Push Pull Legs (PPL): The Complete Workout Guide

You want a program, not another theory lesson. You already know that push pull legs splits exist. What you need is a complete template you can walk into the gym and execute today.

That's exactly what you're getting. This guide includes full 3-day and 6-day PPL programs with exercises, sets, reps, and progression schemes. But first, you need to understand one decision that determines whether PPL is right for you.

The 3-day vs 6-day decision

This is the fork in the road. A 3-day PPL means you train push, pull, and legs once per week. Each muscle group gets hit once every seven days. A 6-day PPL runs the same three workouts twice, giving you two push days, two pull days, and two leg days per week.

Training each muscle group twice weekly produces better results than once weekly for most people. The research is clear on this. A 2016 meta-analysis by Schoenfeld and colleagues found that training muscles 2x per week generates superior hypertrophy compared to 1x per week when volume is matched.

Why? Muscle protein synthesis (the actual process of building new muscle) stays elevated for 36-48 hours after training in most people. If you crush chest on Monday and don't touch it again until next Monday, you're leaving six days of potential growth unstimulated.

But the practical question matters more than the science: can you actually recover from six training days per week? Do you have the time? Will you stick with it for 12 weeks straight?

Choose 3-day PPL if:

• You're a beginner (less than one year of consistent training)
• You have a demanding schedule and can reliably train 3 days weekly
• You struggle with recovery or sleep poorly
• You're over 35 and managing life stress

Choose 6-day PPL if:

• You're intermediate or advanced (1+ years consistent training)
• You can commit to six gym sessions weekly without burning out
• You recover well and prioritize sleep and nutrition
• You genuinely enjoy frequent training

If you're not sure, start with 3 days. You can always add volume later. Doing too much too soon just leads to inconsistency, and consistency beats intensity every single time.

Why push pull legs works

PPL groups muscles by their function. Push days train muscles that push weight away from you (chest, shoulders, triceps). Pull days work muscles that pull weight toward you (back, biceps, rear delts). Leg days handle everything below the waist.

This muscle grouping makes sense for recovery. When you bench press, your chest, front delts, and triceps all work together. They all fatigue together, and they all recover together. The next day, you can train your back and biceps hard because they didn't assist in any pushing movements.

Compare that to a traditional bro split where you might train chest Monday, shoulders Wednesday, and triceps Friday. Your triceps assisted on Monday's chest work, got partially trained Wednesday during shoulder pressing, and now they're supposed to handle an entire dedicated workout Friday. That's not intelligent programming.

PPL also allows meaningful volume per muscle group without marathon gym sessions. A 6-day PPL might have you in the gym 45-60 minutes per session. You're getting high weekly volume distributed across six workouts instead of cramming everything into three or four sessions.

The split became massively popular on Reddit thanks to a program called Metallicadpa's PPL (also known as the Reddit PPL). That program uses linear progression with AMRAP (as many reps as possible) sets to drive consistent strength gains. We'll cover that approach in the templates below.

The 3-day beginner PPL program

This program hits each muscle group once per week. It's appropriate for beginners building foundational strength and work capacity. You'll train Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with rest days between sessions.

Push day

Barbell bench press

• 4 sets x 5 reps
• Rest: 3 minutes
• Add 5 lbs when you complete all sets

Overhead press (barbell or dumbbell)

• 3 sets x 8-10 reps
• Rest: 90 seconds
• Add weight when you hit 3x10

Incline dumbbell press

• 3 sets x 8-12 reps
• Rest: 90 seconds

Dumbbell lateral raise

• 3 sets x 12-15 reps
• Rest: 60 seconds

Tricep pushdown (cable or band)

• 3 sets x 10-12 reps
• Rest: 60 seconds

Overhead tricep extension

• 3 sets x 10-12 reps
• Rest: 60 seconds

Total: 19 sets, approximately 60 minutes

Pull day

Barbell deadlift

• 3 sets x 5 reps
• Rest: 3 minutes
• Add 10 lbs when you complete all sets

Pull-ups or lat pulldown

• 3 sets x 6-10 reps (pull-ups) or 8-12 reps (pulldown)
• Rest: 2 minutes

Barbell or dumbbell row

• 3 sets x 8-12 reps
• Rest: 90 seconds

Face pulls

• 3 sets x 12-15 reps
• Rest: 60 seconds

Barbell curl

• 3 sets x 8-12 reps
• Rest: 60 seconds

Hammer curl

• 3 sets x 10-12 reps
• Rest: 60 seconds

Total: 18 sets, approximately 60 minutes

Leg day

Barbell squat

• 4 sets x 5 reps
• Rest: 3 minutes
• Add 10 lbs when you complete all sets

Romanian deadlift

• 3 sets x 8-10 reps
• Rest: 2 minutes

Leg press

• 3 sets x 10-12 reps
• Rest: 90 seconds

Leg curl

• 3 sets x 10-12 reps
• Rest: 60 seconds

Calf raise

• 4 sets x 12-15 reps
• Rest: 60 seconds

Total: 17 sets, approximately 55 minutes

Weekly schedule:

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

The 6-day intermediate PPL program

This is where PPL really shines. You'll run through the cycle twice per week, training push/pull/legs/push/pull/legs with one rest day. Each muscle group gets trained twice weekly with different rep ranges and exercises on each session.

The workouts below use "A" and "B" variations. Push A and Push B have different exercises or rep schemes to provide variety while maintaining the same movement patterns.

Push A (Monday/Thursday)

Barbell bench press

• 5 sets x 5 reps
• Rest: 3 minutes
• Add 5 lbs when you complete all sets

Overhead press

• 3 sets x 8-12 reps
• Rest: 2 minutes

Incline dumbbell press

• 3 sets x 8-12 reps
• Rest: 90 seconds

Cable fly or dumbbell fly

• 3 sets x 10-15 reps
• Rest: 60 seconds

Dumbbell lateral raise

• 3 sets x 15-20 reps
• Rest: 60 seconds

Rope tricep pushdown

• 3 sets x 10-15 reps
• Rest: 45 seconds

Overhead tricep extension

• 3 sets x 10-15 reps
• Rest: 45 seconds

Total: 23 sets, approximately 60 minutes

Pull A (Tuesday/Friday)

Barbell deadlift

• 3 sets x 5 reps
• Rest: 3 minutes
• Add 10 lbs when you complete all sets

Pull-ups or weighted pull-ups

• 3 sets x 6-10 reps
• Rest: 2 minutes

Cable row or barbell row

• 3 sets x 8-12 reps
• Rest: 90 seconds

Face pulls

• 3 sets x 15-20 reps
• Rest: 60 seconds

Dumbbell curl (alternating)

• 4 sets x 8-12 reps per arm
• Rest: 60 seconds

Hammer curl

• 3 sets x 10-15 reps
• Rest: 60 seconds

Shrugs (barbell or dumbbell)

• 3 sets x 12-15 reps
• Rest: 60 seconds

Total: 22 sets, approximately 60 minutes

Legs A (Wednesday/Saturday)

Barbell squat

• 5 sets x 5 reps
• Rest: 3 minutes
• Add 10 lbs when you complete all sets

Romanian deadlift

• 3 sets x 8-12 reps
• Rest: 2 minutes

Leg press

• 3 sets x 10-15 reps
• Rest: 90 seconds

Leg curl

• 3 sets x 10-15 reps
• Rest: 60 seconds

Leg extension

• 3 sets x 12-15 reps
• Rest: 60 seconds

Calf raise (standing)

• 4 sets x 12-15 reps
• Rest: 60 seconds

Abs (cable crunch or hanging leg raise)

• 3 sets x 10-15 reps
• Rest: 60 seconds

Total: 24 sets, approximately 65 minutes

Push B (alternate push workout)

Same exercises as Push A, but modify the rep scheme:

Overhead press

• 4 sets x 6-8 reps (heavier than Push A)

Barbell bench press

• 3 sets x 8-12 reps (lighter than Push A)

Everything else remains the same. This variation provides different stimulus while using the same movement patterns.

Pull B (alternate pull workout)

Barbell row

• 4 sets x 6-8 reps (if you did cable row on Pull A)
• Rest: 2 minutes

Lat pulldown (wide grip)

• 3 sets x 10-15 reps
• Rest: 90 seconds

Deadlift (optional, can be removed if recovery is an issue)

• 2 sets x 5 reps at lighter weight than Pull A

Everything else matches Pull A.

Legs B (alternate leg workout)

Front squat or goblet squat

• 4 sets x 8-12 reps
• Rest: 2 minutes

Walking lunges or Bulgarian split squats

• 3 sets x 10-12 reps per leg
• Rest: 90 seconds

Leg curl

• 3 sets x 12-15 reps

Leg extension

• 3 sets x 15-20 reps

Calf raise (seated)

• 4 sets x 15-20 reps

Abs (planks or ab wheel)

• 3 sets to technical failure

Weekly schedule:

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

How to progress on PPL

Progressive overload is non-negotiable. If you're not adding weight or reps over time, you're not going to grow. These programs use two progression methods.

For main compound lifts (5-rep sets):

Use linear progression. When you complete all prescribed sets and reps with good form, add 5 lbs to upper body movements (bench, overhead press) and 10 lbs to lower body movements (squat, deadlift) the following week.

If you fail to complete all sets, stay at that weight until you can. If you fail three consecutive sessions at the same weight, reduce the load by 10% and work back up.

For accessory work (8-20 rep sets):

Use rep progression within the prescribed range. If the program calls for 3 sets x 8-12 reps, aim to add one rep per set each week until you hit 3x12. Then increase the weight by the smallest increment available (usually 5 lbs for dumbbells, 10 lbs for machines) and drop back to 3x8.

For example, week one you might do 3 sets of 8 reps with 30 lb dumbbells. Week two, you hit 9, 8, 8. Week three: 10, 9, 9. Week four: 11, 10, 10. Week five: 12, 11, 11. Week six: 12, 12, 12. Week seven: bump to 35 lbs and start over at 8, 8, 8.

This methodical approach works. It's boring. It's slow. It produces results.

AMRAP sets (advanced variation):

Some lifters prefer adding an AMRAP set on the final set of compound movements. If your program calls for 5x5 bench press, you'd do four sets of exactly 5 reps, then on the fifth set, perform as many reps as possible with good form.

If you hit 8+ reps on that AMRAP set, add weight next session. If you get fewer than 5, the weight is too heavy. This autoregulates the program based on your performance.

The Reddit PPL uses AMRAP sets extensively. They work well but require honest assessment of your form. If your technique breaks down, the set is over.

Common PPL mistakes

Training to failure on every set

Failure has a place in training, but taking every set to complete muscular failure crushes your recovery and tanks the quality of subsequent sets. Most of your work should end 1-2 reps before failure (what lifters call RPE 8-9, or RIR 1-2). Save true failure for occasional AMRAP sets or the last set of isolation movements.

The research on junk volume shows that when you're too fatigued to maintain proper form and intensity, additional sets don't contribute to growth. They just add fatigue.

Not deloading

Six weeks into a 6-day PPL, you'll feel it. Your joints might ache. Weights that felt manageable now feel heavy. Sleep quality drops. Motivation tanks. These are signs you need a deload week.

Every 6-8 weeks, reduce your training volume or intensity by 40-50% for one week. Keep the same exercises and frequency, just cut the sets in half or reduce the weight significantly. This gives your body a chance to fully recover and adapt to the accumulated stress.

Most people skip deloads because they fear losing progress. You won't. You'll come back stronger.

Adding too much volume too soon

The templates above provide sufficient volume for growth. Resist the urge to add five more exercises because you saw someone on Instagram doing them. More volume is not always better, and for beginners, it's usually worse.

If you want to add exercises, do it slowly. One exercise at a time, give it four weeks to assess whether it's helping or just creating fatigue, then decide whether to keep it.

Ignoring accessory progression

Everyone tracks their bench press and squat numbers. Almost nobody tracks their lateral raises or face pulls. This is backwards.

Tracking your workouts means logging everything. If your lateral raises are stuck at 15 lbs for three months, your shoulders aren't growing. Apply the same progression standards to accessories as you do to compounds.

Skipping rest days

The 6-day PPL has one rest day. That's not a suggestion. You need it.

I've seen people try to run PPL seven days straight or add cardio sessions on rest days thinking they're accelerating results. They're not. Muscle growth happens during recovery, not in the gym. The workout is the stimulus. Rest is when adaptation occurs.

If you feel guilty on rest days, go for a walk. Do mobility work. Sleep 9 hours. Don't add another workout.

Recovery and PPL

A 6-day PPL demands serious recovery. You can't train six days weekly on 5 hours of sleep and expect results. You'll just accumulate fatigue until something breaks.

Sleep: 7-9 hours nightly, non-negotiable. If you're training six days per week and sleeping six hours, cut back to four training days. Sleep matters more than volume.

Nutrition: You need adequate protein (0.8-1g per pound of body weight) and enough calories to support growth. Training hard while undereating just breaks your body down without building it back up.

Signs of overtraining:

• Persistent soreness lasting beyond 72 hours
• Strength declining session to session
• Elevated resting heart rate
• Sleep disruption
• Loss of motivation or mood changes
• Getting sick more frequently

If you're seeing multiple warning signs, take a full rest week. Not a deload, a complete break from training. Your body is telling you something. Listen.

Is PPL right for you?

PPL excels for intermediate and advanced lifters who can commit to the frequency and have built the work capacity to handle the volume. If you're someone who loves structure, appreciates frequent training, and wants a proven template that doesn't require constant tinkering, PPL delivers.

The 6-day version is particularly effective because you're hitting each muscle twice weekly (the sweet spot according to research) while maintaining manageable session lengths. You're in and out of the gym in under an hour, but you're training six days.

For beginners, the 3-day PPL is fine but not optimal. A full-body split hitting each muscle 2-3 times weekly with lower total volume per session tends to produce better results early on. You need frequency to learn movement patterns, and you don't yet have the work capacity to make high-volume single-muscle sessions productive.

If you're torn between PPL and upper/lower, consider your schedule first. Can you reliably get to the gym six times per week for the next three months? If yes, PPL works. If you'll miss sessions frequently, choose upper/lower (four days) or full-body (three days). Consistency with a good program beats perfection with a program you can't maintain.

PPL isn't magic. It's a logical way to organize training that allows high volume, good recovery, and frequent stimulation of each muscle group. Execute the program consistently, progress intelligently, eat enough, sleep enough, and you'll see results.

Getting started with PPL

If you're ready to run a PPL program, pick your version (3-day or 6-day), print the template or save it to your phone, and execute it exactly as written for eight weeks minimum. Don't modify exercises yet. Don't add volume. Just follow the program and focus on progressive overload.

After eight weeks, assess. Are you stronger? Did you stick with it consistently? How's your recovery? Based on those answers, you can adjust volume, change exercise variations, or continue as is.

The hardest part of any program isn't the workout. It's showing up repeatedly for three months straight without jumping to something new when you get bored or plateau for two weeks.

If you want a training program that adapts to your schedule, recovery, and progress without you having to figure out all the variables, Forge builds personalized programs that adjust based on your performance and feedback. No more wondering if you're doing enough volume or if your exercise selection makes sense. Just intelligent programming customized to you.

But whether you follow the templates above, find a different PPL variation, or use AI-customized programming, the principle stays the same: pick a program, stick with it long enough to make it work, and add weight to the bar consistently.

That's how you build muscle. The split just determines how you organize the work.