Push Pull Legs (PPL) Split: Routine, Exercises, and Schedule
A push pull legs (PPL) split divides your lifting into three workouts: push (chest, shoulders, triceps), pull (back, rear delts, biceps), and legs (quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves). Run the cycle once through on three days a week, or twice on six. Muscles that work together on a given movement train in the same session, so each workout stays focused and no muscle gets hit on back-to-back days.
The split itself is not what builds muscle. Weekly hard sets per muscle group show the clearest relationship with muscle growth, with more sets producing more growth up to a point (Schoenfeld et al., 2017; Pelland et al., 2026). When weekly sets are equal, how often you spread them across the week appears to matter much less for hypertrophy (Schoenfeld et al., 2019). So the practical question is not "which split is best?" but "which schedule lets me complete enough quality sets, week after week, and recover from them?" This guide helps you answer that, then gives you full push, pull, and leg workouts to start with.
Key Takeaways
- PPL groups muscles by movement pattern: pressing (push), pulling (pull), and lower body (legs).
- On a three-day week each muscle trains about once; on six days, twice. Choose the version you can recover from.
- For muscle growth, track hard sets per muscle per week and adjust the number of sets per session to match your schedule.
- Add weight or reps gradually. You do not need to take every set to failure to grow (Refalo et al., 2023).
What Each PPL Day Trains
Push day: chest, shoulders, and triceps
Pressing movements such as the bench press and overhead press use the chest, front and side shoulders, and triceps together. Because the triceps assist every press, training them at the end of the session, after the heavier lifts, is a natural fit.
Pull day: back, rear delts, and biceps
Rows and pulldowns train the lats, mid-back, and rear delts, with the biceps assisting in every pull. Biceps work comes last for the same reason triceps do on push day.
Leg day: quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves
Leg day covers the biggest muscles in the body, so it is usually the most demanding session. Squat patterns emphasize the quads, hip hinges such as Romanian deadlifts emphasize the hamstrings and glutes, and calf raises finish the session.
Exercise order
Start with the heavy, multi-joint lift you most want to improve (bench press, row, squat), when you are freshest. Follow with secondary compounds, then single-joint "isolation" exercises such as lateral raises and curls. The reason is practical: technically demanding lifts suffer most when you are fatigued, while a curl is easy to perform well at the end of a session.
Choose a 3-, 4-, 5-, or 6-Day Schedule
Run PPL as a rotation, not a fixed weekly calendar. Divide your weekly sessions by three and you get how often each muscle trains per week, averaged over several weeks.
| Training days per week | Times each muscle trains per week (average) | Sets per session needed for 12 weekly sets (example) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 (Push, Pull, Legs) | 1 | 12 sets in one session |
| 4 (rolling rotation) | about 1.3 | about 9 per session |
| 5 (rolling rotation) | about 1.7 | about 7 per session |
| 6 (Push, Pull, Legs, Push, Pull, Legs) | 2 | 6 per session |
The 12-set target is an example for illustration, not a prescription.
Three days: Monday push, Wednesday pull, Friday legs
A three-day PPL is easy to schedule and leaves rest days between sessions. Its limitation is arithmetic: each muscle gets one session per week, so all of that muscle's weekly sets must fit into one workout. Reaching 10 or more hard sets for a muscle in a single session is hard to do well. An earlier meta-analysis concluded that major muscle groups should be trained at least twice a week (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), but a later one that compared volume-equated programs found no meaningful difference between frequencies (Schoenfeld et al., 2019). So a once-weekly schedule can still build muscle if the weekly sets are there, and a large network meta-analysis found that a range of load, set, and frequency combinations all increased muscle size compared with not training (Currier et al., 2023). But if your main goal is strength, more frequent practice of your key lifts looks more helpful than it does for muscle size (Pelland et al., 2026). If you only have three days and want each muscle twice a week, a full-body routine or an upper/lower rotation gets you there.
Four or five days: a rolling rotation
If you have four or five days available, keep running Push, Pull, Legs, then start the cycle again wherever you left off (for example, Push, Pull, Legs, Push this week, then Pull, Legs, Push, Pull next week). This gives each muscle about 1.3 to 1.7 sessions per week without forcing six days.
Six days: Push, Pull, Legs, Push, Pull, Legs, rest
The classic six-day version trains each muscle twice a week with about three days between sessions for any one muscle. Because each session now carries only half the weekly work, you need fewer sets per workout than the sample sessions below show (see the adjustment table in the next section). A six-day plan also leaves one rest day, so sleep, food intake, and joint tolerance decide whether it is sustainable.
How to decide, and when to add a day
- Start with three days if you are new, returning after a long break, or short on time. Spend your first weeks learning technique and building a training log.
- Add a fourth day when your lifts have been rising steadily for several weeks and your sleep, motivation, and joints feel fine.
- Hold your current schedule, or step back a day, if performance has dropped for several sessions in a row, or if joint pain lingers between workouts.
- Choose the schedule you will actually repeat. A six-day plan you complete four days a week is not better than a four-day plan you complete reliably.
Set Your Training Variables
Weekly sets per muscle group
A "hard set" is a set taken close enough to failure that the last reps are difficult. A meta-analysis of resistance training studies found a graded relationship between weekly sets and muscle growth, though it could only assess volumes up to about 10 sets per muscle per week because few studies had tested more (Schoenfeld et al., 2017). A more recent meta-regression of 67 studies (2,058 participants) found that volume has a clear dose-response relationship with hypertrophy, with diminishing returns that are more pronounced for strength than for muscle size (Pelland et al., 2026). That analysis also counted exercises that train a muscle indirectly (such as bench press for the triceps) at half credit, which is a useful way to keep your own tally honest.
This guide uses roughly 10 to 12 hard sets per muscle per week as a starting point. That number is an editorial starting guideline, not a research threshold. Raise it only if you are recovering well and progress has stalled.
What the sample sessions below add up to
The sample workouts on this page are written as full sessions. Here is how their direct sets per session translate into weekly totals:
| Muscle | Direct sets in one session | Weekly total at 3 days | Weekly total at 6 days (unmodified) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chest | 6 (plus 2–3 from dips) | 6–9 | 12–18 |
| Back (lats and mid-back) | 12 | 12 | 24 |
| Quads | 8–9 | 8–9 | 16–18 |
| Hamstrings | 6 | 6 | 12 |
The pull day as written is back-heavy: at three days it gives about 12 back sets, but on six days it would double to 24, well beyond the 10–12 starting point. On six days, cut each exercise by about a set or drop one exercise per muscle group. If you train three days, add a set to chest, hamstring, or isolation work if you want to move toward 10 sets.
Reps and load
Muscle growth is not tied to one "hypertrophy rep range." A meta-analysis of studies in which sets were taken to failure found similar muscle growth with lighter loads (60% of one-rep max or less) and heavier loads (above 60%), while strength gains favored heavier loads (Schoenfeld et al., 2017). A network meta-analysis reached a similar conclusion: loads above 80% of one-rep max maximized strength gains, while a range of loads produced similar hypertrophy (Currier et al., 2023).
In practice, use heavier, lower-rep work (about 3 to 6 reps) on main lifts if strength is your priority. For muscle growth, a practical split is roughly 5–10 reps on heavy compounds and 10–20 reps on isolation exercises, because lighter loads tend to be easier on the joints for single-joint work. That split is a convenience, not a requirement.
Rest between sets
A Bayesian meta-analysis found a small hypertrophy benefit from resting more than 60 seconds between sets compared with shorter rests, possibly because longer rests preserve the weight and reps you can lift. It did not detect appreciable differences once rest exceeded about 90 seconds (Singer et al., 2024). A workable approach is 2 to 3 minutes on heavy compounds and 60 to 90 seconds on isolation work, longer if your performance falls noticeably from one set to the next.
How close to failure
A meta-analysis found no evidence that training to complete muscular failure builds more muscle than stopping short of it (Refalo et al., 2023). Leaving one or two reps "in reserve" on heavy squats, rows, and presses is therefore a reasonable default: it keeps technique cleaner and leaves energy for later sets. On isolation exercises such as lateral raises or curls, going to 0–1 reps in reserve carries less technical and safety risk, so you can push closer to failure there. The specific reps-in-reserve numbers are a practical convention rather than a research-derived threshold.
Tempo and range of motion
Repetition speed has a wide acceptable range: a meta-analysis found similar hypertrophy with repetitions lasting about 0.5 to 8 seconds, and suggested very slow repetitions (over 10 seconds each) may be inferior (Schoenfeld et al., 2015). Lowering the weight for roughly two to three seconds is a sensible, repeatable tempo. On range of motion, a meta-analysis found only a trivial difference favoring full range over partial range, though partial range at long muscle lengths may be a viable alternative (Wolf et al., 2023). The practical rule here is consistency: use the same depth every session so that your logbook reflects real strength changes, not changes in depth.
Push Day Workout: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps
Warm up (5–10 minutes). Do light cardio or arm circles and band pull-aparts, then ramp up on your first lift. For example, before a bench press working weight, do a set with the empty bar for 10 reps, then roughly half your working weight for 5, then about 70% for 3. Then start your working sets.
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell bench press | 3 × 5–8 | 2–3 min | Lower under control, press up; keep shoulder blades set against the bench. |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 × 8–10 | 90–120 sec | The incline shifts emphasis toward the upper chest. |
| Standing overhead press | 3 × 6–8 | 2–3 min | Brace your core and keep ribs down to avoid leaning back. |
| Dumbbell lateral raise | 3 × 12–20 | 60–90 sec | Light weight, controlled lowering. |
| Parallel-bar dips | 2–3 × 8–12 | 90–120 sec | Lean slightly forward for more chest. See shoulder note below. |
| Cable triceps pushdown | 3 × 10–15 | 60–90 sec | Keep elbows pinned at your sides. |
Shoulder note. Dips load the front of the shoulder heavily. If dips cause shoulder pain, swap in a machine chest press or close-grip push-ups.
Beginner version. Replace the barbell lifts with a machine chest press and a seated shoulder press, and do two working sets per exercise. Machines let you learn the movement pattern without managing balance.
Pull Day Workout: Back, Rear Delts, and Biceps
Warm up (5–10 minutes). Light cardio, band pull-aparts, and a couple of light sets of your first exercise.
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pull-ups or assisted pull-ups | 3 × 5–10 | 2–3 min | Pull your chest toward the bar. Use an assist machine if you cannot do about five strict reps. |
| Lat pulldown | 3 × 8–12 | 90–120 sec | Control the bar on the way up to feel the stretch in your lats. |
| Barbell row | 3 × 6–10 | 2–3 min | Flat back; pull the bar toward your lower ribcage. |
| Chest-supported dumbbell row | 3 × 8–12 | 90–120 sec | The bench removes momentum so the back does the work. |
| Face pull | 3 × 12–20 | 60–90 sec | Pull the rope toward your forehead and squeeze the rear delts. |
| Barbell curl | 3 × 8–12 | 60–90 sec | Elbows by your sides; avoid swinging. |
| Hammer curl | 2–3 × 10–15 | 60–90 sec | Works the brachialis and brachioradialis (forearm), adding arm thickness. |
Beginner version. Use assisted pull-ups or lat pulldowns until you can complete several strict pull-ups, and a chest-supported row before free-standing barbell rows. The support lets you learn shoulder-blade control without lower-back strain. Do two working sets per exercise.
Leg Day Workout: Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, and Calves
Warm up (5–10 minutes). Spend a few minutes on dynamic hip and ankle mobility (for example, bodyweight squats and leg swings), then build up to your working weight on squats with progressively heavier sets.
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back squat | 3 × 5–8 | 2–3 min | Brace, keep a neutral spine, drive through the whole foot. |
| Leg press | 3 × 8–12 | 2 min | Set the safety stops, and avoid letting your lower back round at the bottom. |
| Leg extension | 2–3 × 12–15 | 60–90 sec | Isolates the quads. |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 × 6–10 | 2–3 min | Push your hips back with the bar close to your legs; you should feel a stretch in your hamstrings. |
| Seated or lying leg curl | 3 × 10–15 | 60–90 sec | Control the lowering phase. |
| Hip thrust | 3 × 8–12 | 90–120 sec | Pause at the top and squeeze your glutes. |
| Standing calf raise | 3 × 10–15 | 60–90 sec | Full stretch at the bottom, brief pause to remove bounce. |
| Seated calf raise | 2–3 × 12–20 | 60–90 sec | The bent knee shifts emphasis toward the soleus. |
Beginner version. Swap back squats for goblet squats or the leg press, and use machine leg curls in place of Romanian deadlifts until you have learned the hip hinge. Start with two working sets per exercise. Add sets only after the current volume feels manageable for a few weeks.
Session length. Each of these sessions has six to eight exercises. At roughly three minutes per exercise (sets plus rest), expect about 60 to 75 minutes including warm-up. If a session runs much longer, trim isolation work first.
Progression: How to Keep Improving
Double progression
Pick a rep range for each exercise (for example, 8–12). Stay at the same weight until you hit the top of the range on every set, then add a small amount of weight and start from the bottom of the range again. For example, on lat pulldowns at 100 lb:
- Week 1: 10, 9, 8 reps
- Week 2: 11, 10, 9 reps
- Week 3: 12, 11, 10 reps
- Week 4: 12, 12, 12 reps → increase to 105 lb next session and expect about 9, 8, 8 reps
These numbers are illustrative. Your progress will be messier, and that is normal.
What to do when a lift stalls
- Check the lift itself. Are you using the same depth and pause each session? Inconsistent technique makes progress hard to measure.
- Check one lift versus all lifts. If only one exercise stalled, swap in a close variation (for example, incline dumbbell press for bench press) for a few weeks.
- Check sleep and food. Persistent shortfalls in either make hard sessions harder.
- Consider a deload if many lifts stall alongside fatigue. A deload is a planned period of reduced training stress, often achieved by cutting sets, reps, or training days for a week or so. An expert-consensus study describes deloading as widely used by coaches but under-researched, so treat the details as practical experience rather than proven protocol (Bell et al., 2023).
Recovery Between PPL Workouts
Rest days
The six-day layout includes one full rest day. If you are run down, it is reasonable to swap a lifting day for light walking or mobility work, or to take an extra rest day.
Sleep
A joint consensus statement from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society recommends that healthy adults get at least seven hours of sleep per night on a regular basis (Watson et al., 2015). Evidence directly linking sleep length to muscle growth in lifters is more limited than the general health evidence. If your training quality drops after short nights, protect sleep before adding more sets.
Protein and calories
A meta-analysis of randomized trials found that protein intake above roughly 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day (about 0.7 grams per pound) did not produce further gains in fat-free mass during resistance training (Morton et al., 2018). For an 80 kg (176 lb) lifter, 1.6 g/kg is about 128 grams per day. Because that analysis is based on average group effects, individual needs vary.
Spreading protein across three or four meals is a practical default, but the old idea that the body can only use about 20–25 grams of protein per meal for muscle-building is an oversimplification (Schoenfeld & Aragon, 2018). Total daily intake matters most. For calories, eating slightly above maintenance supports muscle gain, and eating below maintenance supports fat loss.
Hydration
A meta-analysis of studies on dehydration found that being meaningfully dehydrated is likely to reduce muscle endurance, strength, and anaerobic power (Savoie et al., 2015). In those studies the fluid deficits were substantial (around 3% of body weight), so ordinary thirst is not a reason to panic, but start sessions hydrated and drink during long, hot, or sweaty workouts.
Signs your volume or frequency may be too high
Watch for several sessions in a row with falling performance, poor sleep, unusually low motivation, or joint aches that do not settle between workouts. If you notice these, reduce sets or drop a training day for a couple of weeks before adding anything back. If pain is sharp, localized, or lasting, see a qualified clinician rather than training through it.
PPL vs. Upper/Lower vs. the Arnold Split
Since research on frequency suggests the way you divide a given number of weekly sets matters little for hypertrophy (Schoenfeld et al., 2019), the differences between splits are mostly practical.
| Split | How it groups muscles | Typical days per week | Times per muscle per week | Practical trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Push Pull Legs | By movement pattern | 3–6 | 1 at three days, 2 at six days | Flexible days; once-weekly at three days. |
| Upper/Lower | Upper body one day, lower body the next | 4 | 2 | Easy to hit twice weekly in four days; sessions cover many muscles. |
| Arnold Split | Chest and back; shoulders and arms; legs | 6 | 2 | Six days; large muscle groups paired in the same session. |
Which one to choose
Choose PPL if you want a dedicated leg day, flexibility in how many days you train, and sessions with a clear focus. Choose upper/lower if you have four days and want each muscle twice a week. Choose the Arnold Split if you enjoy pairing large muscle groups and can commit to six days. The best split is the one you will repeat consistently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PPL good for beginners?
It can be, especially on three days a week using the beginner versions above. Because a range of training prescriptions all increased strength and muscle compared with no training (Currier et al., 2023), a beginner can pick the plan they find easiest to follow. A full-body routine on three days is an equally reasonable alternative.
What if I miss a session?
Pick up with the next workout in the rotation instead of doubling up. Because PPL runs as a rotation rather than a fixed calendar, nothing is lost.
How long should a PPL workout take?
Plan about 60–75 minutes for the sessions above, including warm-up. Session length depends on how many exercises you do and how long you rest, not on a fixed standard.
Can I use PPL while trying to lose fat?
PPL does not cause fat loss by itself; an energy deficit does. Keeping your lifting volume and effort reasonably consistent while in a deficit, together with adequate protein, is the usual approach to preserving muscle. This guide does not provide a calorie target; that depends on the individual.
Do I need to train to failure?
No. A meta-analysis found no evidence that training to complete failure builds more muscle than stopping short (Refalo et al., 2023). Finishing sets with a rep or two in reserve is a sound default on heavy compound lifts.
Safety Notes
If you have a heart or lung condition, uncontrolled high blood pressure, a recent injury or surgery, or are pregnant, talk with a qualified clinician before starting a new training program. Stop a set and seek medical attention for chest pain, fainting, unusual shortness of breath, or numbness or tingling that does not resolve quickly. This article provides general educational information, not individual medical advice.
References
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