Push pull legs routine: the complete PPL workout plan

What is a push pull legs split?

A PPL split groups muscles by the movement they do. Pushing muscles (chest, front and side delts, triceps) train together, pulling muscles (lats, upper back, rear delts, biceps) train together, and legs get their own day. Because the muscles that work together also rest together, each session can be hard without the next one suffering.

The structure is simple to remember and easy to scale. Three days gives you a manageable beginner to intermediate week, and repeating the cycle twice gives you six focused sessions with plenty of weekly volume per muscle.

Who push pull legs suits

• Lifters who can train 5 to 6 days a week and want each muscle hit twice. This is where PPL is strongest.
• Intermediate lifters who need more volume per muscle than a full body session can hold without becoming two hours long.
• People who like shorter, focused sessions of about 60 to 75 minutes, with a clear theme each day.
• Not ideal for beginners who can only train 3 days a week. A 3 day PPL hits each muscle once a week, and most people progress faster on a full body workout at that frequency.

The PPL workout plan: day-by-day template

This plan has two versions of each day. The A days lead with a heavy barbell lift for strength, the B days use more volume and different angles. On a 6 day week you run both; on a 3 day week you alternate A and B from week to week.

Rest 2 to 3 minutes after the first one or two compound lifts and 60 to 90 seconds on isolation work. Take most sets to 1 to 3 reps short of failure; the last set of an isolation exercise can go to failure.

3, 4, 5 and 6 day PPL schedules

The same three workouts fit almost any week. Pick the schedule that matches the days you can actually train, not the one you hope to manage.

3 day split push pull legs

Each muscle gets one hard session a week. It works if you are busy and already have a base, but add a few sets of the weakest area to another day (for example 2 sets of curls on push day) so nothing gets only one exposure of low volume.

4 day PPL split

A rotating 4 day plan runs the cycle without resetting each week: push, pull, rest, legs, push, then next week starts with pull. Every muscle gets about 1.3 sessions a week.

Push pull legs upper lower 5 day split

This hybrid (often called PPLUL) runs a push, pull and legs block followed by an upper and a lower day. Every muscle is trained twice in five sessions. For the upper and lower days, use the templates on the upper lower split page, keeping the volume moderate since they are the second exposure of the week.

6 day push pull legs

The classic PPL PPL: six sessions, every muscle twice, one rest day. It gives the most volume, and also asks the most of your sleep, food and schedule. If you miss days often, a 4 or 5 day plan will produce better results than a 6 day plan done halfway.

How to progress on a PPL routine

A split only organises your week. What makes you stronger is adding weight or reps over time, which is progressive overload. A simple double progression works for every exercise in this plan:

1. Start inside the rep rangePick a weight you can lift for the bottom of the range with 2 to 3 reps left, for example bench press at 80 kg (175 lb) for 5 reps.
2. Add reps firstEach session, try to add a rep to one or more sets while keeping the same weight.
3. Add weight when every set hits the topWhen all sets reach the top of the range (8 reps on the bench), add 2.5 kg (5 lb) to upper body lifts like the overhead press or 5 kg (10 lb) to lower body lifts and start again near the bottom.

For the heavy compound lifts you can also set weights from your max. The 1RM calculator gives you a percentage chart; 75 to 85 % of your estimated max fits the 5 to 8 rep sets in this plan.

PPL vs upper lower vs full body

PPL vs upper lower: at 4 days a week, upper lower hits every muscle twice and PPL cannot, so upper lower usually wins there. At 6 days, PPL gives more room for volume per muscle with shorter sessions. Both work; choose by how many days you train.

PPL vs bro split and Arnold split: a bro split trains each muscle once a week with a lot of volume in one session. The Arnold split (chest and back, shoulders and arms, legs) is another way to train everything twice in six days. PPL sits in between, and many people find it easier to recover from than an Arnold split.

Rest days and recovery

On the 6 day plan, take your rest day after legs B, and keep it a real rest day. If you feel beaten up for more than a week, sleep and food are usually the first things to fix, before the program.

• Train legs the day after a rest day if your legs need the most recovery; switch the order to legs, push, pull if that suits you better.
• Light cardio or walking on rest days is fine and does not hurt recovery for most people.
• Every 6 to 10 weeks, or when your lifts stall across the board, run a deload week with about half the sets at the same weights.

Sore after the first weeks? That is normal when volume jumps; the DOMS guide explains what to do about it.

Common push pull legs mistakes

• Too many exercises. Six exercises per day is plenty. Adding a fourth one of your chest exercises to push day mostly adds fatigue.
• Neglecting the back of the body. Pull days should include horizontal rows and rear delt work such as face pulls, not only pulldowns and curls, and a good leg workout needs hamstring and glute work, not just squats.
• Six days without six days of recovery. Short sleep and a big calorie deficit make a 6 day PPL hard to sustain. Drop to 4 or 5 days instead of grinding.
• Never changing the weight. Copying a template without tracking reps and loads turns it into exercise, not training.
• Skipping legs when busy. If you must miss a day, shift the schedule instead of dropping the day you like least.

The exercises

Barbell bench pressChestGuideBarbell overhead pressFront deltsGuideIncline dumbbell pressChest and front deltsGuideDumbbell lateral raiseSide deltsGuide

Cable triceps pushdownTriceps

Overhead dumbbell triceps extensionTriceps

Barbell deadliftGlutes and hamstringsGuidePull-upLatsGuideLat pulldownLatsGuide

Barbell bent-over rowUpper back and lats

Cable face pullRear delts and upper backGuide

Barbell curlBiceps

Hammer curlBiceps and forearmsGuide

Barbell back squatQuads and glutes

Romanian deadliftHamstrings and glutesGuideLeg pressQuads and glutesGuide

Lying leg curlHamstrings

Standing calf raiseCalves

Questions people ask