts                4 Sets     6 Reps
Dumb-bell squats   3 Sets     8 Reps   
Good Mornings       3 Sets     10 Reps
Jumping lunges      2 Sets     12 Reps (six each side)   
Reverse crunches    1 Set       20 Reps   

Rest for no more than 60 seconds between each set. Do the exercises in each set in one go with no rests.

Day 4: Rest then repeat.

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