Push down. Left,right,left,right. To go faster push down harder. There is ABSOLUTELY no benefit whatsoever to try to pull up or pedal in circles. It's been proven time and again over and over in every study ever done on cyclists.

It is physiologically impossible to develop enough force in your hip flexor pulling up to help your opposing leg that is pushing down. You just make yourself more tired. You may be able to do it for a second or two when climbing a supersteep hill in a really low cadence. But other than that just push down.