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Push Pull Legs (PPL)

6 days/weekIntermediate

Overview

Push Pull Legs is one of the most popular training splits in strength training. It organizes exercises by movement pattern: pushing movements (chest, shoulders, triceps), pulling movements (back, biceps, rear delts), and leg movements (quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves). By running the cycle twice per week, each muscle group gets trained with optimal frequency for hypertrophy.

The split works well because it groups muscles that already work together. On push day, your triceps assist on bench press and overhead press, so you're not fatiguing them before a separate session. The same logic applies to biceps assisting on rows and pull-ups during pull day. This makes for efficient sessions with minimal wasted overlap.

PPL is best suited for intermediate lifters who can commit to six training days per week. The volume per session is moderate since the workload is spread across six days, making individual workouts manageable in 60-75 minutes. Beginners may find the frequency excessive, while advanced lifters can use it as a base and add volume where needed.

Weekly Schedule

DaySessionExercises
MondayPush A (Strength)
  • Barbell Bench Press 4x5
  • Overhead Press 3x8
  • Incline Dumbbell Press 3x10
  • Lateral Raises 3x15
  • Tricep Pushdowns 3x12
  • Overhead Tricep Extension 3x12
TuesdayPull A (Strength)
  • Barbell Rows 4x5
  • Weighted Pull-Ups 3x6-8
  • Cable Rows 3x10
  • Face Pulls 3x15
  • Barbell Curls 3x10
  • Hammer Curls 3x12
WednesdayLegs A (Strength)
  • Barbell Squats 4x5
  • Romanian Deadlifts 3x8
  • Leg Press 3x10
  • Leg Curls 3x12
  • Calf Raises 4x12
  • Ab Wheel Rollouts 3x10
ThursdayPush B (Hypertrophy)
  • Overhead Press 4x6
  • Dumbbell Bench Press 3x10
  • Cable Flyes 3x12
  • Dumbbell Lateral Raises 4x15
  • Dips 3x10-12
  • Tricep Rope Pushdowns 3x15
FridayPull B (Hypertrophy)
  • Weighted Chin-Ups 3x8
  • Dumbbell Rows 3x10
  • Lat Pulldowns 3x12
  • Reverse Flyes 3x15
  • Incline Dumbbell Curls 3x12
  • Cable Curls 3x15
SaturdayLegs B (Hypertrophy)
  • Front Squats 3x8
  • Bulgarian Split Squats 3x10 each
  • Leg Extensions 3x12
  • Lying Leg Curls 3x12
  • Standing Calf Raises 4x15
  • Hanging Leg Raises 3x12

Progression Scheme

Add 2.5 kg (5 lb) to upper body compound lifts and 5 kg (10 lb) to lower body compound lifts each week when you complete all prescribed sets and reps. For isolation and accessory movements, increase the weight when you can hit the top of the rep range on all sets. If you stall on a lift for two consecutive weeks, deload that lift by 10% and build back up.

Who Should Run This

PPL is ideal for intermediate lifters who have at least 6-12 months of consistent training and can commit to training 6 days per week. It suits people whose primary goal is building muscle while maintaining or increasing strength. The split allows enough volume for hypertrophy without crushing recovery, as long as sleep and nutrition are dialed in.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • +Trains each muscle group twice per week for optimal hypertrophy frequency
  • +Logical grouping minimizes overlap and fatigue between sessions
  • +High volume spread across six days keeps individual sessions manageable
  • +Easy to customize by swapping exercises while maintaining the structure

Cons

  • –Requires six training days per week, which is a big time commitment
  • –Missing a day disrupts the cycle and can leave muscle groups undertrained
  • –Not ideal for beginners who would benefit more from full-body training

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