Push Pull Legs
Push pull legs (PPL) groups muscles by the movements they share. Push day trains chest, shoulders and triceps, pull day trains back, rear delts and biceps, and leg day trains everything below the waist. Run it once a week over 3 days, or twice a week over 6.
- Days per week
- 3 or 6
- Best for
- Beginners (3 days) to intermediates (6 days)
Who it's for
- Newer lifters who want a simple 3-day plan
- Intermediate lifters who can train 6 days and want each muscle twice a week
- Anyone who likes focused sessions without a full-body grind
Weekly schedule
- MonPush
- TuePull
- WedLegs
- ThuPush
- FriPull
- SatLegs
- SunRest
On 3 days a week, run Push on Monday, Pull on Wednesday and Legs on Friday.
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.
Push
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bench press (barbell, dumbbell or machine) | 3 | 6–10 |
| Overhead press (barbell, dumbbell or machine) | 3 | 6–10 |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 | 8–12 |
| Lateral raise | 3 | 12–20 |
| Triceps pushdown | 3 | 10–15 |
| Overhead triceps extension | 2 | 10–15 |
Pull
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Pull-up or lat pulldown | 3 | 6–10 |
| Row (barbell, chest-supported, cable or machine) | 3 | 6–10 |
| Face pull | 3 | 12–20 |
| Barbell curl | 3 | 8–12 |
| Hammer curl | 2 | 10–15 |
Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squat (barbell, hack squat or leg press) | 3 | 6–10 |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 | 8–10 |
| Leg extension | 3 | 10–15 |
| Lying leg curl | 3 | 10–15 |
| Standing calf raise | 4 | 10–15 |
FAQ
Should I run push pull legs 3 or 6 days a week?
Start with 3 if you're new or short on time. Move to 6 once you've trained consistently for a few months and you're sleeping and eating enough to recover from it.
How long does a push pull legs workout take?
About 60–75 minutes with the workouts above, including rest. If sessions run past 90 minutes, cut an accessory set before you cut rest on the main lifts.
Where do abs go in a PPL split?
Add 2–3 sets of hanging leg raises or cable crunches to the end of any day, two or three times a week.