The push-pull-legs split is one of the most popular training routines in the fitness world. This approach to lifting has gained a massive following for its simplicity, effectiveness, and versatility.
It’s a proven system that targets different muscle groups on specific training days, ensuring efficient muscle stimulation and recovery. We focus on the chest, shoulders, and triceps on push days. Pull days engage your back, biceps, and rear delts. And on leg days, we put your lower body through its paces, sculpting the quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
Everyone and their mother has run this split at least once. But, the key to successful programming goes beyond how you split up the muscle groups. In this article, we go over how to set up the perfect PPL program to optimize muscle and strength gains. We cover exercise selection, volume, rep ranges, and more. Sit back, relax, and enjoy. We also suggest you read the best pre-workout for strength and power.
Table of contents
- The push-pull legs training split
- Why is the push-pull legs split effective?
- Who should follow a push-pull leg split?
- Are there any downsides to a push-pull leg split?
- The different push-pull leg variations.
- How to set up a push-pull legs program.
- The best push-pull legs programs.
- Progressive overload 101
- How to progress a push-pull legs program.
- FAQs
The Push Pull Legs Training Split
The push-pull-legs (PPL) training split is a popular way to organize a workout routine. As the name suggests, it involves dividing your workouts into three categories based on the movements involved: pushing, pulling, and lower body exercises.
The push category typically includes exercises like the bench press, overhead press, and triceps extensions. All those movements involve pushing the weight away from the body.
On the other hand, the pull category includes exercises such as pullups, rows, and biceps curls, which involve pulling weight toward the body.
Finally, the leg day includes squats, deadlifts, and calf raises, primarily targeting the lower body.
The idea behind the PPL split is that by focusing on each movement category separately, you can give each muscle group enough time to recover before training it again while minimizing the overlap between exercises. Many people find this split effective for building overall strength and muscle mass while providing enough variety to keep workouts interesting.
Why is the Push Pull Legs Split Effective?
The push-pull-legs training split is effective for several reasons, including:
Versatility: One of the best aspects of the PPL training split is versatility. You can set up a PPL program for a pure bodybuilding routine or add strength work for a powerbuilding approach.
High frequency: The PPL program typically involves training each muscle group multiple times per week, which provides a high frequency of training stimulus. This frequency can lead to more significant gains in strength and muscle size compared to training each muscle group once a week. Higher frequency programs work well for advanced lifters because it allows them to better distribute high training volumes.
Variety: The PPL program provides a good variety of exercises for each muscle group. By using a mix of compound exercises (which work multiple muscles at once) and isolation exercises (which target specific muscles), the program provides a well-rounded training stimulus for each muscle group.
Time efficiency: The PPL program is typically designed to be time-efficient, with each workout taking 60-90 minutes to complete. This makes it a good option for those with busy schedules who can’t spend hours in the gym daily doing a full-body routine.
Who Should Follow a Push Pull Legs Split?
The push-pull-legs training split is a versatile program that various individuals can successfully follow.
Competitive Bodybuilders: The PPL program is a popular choice among bodybuilders. This training style is a nice hybrid of body part splits and upper-lower routines.
Powerbuilders: The PPL program is also great for powerbuilders who want to build strength in the squat, bench press, and deadlift while building muscle. By incorporating the big three into the program and varying the volume and intensity, powerbuilders can improve their performance in these lifts while still looking good.
Everyday Lifters: The PPL program is not just for advanced lifters. A push-pull legs routine can be a good choice for beginners and intermediates as it provides a foundation for building strength and muscle size. The program is easy to follow and you can adapt as you progress.
Are There Any Downsides To a Push Pull Legs Split?
While the push-pull-legs training split is generally an effective program for building strength and muscle size, there are some potential downsides to consider:
Overtraining: The high frequency of training each muscle group multiple times per week can lead to overtraining if not appropriately managed. Only some people need to or can train with a high-volume approach.
Can Neglect Small Muscle Groups: Smaller muscle groups like biceps, side delts, or rear delts may benefit from more volume. Training those muscles at the end of the workout also limits how much effort you can put toward improving them.
Not optimal for powerlifting: While the PPL program is excellent for building muscle and strength, there are better programs for individuals who want to focus solely on improving their performance in the squat, bench press, and deadlift.
The Different Push-Pull Leg Variations
A push-pull-legs training split is highly versatile. There are nearly an endless amount of ways to set it up. Here are a few of the most common:
3-Day Split: A three-day PPL split is the most basic PPL split. With this setup, you work out three days a week, alternating between push, pull, and leg workouts.
Day 1: Push (chest, shoulders, triceps)
Day 2: Pull (back, biceps, traps)
Day 3: Legs (quads, hamstrings, calves, abs)
4-Day Split: This split is similar to the 3-day option but with an additional day to focus on the arms. One downside of a standard PPL split is the triceps and biceps can be an afterthought. If your arms are a weak point, this is the perfect split.
Day 1: Push (chest, shoulders, triceps)
Day 2: Pull (back, biceps, traps)
Day 3: Legs (quads, hamstrings, calves, abs)
Day 4: Arms (triceps and biceps)
5-Day Split: People often opt for a push-pull-legs split to avoid typical “bro splits.” However, if you enjoy focusing on one big muscle group per day, the five-day PPL split allows you to do just that.
Day 1: Push (chest)
Day 2: Pull (back)
Day 3: Legs (quads, calves)
Day 4: Push (shoulders, triceps, abs)
Day 5: Pull (hamstrings, biceps, rear delts)
6-Day Split: The 6-day PPL split is the ultimate program for the advanced lifter. You can run all six days in a row or throw a rest day in the middle after day 3.
Day 1: Push (chest, shoulders, triceps)
Day 2: Pull (back, biceps, traps)
Day 3: Legs (quads, hamstrings, calves, abs)
Day 4: Push (chest, shoulders, triceps)
Day 5: Pull (back, biceps, traps)
Day 6: Legs (quads, hamstrings, calves, abs)
How to Set Up a Push Pull Legs Program
Setting up the perfect push, pull, legs training program goes beyond the training split. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
Exercise Selection
Exercise selection is next in line once your training split is ironed out. People often ask what the best exercises are, but exercise selection is not an either/or choice. Specific movements don’t exist in isolation.
Big compound movements typically elicit the most muscle growth. Think squats, bench presses, deadlifts, shoulder presses, pullups, etc. However, these are only some of what you need to do. Assistance exercises help you fill in the gaps.
Exercise selection is more about how movements complement each other to form a well-rounded program. Often, combining different movement patterns create a sum greater than their parts.
Take the quads, for example. The quads consist of four muscles – rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medius, and the vastus intermidias.
A 2021 study on the role of exercise selection in regional muscle growth found that leg extension targets the rectus femoris significantly more than squats [1]. Now, the key takeaway here is not that leg extensions are better than squats. However, combining squats (or leg presses, hack squats, etc.) with a leg extension makes sense to optimize quad growth.
You can say the same for other muscle groups as well. Choose exercises targeting the upper, middle, and lower chest to maximize chest growth. Perform both horizontal and vertical pulls for the back. Do bent and straight leg calf raises to get big calves.
Volume
Volume is the entire quantity of work done for a muscle group in a certain period.
There are several ways to quantify volume. You can express it as tonnage (sets x repetitions x weight), repetition volume (sets x reps), or set volume (sets).
Set volume is the total number of sets completed for a specific muscle group. For example, if you did 4 sets of bench presses on Monday and 4 sets of Incline bench presses on Thursday, you did 8 sets of chest.
Because there is a dose-response relationship between sets done and hypertrophy, calculating set volume provides the most accurate depiction of the training response.
Although high-intensity advocates like Mike Mentzer had great success with low-volume training, the evidence doesn’t back it up. Research consistently shows doing multiple sets of an exercise leads to more muscle growth than doing just one [2].
But the question is, how much volume do you need?
A 2017 meta-analysis by Schoenfeld and colleagues found that a person needed to perform around ten weekly sets per muscle group to maximize muscle growth [3]. Beginners can progress on less volume, while advanced lifters may need more. However, ten weekly sets per muscle group is a great starting point.
Rep Range
The hypertrophy rep range is commonly explained as 8-12 in classic bodybuilding or physiology texts. The idea is, using moderate loads for moderate reps results in the best muscle growth. And plenty of anecdotal evidence shows bodybuilders have had great success training in this rep range.
However, we don’t need to limit ourselves to only 8-12 reps. According to research, muscle growth can occur across a wide range of loading and rep ranges [4]. Low and high repetitions stimulate hypertrophy similarly to moderate repetitions, as long as you match the volume and complete sets close to failure.
In practice, training between 6-20 reps is the most efficient way to build muscle. It’s easier on the joints than going super heavy and is more fun than pumping out endless reps.
Rest Periods
For decades, experts recommended short rest periods to optimize muscle growth. They thought that if you waited too long between sets, your heart rate would slow, you would lose your pump, and your muscles would get cold.
Lost in this theory is set to set performance. Short rest intervals decrease future set performance when using high-fatiguing complex exercises like squats, bench presses, overhead presses, rows, and deadlifts.
For example, if you do a brutal set of 8 reps on squats, doing another set of 8 with the same weight would be almost impossible after only a 60-second break. On the other hand, repeating the first set performance would be manageable after 3-5 minutes.
The research backs this up. A 2017 systematic review of the effects of short versus long rest intervals showed an advantage to extended rest periods for building muscle [5]. That said, most of us don’t have all day to spend in the gym. Resting for 3 minutes between every set would take forever.
It’s no secret using shorter rest times will get you out of the gym faster, but we don’t want it to limit our progress. The good news is a recent study looked at what would happen if you added an extra set or two during the time saved by shorter rest periods.
The extra volume was able to make up for the decrease in performance. The group using short rest periods achieved the same level of muscle gain as the group that used longer rest periods while still completing their workouts in less time [6].
So, what are we to make of this? On the main exercises, rest long enough not to decrease the load from set to set. Around three minutes is usually good. However, on the assistance exercises, speed things up a bit and only rest for 60 seconds. To make up for any decrease in performance, add an extra set.
The Best Push Pull Legs Programs
Here are the best PPL programs, regardless if you want to train three days per week or six.
The Three Day PPL Program
Day 1: Push
- Barbell Bench Press: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Incline Machine Press: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
- Standing Dumbbell Press: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Dips: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Cable Triceps Pressdown: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
Day 2: Pull
- Pullups: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Dumbbell Row: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Neutral Grip Pulldown: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Dumbbell Shrug: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Barbell Curl: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Dumbbell Incline Curl: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
Day 3: Legs / Abs
- Barbell Back Squat: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Barbell Romanian Deadlift: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Leg Extension: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Leg Curl: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
- Standing Calf Raise: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Hanging Leg Raise: 3 sets x 10-15 reps
The 4 Day PPL Program
Day 1: Push
- Incline Barbell Bench Press: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Flat Dumbbell Press: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Standing Dumbbell Press: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Dips: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Cable Triceps Pressdown: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
Day 2: Pull
- Pullups: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Dumbbell Row: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Neutral Grip Pulldown: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Dumbbell Shrug: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Barbell Curl: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Dumbbell Incline Curl: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
Day 3: Legs / Abs
- Barbell Back Squat: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Barbell Romanian Deadlift: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Leg Extension: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Leg Curl: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
- Standing Calf Raise: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Hanging Leg Raise: 3 sets x 10-15 reps
Day 4: Arms
- Close Grip Bench Press: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Chinup: 3 sets x 6-8 reps
- Lying EZ Bar Triceps Extension: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- EZ Bar Preacher Curl: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension: 4 sets x 12-15 reps
- Low Pulley Cable Curl: 4 sets x 12-15 reps
The 5-Day PPL Program
Day 1: Push
- Barbell Incline Press: 3 sets x 6-8 reps
- One Arm Flat Dumbbell Press: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Dips: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Machine Chest Press: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Cable Crossover: 4 sets x 12-15 reps
Day 2: Pull
- Pullups: 25-50 reps in as few sets as possible
- Barbell Row: 3 sets x 6-8 reps
- Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Chest Supported Row: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Single Arm Lat Pulldown: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Cable Lat Extension: 3 sets x 12-15 reps
Day 3: Legs
- Barbell Back Squat: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Leg Extension: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
- Weighted Back Extension: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Seated Calf Raise: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Standing Single Leg Calf Raise: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
Day 4: Push
- Standing Barbell Press: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Dumbbell Side Raise: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
- Seated Arnold Dumbbell Press: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Cable Triceps Pressdown: 4 sets x 12-15 reps
- Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
- Decline Sit Ups: 3 sets x 10-20 reps
Day 5: Pull
- Deadlift: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Leg Curl: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Dumbbell Hammer Curl: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- EZ Bar Preacher Curl: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Curl: 4 sets x 12-15 reps
- Cable Facepull: 3 sets x 12-15 reps
The 6 Day PPL Program
Day 1: Push
- Incline Barbell Bench Press: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Machine Chest Press: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Standing Dumbbell Press: 3 sets x 6-8 reps
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
- Dips: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Cable Triceps Pressdown: 4 sets x 12-15 reps
Day 2: Pull
- Pullups: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Dumbbell Row: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Neutral Grip Pulldown: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Dumbbell Shrug: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Barbell Curl: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Dumbbell Incline Curl: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
Day 3: Legs / Abs
- Barbell Back Squat: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Barbell Romanian Deadlift: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Leg Press: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Leg Curl: 4 sets x 12-15 reps
- Standing Calf Raise: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Hanging Leg Raise: 3 sets x 10-15 reps
Day 4: Push
- Incline Barbell Press: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Flat Dumbbell Press: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Seated Dumbbell Press: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Cable Lateral Raise: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
- Lying EZ Bar Triceps Extension: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
- Cable Overhead Triceps Extension: 3 sets x 12-15 reps
Day 5: Pull
- Lat Pulldown: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Barbell Row: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Underhand Grip Pulldown: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Smith Machine Shrug: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- EZ Bar Curl: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Dumbbell Preacher Curl: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
Day 6: Legs / Abs
- Deadlift: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
- Hack Squat: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Leg Curl: 4 sets x 12-15 reps
- Leg Extension: 4 sets x 12-15 reps
- Seated Calf Raise: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Decline Sit Ups: 3 sets x 10-20 reps
Progressive Overload 101
In simple terms, progressive overload means training must become increasingly more challenging to encourage adaptation.
We can divide muscle and strength development into three stages: stimulus, recovery, and adaptation. In other words, train, recover, and become stronger and more muscular. Lifting weights is the first domino to fall, but you must repeat the process to continue progressing.
The critical element is that the stimulus must be an overload for the process to work. Simply showing up will not provide results in the long run. Performing the same weight for the same reps results in a plateau. When training becomes too easy, progress slows or stops, and you will enter homeostasis. Most of us have gone through this as we progressed from beginner to intermediate.
This means you must continue overloading the body to break the plateau and encourage progress.
How To Progress In A Push Pull Legs Program
There are numerous approaches to inducing progressive overload in a push-pull legs training program. Here are some of my favorites.
Lift Heavier Weights: Adding weight to the bar is the most straightforward approach to incorporating progressive overload into any workout program. Achieve this by gradually increasing the weights lifted while keeping the same reps and sets.
Do More Reps: Another method for progressive overload is to increase the number of repetitions over time while maintaining the same amount of weight lifted and sets performed.
Do More Sets: Increasing sets is one of the most overlooked ways to build progressive overload into your program. You can accomplish this by gradually increasing the number of sets while maintaining the weight and reps. Adding volume this way works well for intermediate and advanced lifters.
Add Exercises: Adding exercises is another strategy for boosting training volume and progressive overload. You have used progressive overload if you usually do four chest movements per week and increase it to five.
Decrease rest periods: Training density is the amount of work you can perform in a particular period. Another type of progressive overload is getting your workout done faster. You can accomplish this by shortening the rest intervals between sets or limiting wasted time. However, as mentioned, be careful not to cut rest periods so drastically that performance suffers. Rest between one and three minutes for the best performance, depending on the exercise.
FAQs
Q: Is push pull legs effective?
A push-pull-legs training split is an effective way to train. It’s a highly versatile training split that fits most people’s goals.
Q: Is doing push-pull legs three days a week enough?
Yes, three days a week can be enough to facilitate growth. The key is doing enough volume for each muscle group per week.
Q: Is it ok to do push-pull legs every day?
While some people claim to see great results training every day, having at least one rest day per week is best for recovery.
Q: Is push-pull legs or upper lower a more effective training split?
It’s hard to say what the most effective training split is. However, a PPL and an upper/lower split are both excellent options. If I had to differentiate between the two, a PPL split is better for muscle growth, while an upper/lower split is better for strength.
Q: How long should a push-pull legs workout be?
A push-pull legs workout should last 45 to 90 minutes, depending on volume, intensity, and rest times.
Q: Can you follow a different order instead of push-pull legs? For example, can you do leg push-pull?
Yes, you can change the order of the days. Nothing says you need to start with a push day. In fact, many people prefer to do legs on the first day of the week, followed by push and pull.
And there you have it, the ultimate guide to the best push-pull legs workout routines for building muscle and gaining strength. By embracing the principles of proper exercise selection, progressive overload, and consistent effort, you’re setting yourself up for muscle-building success.
Remember, training isn’t just about lifting weights. It’s about embarking on a transformative journey of self-improvement. It’s about challenging your limits, pushing through barriers, and becoming more muscular than ever.
So, my fellow iron warriors, it’s time to break out the lifting chalk, strap on your determination, and embark on this incredible journey. You now know the best push-pull legs workout routines. Now it’s up to you to get after it.
References
- Zabaleta-Korta A, Fernández-Peña E, Torres-Unda J, Garbisu-Hualde A, Santos-Concejero J. The role of exercise selection in regional Muscle Hypertrophy: A randomized controlled trial. J Sports Sci. 2021 Oct;39(20):2298-2304. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2021.1929736. Epub 2021 Jul 10. PMID: 34743671.
- Radaelli R, Fleck SJ, Leite T, Leite RD, Pinto RS, Fernandes L, Simão R. Dose-response of 1, 3, and 5 sets of resistance exercise on strength, local muscular endurance, and hypertrophy. J Strength Cond Res. 2015 May;29(5):1349-58. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000758. PMID: 25546444.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sports Sci. 2017 Jun;35(11):1073-1082. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2016.1210197. Epub 2016 Jul 19. PMID: 27433992.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and Hypertrophy Adaptations Between Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. J Strength Cond Res. 2017 Dec;31(12):3508-3523. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002200. PMID: 28834797.
- Grgic J, Lazinica B, Mikulic P, Krieger JW, Schoenfeld BJ. The effects of short versus long inter-set rest intervals in resistance training on measures of muscle hypertrophy: A systematic review. Eur J Sport Sci. 2017 Sep;17(8):983-993. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2017.1340524. Epub 2017 Jun 22. PMID: 28641044.
- Longo AR, Silva-Batista C, Pedroso K, de Salles Painelli V, Lasevicius T, Schoenfeld BJ, Aihara AY, de Almeida Peres B, Tricoli V, Teixeira EL. Volume Load Rather Than Resting Interval Influences Muscle Hypertrophy During High-Intensity Resistance Training. J Strength Cond Res. 2022 Jun 1;36(6):1554-1559. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003668. Epub 2020 Jun 5. PMID: 35622106.
Author Bio:
Kyle Hunt is an author, podcast host, trainer, powerlifter, and founder of Hunt Fitness.
Hunt Fitness is a popular online fitness coaching business that started in 2010. He has a B.S. in Exercise Science and over 12 Years of Coaching Experience. He lives in South Carolina with his wife, three children, and three cats.
