Push A
Chest focus, heavy bench| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bench press | 4 | 5–8 | 2–3 min |
| Overhead press | 3 | 6–10 | 2 min |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 | 8–12 | 90 s |
| Lateral raise | 3 | 12–20 | 60 s |
| Triceps pushdown | 3 | 10–15 | 60 s |
| Overhead triceps extension | 2 | 10–15 | 60 s |
Workout programs · Intermediate
Push Pull Legs: the 6-day and 3-day workout plan
Push pull legs (PPL) groups your training by movement: chest, shoulders and triceps on push day, back and biceps on pull day, and the whole lower body on leg day. Run twice through in a week it trains every muscle twice, which is the frequency most research on muscle growth points to. Run once through, it fits into three sessions.
- Days per week
- 3 or 6
- Goal
- Muscle growth
- Session length
- 60–75 min
- Equipment
- Full gym: barbell, dumbbells, cables, bench, rack
Who it's for
- Lifters with at least six months of consistent training who know the main barbell lifts.
- Anyone whose main goal is building muscle, with strength as a close second.
- People who can train six days a week, or three days if you accept a slower rate of progress.
- Lifters who like focused sessions where one muscle group gets real attention.
If you are brand new to the gym, start with a three-day full-body plan. It teaches the lifts with more practice per week and less total volume to recover from.
Weekly schedule
| Day | 6-day | 3-day |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Push A | Push |
| Tue | Pull A | Rest |
| Wed | Legs A | Pull |
| Thu | Push B | Rest |
| Fri | Pull B | Legs |
| Sat | Legs B | Rest |
| Sun | Rest | Rest |
On the 3-day version, alternate the A and B sessions week to week (A week, then B week) so every lift still gets trained regularly. Each muscle is hit once a week, so add a set to the first two exercises of each day if you have time.
The workouts
Pull A
Back thickness, heavy rows| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bent-over row | 4 | 6–10 | 2–3 min |
| Pull-upUse the lat pulldown or an assisted pull-up if you can't do six. | 3 | 6–10 | 2 min |
| Seated cable row | 3 | 10–12 | 90 s |
| Face pull | 3 | 12–20 | 60 s |
| Barbell curl | 3 | 8–12 | 60 s |
| Hammer curl | 2 | 10–15 | 60 s |
Legs A
Squat focus| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back squat | 4 | 5–8 | 3 min |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 | 8–10 | 2 min |
| Leg press | 3 | 10–15 | 2 min |
| Leg curl | 3 | 10–15 | 90 s |
| Calf raise | 4 | 10–15 | 60 s |
Push B
Shoulder focus, heavy press| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overhead press | 4 | 5–8 | 2–3 min |
| Incline bench press | 3 | 6–10 | 2 min |
| Dips | 3 | 8–12 | 90 s |
| Cable crossover | 3 | 12–15 | 60 s |
| Lateral raise | 4 | 12–20 | 60 s |
| Skull crusher | 3 | 10–12 | 60 s |
Pull B
Deadlift and back width| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadlift | 3 | 3–5 | 3 min |
| Lat pulldown | 3 | 8–12 | 90 s |
| Dumbbell row | 3 | 8–12 / arm | 90 s |
| Rear delt fly | 3 | 12–20 | 60 s |
| Dumbbell curl | 3 | 10–12 | 60 s |
Legs B
Single-leg and glute focus| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front squat | 3 | 6–10 | 2–3 min |
| Bulgarian split squat | 3 | 8–12 / leg | 90 s |
| Hip thrust | 3 | 8–12 | 2 min |
| Leg curl | 3 | 12–15 | 60 s |
| Calf raise | 4 | 12–20 | 60 s |
| Hanging knee raise | 3 | 10–15 | 60 s |
How to progress
- Use double progression on every exercise: pick a weight you can lift for the bottom of the rep range, then add reps session to session until every set reaches the top of the range.
- Once all sets hit the top of the range with clean form, add the smallest jump available: about 2.5 kg (5 lb) on upper-body barbell lifts, 5 kg (10 lb) on squats and deadlifts, or the next dumbbell or cable plate on everything else. Then build the reps back up.
- Finish most sets with one to three reps still in the tank. Taking isolation work (raises, curls, pushdowns) closer to failure is fine; grinding out heavy squats and deadlifts to failure is not worth the fatigue.
- If a lift stalls for two sessions in a row, keep the weight and aim to beat your reps by just one. If it stalls for three, drop the weight about 10% and build back up.
Deloads
- Every 6–8 weeks, or sooner if joints ache, sleep suffers or several lifts stall at once, take a lighter week.
- Keep the same exercises and weights but cut the number of sets roughly in half. Alternatively, keep the sets and drop the weights about 10–20%.
- The 6-day version is the most demanding plan here; if you are regularly run down, switch to the 3-day version for a few weeks rather than pushing through.
Sample week
Week five of the 6-day version for a lifter who started benching 70 kg for 6, squatting 90 kg for 6 and deadlifting 120 kg for 5. Weights are illustrative; yours depend on your starting point.
- MonPush A
Bench 75 kg: 7, 6, 6, 6. Overhead press 45 kg: 9, 8, 8. Rest of the session at the same weights as last week, one more rep where possible.
- TuePull A
Bent-over row 70 kg: 10, 10, 10, 10, so next week it goes to 72.5 kg. Pull-ups bodyweight: 8, 7, 6.
- WedLegs A
Squat 100 kg: 6, 6, 5, 5. Romanian deadlift 80 kg: 10, 9, 9.
- ThuPush B
Overhead press 47.5 kg: 6, 6, 5, 5. Incline bench 62.5 kg: 9, 8, 8.
- FriPull B
Deadlift 130 kg: 5, 5, 4. Lat pulldown 60 kg: 12, 11, 10.
- SatLegs B
Front squat 70 kg: 8, 8, 7. Hip thrust 100 kg: 12, 12, 12, so the weight goes up next week.
- SunRest
Walk, stretch, eat and sleep well. Recovery is when the muscle is actually built.
Common mistakes
Running the 6-day version without the recovery to match
Six sessions a week only works with enough sleep and food. If you're short on either, the 3-day version or an upper/lower split will give better results.
Adding endless extra exercises
Five or six exercises per day is plenty. More variety doesn't mean more growth; adding reps and weight to the same lifts does.
Skipping leg days
Legs are a third of the program for a reason. If one day has to go, drop a push or pull session, not a leg day.
Training every set to failure
Failure on heavy compounds increases fatigue far more than it increases growth. Stop one to three reps short on the big lifts.
Never logging weights
Without a record you can't apply double progression. Write down every set, or let an app do it for you.
FAQ
Is push pull legs good for beginners?
It can work, but most beginners do better on a three-day full-body plan first. Full-body sessions give you more practice on each lift per week with less total volume. After six months or so, PPL is a natural next step.
Should I do PPL 3 or 6 days a week?
Six days trains each muscle twice a week, which tends to build muscle faster for intermediate lifters. Three days trains each muscle once a week; it still works and is easier to recover from, just a little slower. Pick the version you can actually sustain for months.
Can I do cardio on a push pull legs split?
Yes. Easy cardio like walking, cycling or light jogging for 20–30 minutes a few times a week fits well and won't hurt your lifting. Keep hard interval sessions away from leg days if you can.
How long should I run a push pull legs program?
As long as you keep progressing. Many lifters run PPL for a year or more, swapping a few accessory exercises every 8–12 weeks to stay fresh while keeping the main lifts constant.
What if I miss a day?
Don't skip ahead. Just pick up the next session in the order and shift the week. The order matters more than which day of the week each session falls on.
Other programs
General training information, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, check with a qualified professional before starting a new program.
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