Push Pull Legs: the complete guide to the PPL split

Push pull legs (PPL) divides training by movement. Push sessions cover chest, shoulders and triceps; pull sessions cover back, rear shoulders and biceps; leg sessions cover quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves. It is easy to remember and works especially well when you can train most days of the week.

What goes in each session

Push

Start with a press, add a second press in another direction, then use smaller movements for chest, side shoulders and triceps. You do not need three near-identical bench press variations in one workout.

Pull

Pair a vertical pull, such as a pull-up or lat pulldown, with a row. Finish with rear-shoulder work and one or two curls. Straps can help when grip gives out before your back, but they do not replace grip training.

Legs

Combine a squat or leg press, a hip hinge, a single-leg exercise and a leg curl. Calves and core can finish the session. The order can change when one lift is the priority.

Example three-day PPL week

• Monday — Push: bench press 3 × 6–8, dumbbell shoulder press 3 × 8–10, cable fly 2 × 10–15, lateral raise 3 × 12–20, tricep pushdown 2 × 10–15.
• Wednesday — Pull: lat pulldown 3 × 8–12, chest-supported row 3 × 8–12, reverse pec deck 3 × 12–20, hammer curl 2 × 8–12, cable curl 2 × 10–15.
• Friday — Legs: squat 3 × 6–8, Romanian deadlift 3 × 8–10, Bulgarian split squat 2 × 8–12 each side, leg curl 2 × 10–15, calf raise 3 × 10–15.

Treat those numbers as a starting point, not a quota. Leave roughly two good reps in reserve on most sets and add work only if performance and recovery stay steady.

Three days or six?

On three days, each area is trained once weekly. That can work, but full-body training often gives a beginner more frequent practice. On six days, each area is trained twice, but the extra day is only useful if you can recover. Four or five days can use a rolling PPL sequence: simply continue with the next session each time you train.

How to progress

Use a rep range. If bench press is 3 × 6–8, keep the load until you reach eight controlled reps on all three sets, then make the smallest sensible increase. Rest about two to three minutes for demanding compound lifts and long enough to perform well on smaller exercises—often one to two minutes.

Common mistakes

1. 01Turning push day into endless chest work while giving legs half a session.
2. 02Starting with six days because it looks advanced, then missing workouts and losing the sequence.
3. 03Adding exercises every week instead of improving reps, load or control.
4. 04Training every set to complete failure and carrying fatigue into the next day.

PPL FAQs