Push and Pull Seasons in Fitness: The Key to Sustainable Progress
So many people believe that progress in fitness only comes from constantly pushing yourself even when your body is telling you to slow down - but the truth is that’s just not sustainable. The real secret to long-term success is understanding and applying the balance between push and pull seasons. In this blog, we’ll break down what these seasons are, how to identify which one you’re in and how to maximize each phase. Let’s dive in.
What Are Push and Pull Seasons?
Push Season
A push season is defined as a time of high intensity and focus. This can include things like training for a marathon, increasing your strength or committing to a new fitness goal. The push season requires discipline, consistency and effort which makes it best suited for a time when you have fewer external stressors.
Pull Season
A pull season is a period of recovery and maintenance. It’s not about stopping completely but rather scaling back to prevent burnout and allow your body time to heal. This can include things like reducing your workout intensity, focusing on mobility or maintaining your fitness with lighter routines. A pull season is a crucial part of your progress for long-term sustainability and the prevention of injuries.
How to Know When to Push or Pull
Ask yourself these key questions:
- Energy Levels: Are you feeling strong and motivated, or constantly drained?
- Recovery: Are you bouncing back from workouts or always sore?
- Stress Levels: Are work and personal commitments overwhelming?
- Sleep Quality: Are you well-rested or struggling with fatigue?
- Injury or Pain: Do you have persistent aches that won’t go away?
- Mental Readiness: Are you excited to train or dreading workouts?
If you find yourself feeling energized, motivated and free from stress, then it may be a good time for a push season. On the other hand, if fatigue, stress or injuries are high for you, a pull season could be the best choice. This is something for you to decide based on your answers to the questions above and listening to what your body is telling you.
Maximizing Your Push Season
Finding yourself in a push season? Go, you! Here’s how to make the most of it:
- Set Clear Goals: Define what you want - strength, endurance, etc.
- Prioritize Progressive Overload: Gradually increase weights, reps or intensity.
- Optimize Nutrition: Fuel your body with enough protein, carbs and healthy fats.
- Don’t Skip Recovery: Even in push mode, sleep and hydration are non-negotiable.
- Track Progress: Use a journal or app to stay accountable and measure gains.
Making the Most of a Pull Season
Feeling like you’re in need of a pull season? Kudos to you for listening to your body’s needs! A pull season isn’t about stopping - it’s about maintaining and resetting:
- Reduce Intensity, Not Movement: Swap heavy lifting for bodyweight exercises or lower resistance.
- Focus on Mobility and Flexibility: Incorporate yoga, stretching and foam rolling.
- Prioritize Recovery: Get quality sleep, hydrate and eat nutrient-dense foods.
- Stay Active in Enjoyable Ways: Walking, hiking and recreational sports to keep you moving.
- Work on Weak Points: Improve technique and address muscle imbalances.
- Mental Reset: Reflect on past progress, adjust goals and prepare for the next push.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don’t ignore early warning signs! Constant fatigue, soreness that goes on for longer than normal and mood swings could indicate it’s time for a pull season. Ignoring these could lead to a crash and burnout.
- Thinking that going into a pull season equals losing your progress. This couldn’t be further from the truth. A well-managed pull season preserves your progress and prevents burnout, leading to more long-term progress overall.
- Being too hard on yourself. Your health and fitness is a lifelong journey. It’s not physically possible for you to go all out all the time. Give yourself some grace and the time you need to rest and recover.
The best health and fitness results come from knowing when to push and when to pull. Even the most successful athletes and fitness enthusiasts know the importance of balancing intensity with strategic rest.
All of that being said, give some thought to what season you’re in right now and consider what you are doing to maximize it.
Listen to the audio version of this blog post on the most recent episode of the Find Your Strength Podcast.
Don’t forget to subscribe for more tips on movement, mindset, and personal development!