Interval training throughout the day

[NotSoFitGamer]

At the beginning of this year i could do 8 push-ups and 8 pull-ups, my goal for this year is to be able to do 20 of both in one go. I do sports every day of the week (3x bouldering, 3x running, 1x padel) and for this reason i don’t go to the gym.

Now my question is: i’m a professional gamer, and whilst working i have a 5 minute break every hour, during this 5 minutes i want to train my push/pull-ups, how should i do this to get the best results?

Currently i do push-ups on one day and pull-ups on the next day and i keep alternating that, i do both assisted and can do about 12 of either then, and throughout my working day i manage to do 6 of these sets. However, i’ve tested this for a few months and progress seems to barely be happening so i feel like i’m doing something wrong.

-is 6x12 reps throughout a day too little?
-should i go until exhaustion?
-should i do 12 assisted reps if i can manage 8 un-assisted reps?
-i alternate the days because i read it’s important to have rest days, but is that even needed for this kind of training?
-how can i optimize this?

Any ideas/tips are much appreciated,

Cheers!

 

[Georgehearn]

At the beginning of this year i could do 8 push-ups and 8 pull-ups, my goal for this year is to be able to do 20 of both in one go. I do sports every day of the week (3x bouldering, 3x running, 1x padel) and for this reason i don’t go to the gym.

Now my question is: i’m a professional gamer, and whilst working i have a 5 minute break every hour, during this 5 minutes i want to train my push/pull-ups, how should i do this to get the best results?

Currently i do push-ups on one day and pull-ups on the next day and i keep alternating that, i do both assisted and can do about 12 of either then, and throughout my working day i manage to do 6 of these sets. However, i’ve tested this for a few months and progress seems to barely be happening so i feel like i’m doing something wrong.

-is 6x12 reps throughout a day too little?
-should i go until exhaustion?
-should i do 12 assisted reps if i can manage 8 un-assisted reps?
-i alternate the days because i read it’s important to have rest days, but is that even needed for this kind of training?
-how can i optimize this?

Any ideas/tips are much appreciated,

Cheers!

Your approach is actually solid—you already have consistency and enough activity throughout the week. The biggest issue is likely recovery and how you’re structuring the reps.
For improving push-ups and pull-ups, avoid going to failure every set. Instead, focus on clean, quality reps and stop with 1–2 reps left in the tank. Since your max is around 8 reps, try doing smaller sets of 4–6 reps throughout the day rather than pushing hard every time.

I’d also prioritize unassisted reps first, then use assisted reps only to add extra volume without burning yourself out.
With bouldering, running, and padel already in your schedule, your body is doing a lot of work, so recovery matters just as much as training. Most plateaus come from accumulated fatigue, not lack of effort.
A simple progression:

• Do multiple easy-quality sets daily
• Increase total reps gradually every 1–2 weeks
• Test your max reps occasionally instead of every workout

This “grease the groove” style works very well for building push-up and pull-up endurance without needing a gym.
If you ever feel like you want more guidance or a proper plan, I can help you more at Basics and Beyond fitness & nutrition.