Push/Pull Ratio Calculator
Written by Thierno Sadou Diallo, formula verified per our methodology • Last checked on 9/8/2026
The push/pull ratio is calculated by dividing the number of weekly pulling sets by the number of weekly pushing sets. For 12 pulling sets and 6 pushing sets, the ratio is 2, the most commonly recommended benchmark.
Explanation
In strength training, most movements fall into two families: pushes (bench press, overhead press, dips), which mainly work the chest, shoulders (front deltoids), and triceps, and pulls (rowing, pull-ups, lat pulldowns), which work the back and biceps. Many strength coaches recommend programming more pulling sets than pushing sets — a common ratio of 2 pulling sets for every 1 pushing set, sometimes raised to 3-to-1 with a history of shoulder pain — because most shoulder injuries in strength training occur from repeated pushing movements without enough offsetting back strengthening. **This benchmark is nonetheless debated**: part of the strength and conditioning community considers it too simplistic, the ideal split depending mainly on execution technique, injury history, and each lifter's own goals, rather than a single universal ratio. Use it as a starting point to adjust, not a rigid rule — somewhat like the hamstring/quadriceps ratio, another muscular balance indicator for which the scientific literature also sets no universally validated threshold.
Example for a weekly program
Inputs
Pulling sets: 12 per week. Pushing sets: 6 per week.
Calculation
Ratio = 12 ÷ 6 = 2.
Result
The ratio is 2 (2 pulling sets for every 1 pushing set), the most commonly recommended benchmark for shoulder health.
Frequently asked questions
Why is more pulling than pushing recommended?
Most people who strength train naturally accumulate more pushing volume (bench press in particular, often overrepresented) than pulling volume. Since shoulder injuries occur more often on pushing movements, increasing pulling volume helps strengthen the stabilizing muscles of the back and shoulder that offset this imbalance.
What if my ratio is below 1?
A ratio below 1 means you're doing more pushing sets than pulling sets, a split several strength coaches advise against over the long term. Consider adding rowing, lat pulldown, or pull-up sets to your weekly training volume.
Is this ratio based on rigorous scientific studies?
It is above all a widely taught coaching benchmark, not a threshold validated by controlled clinical trials. It remains debated within the strength and conditioning community and should be adjusted based on your injury history and technique, not followed rigidly.