If you've spent any time researching workout programs, you've probably stumbled across "PPL" or "Push/Pull/Legs." It's one of the most popular training splits in the fitness world, used by beginners and advanced lifters alike. But what exactly is it, how do you set it up, and why does it work so well? This complete guide breaks it all down and gives you a ready-to-use template.
What Is Push/Pull/Legs?
Push/Pull/Legs (PPL) is a training split that organizes your workouts by movement pattern rather than individual body parts:
- Push Day: All pushing movements—chest, shoulders, triceps
- Pull Day: All pulling movements—back, biceps, rear delts
- Leg Day: All lower body—quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves
This structure makes intuitive sense. When you bench press, your chest, front delts, and triceps all work together. Training them on the same day means they recover together. Same logic applies to pulling movements and legs.
Why PPL Works So Well
Logical Muscle Groupings
Muscles that work together are trained together. This is more efficient than "bro splits" that separate chest and triceps, forcing you to train partially fatigued muscles multiple times.
Optimal Frequency
Research suggests training each muscle group twice per week is optimal for growth. A 6-day PPL (each workout twice weekly) hits this sweet spot. Even a 3-day PPL provides sufficient stimulus for beginners.
Balanced Training
PPL naturally balances pushing and pulling movements. This is crucial for shoulder health and posture. Many programs overdevelop the front of the body, leading to rounded shoulders and injury risk.
Flexible Scheduling
PPL adapts to your life. Can only train 3 days? Do Push-Pull-Legs once each. Have more time? Run it twice for 6 days. Even 4 or 5 days works by rotating through the sequence.
Simple to Remember
Walk into the gym asking "What day is it? Push day? Okay, I'm working chest, shoulders, and triceps." No complicated body part combinations to remember.
How to Schedule Your PPL
3-Day PPL (Beginners or Busy Schedules)
- Monday: Push
- Wednesday: Pull
- Friday: Legs
Perfect for beginners or those with limited gym time. Each muscle group trained once weekly with plenty of recovery.
6-Day PPL (Intermediate/Advanced)
- Monday: Push
- Tuesday: Pull
- Wednesday: Legs
- Thursday: Push
- Friday: Pull
- Saturday: Legs
- Sunday: Rest
The classic setup. Each muscle hit twice weekly, one rest day. This is what most serious lifters run.
5-Day PPL (Compromise)
- Week 1: Push, Pull, Legs, Push, Pull
- Week 2: Legs, Push, Pull, Legs, Push
- Continue rotating...
Train 5 days, rest 2, and keep cycling through. Everything gets hit at least once, sometimes twice per week.
The Complete PPL Template
Here's a full program you can start using today. Each workout takes 45-60 minutes.
Push Day
Primary Focus: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
- Barbell Bench Press: 4 sets x 6-8 reps (rest 2-3 min)
- Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets x 8-10 reps (rest 90 sec)
- Overhead Press (Barbell or Dumbbell): 3 sets x 8-10 reps (rest 90 sec)
- Dumbbell Lateral Raises: 3 sets x 12-15 reps (rest 60 sec)
- Tricep Pushdowns: 3 sets x 10-12 reps (rest 60 sec)
- Overhead Tricep Extension: 2 sets x 12-15 reps (rest 60 sec)
Pull Day
Primary Focus: Back, Biceps, Rear Delts
- Barbell Rows (or Dumbbell Rows): 4 sets x 6-8 reps (rest 2-3 min)
- Lat Pulldowns: 3 sets x 8-10 reps (rest 90 sec)
- Seated Cable Rows: 3 sets x 10-12 reps (rest 90 sec)
- Face Pulls: 3 sets x 15-20 reps (rest 60 sec)
- Barbell or Dumbbell Curls: 3 sets x 10-12 reps (rest 60 sec)
- Hammer Curls: 2 sets x 12-15 reps (rest 60 sec)
Leg Day
Primary Focus: Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves
- Barbell Squats: 4 sets x 6-8 reps (rest 2-3 min)
- Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets x 8-10 reps (rest 2 min)
- Leg Press: 3 sets x 10-12 reps (rest 90 sec)
- Leg Curls: 3 sets x 10-12 reps (rest 60 sec)
- Leg Extensions: 2 sets x 12-15 reps (rest 60 sec)
- Standing Calf Raises: 4 sets x 12-15 reps (rest 60 sec)
Customizing Your PPL
The template above is a starting point. Here's how to adjust it for your situation:
For Beginners
- Reduce total sets by 20-30%
- Focus on learning form over adding weight
- Start with the 3-day version
For Home Gyms
- Swap cable exercises for dumbbell equivalents
- Use resistance bands for face pulls and pushdowns
- Substitute goblet squats if no barbell available
For Weak Points
- Add an extra exercise for lagging muscle groups
- Put priority exercises first when you're freshest
- Consider a specialization phase focusing on weak areas
Progressive Overload in PPL
The best program fails without progression. Here's how to advance:
Double Progression Method
For each exercise, you have a rep range (e.g., 8-10 reps). Start at the low end. Each session, try to add reps until you hit the top of the range on all sets. Then increase weight and drop back to the low end.
Example:
- Week 1: Bench Press 135 lbs x 8, 8, 7
- Week 2: Bench Press 135 lbs x 9, 8, 8
- Week 3: Bench Press 135 lbs x 10, 10, 9
- Week 4: Bench Press 135 lbs x 10, 10, 10 (hit target!)
- Week 5: Bench Press 140 lbs x 8, 8, 7 (increase weight, reset reps)
Track Everything
You can't progress what you don't measure. Log every workout with weights, sets, and reps. Review weekly to ensure you're moving forward.
Common PPL Mistakes
Skipping Leg Day
Yes, it's a cliché because it's true. Leg training is uncomfortable, but it's essential. Legs contain the largest muscles in your body and drive overall strength and hormone response.
Too Much Volume Too Soon
More isn't always better. Start with the recommended sets and only add volume when progress stalls. Excessive volume leads to poor recovery and burnout.
Ignoring Recovery
Sleep, nutrition, and rest days matter as much as training. If you're constantly sore and weak, you're not recovering. Add a rest day or improve your sleep.
Ego Lifting
Using weight you can't control to hit rep targets. Form breakdown leads to injury and actually reduces muscle activation. Check your ego at the door.
Not Training Hard Enough
The opposite extreme. If you're texting between sets and never break a sweat, you're not providing enough stimulus. Most sets should end 1-3 reps from failure.
PPL vs. Other Splits
PPL vs. Bro Split (One Body Part Per Day)
PPL allows higher frequency (2x per week vs. 1x). Research supports higher frequency for muscle growth. PPL also doesn't require 5-6 different workout days.
PPL vs. Upper/Lower
Both are excellent. Upper/Lower works better for 4 days per week. PPL is superior for 3 or 6 days. Personal preference matters—pick what you'll stick with.
PPL vs. Full Body
Full body works well for 3 days per week, especially for beginners. PPL allows more volume per muscle group and more exercise variety. Advanced lifters often prefer PPL.
Sample Week for 6-Day PPL
Here's what a full training week looks like:
- Monday (Push 1): Heavier focus—bench press priority
- Tuesday (Pull 1): Heavier focus—barbell row priority
- Wednesday (Legs 1): Heavier focus—squat priority
- Thursday (Push 2): Lighter, higher rep work
- Friday (Pull 2): Lighter, higher rep work
- Saturday (Legs 2): Lighter, higher rep work
- Sunday: Complete rest
Varying intensity between the two weekly sessions prevents overtraining and adds variety.
Start Your PPL Journey
Push/Pull/Legs isn't complicated, and that's the point. It's a proven, time-tested approach that works for nearly everyone. The structure is simple enough to remember, flexible enough to fit your schedule, and effective enough to build serious muscle.
Pick your schedule (3, 5, or 6 days), use the template above, track your progress, and stay consistent. That's the formula for results.
Ready to get started? Easy Reps lets you save this entire PPL routine as templates you can use every workout. Log your sets, track your progressive overload, and watch your strength climb—all for free. Download it today and put this PPL plan into action.