PPL Upper Lower Split
The PPL upper lower hybrid (sometimes called PPLUL or ULPPL) runs two days of upper lower, then a round of push pull legs. On 5 days a week every muscle gets trained about twice, which is hard to do with a pure 5-day PPL or bro split.
- Days per week
- 5
- Best for
- Intermediates training 5 days
Who it's for
- Intermediate lifters who can train 5 days a week
- People who want twice-a-week frequency without training 6 days
- Lifters coming from upper lower who want more variety
Weekly schedule
- MonUpper
- TueLower
- WedRest
- ThuPush
- FriPull
- SatLegs
- SunRest
The workouts
Sets are working sets: warm up with a couple of lighter sets on your first lift. Rest 2–3 minutes on the big compound lifts and 60–90 seconds on everything else. Start each lift at a weight you can do for the bottom of the rep range, and add weight once you hit the top of the range on every set.
Upper
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell bench press | 3 | 5–8 |
| Barbell row | 3 | 6–8 |
| Lat pulldown | 3 | 8–10 |
| Seated dumbbell shoulder press | 2 | 8–10 |
| Dumbbell curl | 2 | 10–12 |
| Triceps pushdown | 2 | 10–12 |
Lower
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Back squat | 3 | 5–8 |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 | 6–10 |
| Leg press | 2 | 10–12 |
| Lying leg curl | 2 | 10–15 |
| Standing calf raise | 3 | 10–15 |
Push
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Overhead press | 3 | 6–10 |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 | 8–12 |
| Cable fly | 2 | 12–15 |
| Lateral raise | 3 | 12–20 |
| Overhead triceps extension | 3 | 10–15 |
Pull
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Pull-up or lat pulldown | 3 | 6–10 |
| Chest-supported row | 3 | 8–12 |
| Face pull | 3 | 12–20 |
| Incline dumbbell curl | 3 | 10–15 |
| Hammer curl | 2 | 10–15 |
Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Hack squat or leg press | 3 | 8–12 |
| Bulgarian split squat | 2 | 8–12 each leg |
| Leg extension | 3 | 10–15 |
| Seated leg curl | 3 | 10–15 |
| Seated calf raise | 3 | 12–15 |
FAQ
Why combine PPL and upper lower?
Five-day PPL leaves some muscles trained once a week and others twice. Starting the week with upper and lower days evens it out, so everything gets hit about twice.
Should upper and lower days be heavier?
It's a common setup: lower reps on the main lifts early in the week, then more moderate reps on the push, pull and legs days. The plan above follows that pattern.
Can I move the rest days?
Yes. Just avoid putting Lower and Legs back to back, so your legs get at least a day off between them.