Springs are better at pulling than pushing because they store energy in a way that makes them more efficient at pulling than pushing. When you push on a spring, you have to put in as much energy as the spring will give back. But when you pull on a spring, the spring gives back more energy than you put in. This is because the energy is stored in the coils of the spring, and it's easier to release energy from coils than it is to put energy into them.