The Push Pull Legs Split, Minus the Bro Science
Max ·
Push pull legs is the first split I point people to when they ask what they should run. It's not magic. It's just simple enough that you'll actually stick to it, and flexible enough that you won't need a new program in six months.
There's a lot of noise about it online, so here's the version I'd hand a friend: what goes on each day, how to schedule it, and how to keep adding weight.
What push pull legs actually means
Push pull legs (PPL) splits your training by movement instead of by body part. Every exercise falls into one of three days:
- Push: chest, shoulders and triceps. Anything where you press weight away from you.
- Pull: back, rear delts and biceps. Anything where you pull weight toward you.
- Legs: quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves.
Muscles that work together get trained together. Your triceps get a real rest after bench day instead of getting hammered again on "arm day." That's most of the appeal.
3 days or 6 days?
Honestly, the right starting point depends mostly on how often you can actually get to the gym. The split is the same either way. What changes is how many times you run through it each week.
3 days a week
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Push | Rest | Pull | Rest | Legs | Rest | Rest |
Each muscle gets trained once a week. This is where I'd start if you're newer to lifting or short on time. The trade-off is that once a week is on the low end for building size, so make every set count.
6 days a week
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Push | Pull | Legs | Push | Pull | Legs | Rest |
Each muscle gets trained twice a week. This is the classic PPL most people mean. It's a lot of gym time, though, and it only works if you're sleeping and eating enough to recover from it. I wouldn't jump straight here.
The in-between option
Rotate the three days in order and take rest days when you need them (Push, Pull, Legs, Rest, Push...). The days won't land on the same weekday every week, and that's fine. Or add an Upper day so a 4-day week runs Push, Pull, Legs, Upper, and your chest and back get hit twice.
If you're brand new, start here
If you've never really trained before, don't worry about the numbers in the tables below yet. For your first week or two, use light weights and higher reps, something like 12–15 per set. The goal is to get a feel for actually doing each movement: where the weight should be, what you should feel working, what a good rep looks like. Strength comes fast once that's there.
I also wouldn't start with the heavier barbell lifts. They're great, but they're also the easiest to get wrong. For the main lifts below, start with the machine options: leg press, machine chest press, machine row. Bring the barbell versions in once you're comfortable in the gym, ideally with someone who knows what they're doing showing you the ropes.
The workouts
Sets and reps are working sets, for once you've got the movements down. Warm up with a couple of lighter sets on your first lift. Rest 2–3 minutes on the big compound lifts and 60–90 seconds on everything else.
For the main lifts I've listed a few common options. They all do the job, so pick one based on your gym and what feels right, then stick with it for a while so you can actually track progress on it.
Push day
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Chest press: barbell bench, dumbbell bench, Smith machine or machine press | 3 | 6–10 |
| Shoulder press: barbell overhead press, dumbbell or machine shoulder press | 3 | 6–10 |
| Incline press: dumbbell, barbell, Smith machine or machine | 3 | 8–12 |
| Lateral raise | 3 | 12–20 |
| Triceps pushdown | 3 | 10–15 |
| Overhead triceps extension | 2 | 10–15 |
Pull day
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical pull: pull-up, assisted pull-up or lat pulldown | 3 | 6–10 |
| Row: barbell, chest-supported, cable or machine row | 3 | 6–10 |
| Face pull | 3 | 12–20 |
| Barbell curl | 3 | 8–12 |
| Hammer curl | 2 | 10–15 |
Leg day
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squat: leg press, hack squat, Smith machine squat or barbell squat | 3 | 6–10 |
| Romanian deadlift: barbell or dumbbell | 3 | 8–10 |
| Leg extension | 3 | 10–15 |
| Lying leg curl | 3 | 10–15 |
| Standing calf raise | 4 | 10–15 |
At the end of the day, though, do the exercises you actually enjoy. If you dread a lift, swap it for one that hits the same muscles and that you look forward to. You'll push harder on it and you'll keep showing up, and that matters a lot more than having the perfect exercise list.
How to keep getting stronger
The plan above is the easy part. Progress comes from double progression:
- Pick a weight you can lift for the bottom of the rep range on every set.
- Each session, try to add a rep or two.
- Once you hit the top of the range on every set, add weight: about 5 lb (2.5 kg) for upper-body lifts and 10 lb (5 kg) for lower-body lifts. Then work back up.
If a lift stalls for three or four sessions, drop the weight about 10% and build back up.
The catch is that this only works if you know exactly what you did last time. That's why Splitmaxx prefills your weights from your last session, so you walk up to the bar already knowing what you need to beat.
Who it's not for
If you can only train 2 days a week, run full body instead. And if your schedule is unpredictable enough that missing a day would leave a muscle group untrained for two weeks, an upper/lower split is more forgiving.
Quick answers
Is push pull legs good for beginners?
Yes, in the 3-day version. Spend your first week or two on light weights and higher reps to learn the movements, start with the machine options for the main lifts, and bring in the barbell versions once you've got some experience. Wait until you've been consistent for a while before going to 6 days.
How long should a PPL workout take?
About 60–75 minutes with the workouts above, including rest. If you're regularly going past 90 minutes, cut a set from the accessory lifts rather than rushing your rest on the big ones.
Where do abs fit in?
Add 2–3 sets of hanging leg raises or cable crunches to the end of any day, two or three times a week. Leg day is a common choice.
Can I swap exercises?
Yes. The main lifts already list a few options. For anything else, keep the movement pattern and swap the tool, like cable curls for barbell curls. Stick with a swap for a few weeks so you can actually track progress on it.
Is PPL better than upper/lower?
Neither is better. At the same number of days a week they produce similar results. PPL gives each session more focus, while upper/lower trains each muscle more often if you only lift 4 days. Pick the one you'll actually show up for.