Think of setting the pushrods like this... EOIC is to remember that letter sequence as you look at the one cylinder only.
EO = Exhaust [pushrod] begins to Open... stop when you see it move. On the intake side, you spin the intake pushrod or feel for any up and down movement. A tight intake pushrod might show it by this EOIC position. This is to see if the valve remains open and you have no compression.
IC = Intake [pushrod] begins to Close... as soon as you see it move on the close, stop... same as the ex move/stop. Go and check the exhaust rod and see if it can spin. Tight says it is keeping the valve open.
If you want to recheck your adjustments, I think it's 25 flats to spin the rod longer, once you take the up and down movement out of the rod. It should spin like it's on ice, with zero up and down movement. Begin to count the flats at the rod.
So as not to confuse yourself watching, just chose a cylinder to start with, and keep an eye on the intake. Yes, rotate the engine a few times so you see the in-rod lift and the come back down. You know this is the compression stroke when the in-rod comes down. Can you start with either side? Sure. Just remember who you are watching in the EOIC movement.
This is how they adjust solid lifters for the NASCAR V8 engines. Same principal with hydro lifters too.