Push Pull Legs Split: The Ultimate Training Guide

What Is Push Pull Legs?

The Push Pull Legs (PPL) split divides your training into three workout types based on movement patterns. Push exercises work the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Pull exercises target the back and biceps. Leg day covers quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.

PPL is one of the most effective training splits because it groups muscles that work together, ensures balanced development, and allows for optimal training frequency when run twice per week.

Push Day

A well-structured push day moves from heavy compounds to lighter isolation work:

1. Barbell Bench Press — 4 × 5 (heavy compound)
2. Overhead Press — 3 × 8 (secondary compound)
3. Incline Dumbbell Press — 3 × 10 (upper chest focus)
4. Lateral Raises — 3 × 15 (side delt isolation)
5. Tricep Pushdowns — 3 × 12 (tricep isolation)
6. Overhead Tricep Extension — 2 × 15 (long head emphasis)

Pull Day

1. Barbell Rows — 4 × 6 (heavy horizontal pull)
2. Weighted Pull-ups — 3 × 8 (vertical pull)
3. Cable Rows — 3 × 10 (mid-back focus)
4. Face Pulls — 3 × 15 (rear delt and rotator cuff)
5. Barbell Curls — 3 × 10 (bicep compound)
6. Hammer Curls — 2 × 12 (brachialis and forearm)

Leg Day

1. Barbell Squat — 4 × 6 (heavy quad dominant)
2. Romanian Deadlift — 3 × 10 (hamstring and glute focus)
3. Leg Press — 3 × 12 (quad volume)
4. Walking Lunges — 3 × 12 each leg (unilateral balance)
5. Leg Curls — 3 × 12 (hamstring isolation)
6. Calf Raises — 4 × 15 (calf development)

Scheduling & Frequency

The classic PPL schedule runs 6 days per week, hitting each muscle group twice:

• Monday: Push
• Tuesday: Pull
• Wednesday: Legs
• Thursday: Push
• Friday: Pull
• Saturday: Legs
• Sunday: Rest

If 6 days is too much, run PPL 3 days per week (Push Monday, Pull Wednesday, Legs Friday) and hit each muscle once. You'll still make solid progress, especially as a beginner or intermediate lifter.

Progression Strategy

Use double progression: pick a rep range (e.g., 3 × 8–12). When you hit the top of the range on all sets, increase the weight by 5 lbs for upper body or 10 lbs for lower body exercises. Reset to the bottom of the rep range and build back up. This ensures continuous progressive overload without plateaus.